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" ♦ j ■ Visit to Hall of Fame a Must For Vacationing Baseball Fan j j J l , . 3 ] , • J j J * j i j j f t | j f l E t c t i . a r r. % c i t i c l t 8 a Shrine at C oo per stow n, N. Y. a Attracts 100,000 Annually; July 21 Big Day This Year By STEVE SNIDER United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., June 13.— Highway maps out this way mark a "must stop" for the vacationing baseball fan — The Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N. Y. Its tucked away a bit off the super-routes between the West and New England but well worth the effort for the guy who takes his baseball seriously. Nearly 100,000 fans a year make the pilgrimage. The big day this year is July 21 when plaques of Paul Waner and the late Harry Heilman, latest nominated to the Hall, will be unveiled. The Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs meet in the 10th Hall of Fame game while baseball notables and just plain fans jam into the little village of 2,500. Except for the ball game,, though, theres just as much to see on other days and the place is open 363 days a year. "We close Christmas and New Years," said John Kerr of New York, an official of the museum. "The place is open the rest of the time and seven nights a week during the good weather travel season.** Array of Gadgets On display at baseballs most complete museum are gadgets ranging from a century old baseball used by Abner Doubleday to Joe DiMaggios No. 5 Yankee uniform. Most famous of the paintings is Babe Ruths "called shot" homer in the 1932 world series against the Chicago Cubs. Whether the Babe actually pointed to the fence before hitting this particular shot has been argued long and loudly but the Bambino always said he did it and the picture 1 : is a prize. Also on display is the bat with 1 which Ruth hit his record 60th homer on Sept. 30, 1927. In a place of honor : President Roosevelts famed "green light" letter to Judge Landis urging that baseball carry on as well as possible during World War n. v Chief poinst of interest for most fans are the plaques of the 57 players and seven officials on the actual Hall of Fame. Cobb . . . Ruth . . . Alexander . . . Tinker to Evers to Chance . . . Cy Young . . . Mat-hewson . . . McGraw . . . Gehrig . . . Frisch . . Johnson . . . Comiskey . . . Chadwick who invented the box score . . . Theyre t ail there with a flock of others including a ; mustached gentleman named Candy Cum-mings Cummings officially is credited with in- ; venting the curve. As an amateur pitcher, j Candy is said to have pitched the first curve and became ace of the Brooklyn Stars , in 1867. Like many ancient phases of baseball, including when and where the game itself was invented, this may be open to , dispute but Candy gets the credit neverthe- i I . less. Its worth a look if you can spare the ; time. Be sure to spare plenty, though. Its hard place to leave. |
