BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

  

CLASSIC BASEBALL

            

The Babe

    BASEBALL AMERICANA

     As a kid growing up around the game of baseball, you dream about two things; playing in the Major Leagues and going to the Hall of Fame.  Luckily for me, one of those dreams came true today.  Visiting the Hall of Fame truly did make the trip.  Baseball is not just about throwing, hitting and catching.  It is a game that has been played in peace and in war; a game that has brought countries together; a game that broke the color barrier and a game that women played when our country was in turmoil.  The history of baseball can be taught in the classroom in all content areas.  Baseball is a game of physics, poetry, inches and equality.  Baseball also has had its share of controversy; Blacksox scandal, racial discrimination, riots, labor strikes and steroids to name o few.  The game is so important to many Americans, that the government has stepped in on many of these issues.  Cooperstown is located in NY and has a population of 2,oo0 but during inaguartion, the town swells to 75,000. So visiting the Hall of Fame is not just about baseall, it is about life.

     Upon arriving we met in the education center.  Anna our tour guide gave a great presentation on bringing the Hall of Fame into the classroom.  She gave us samples for science, math, English, character education, race, gender, geography, economics and labor.  Another cool tool she showed us was video conferencing, linking students in the classroom directly to the hall.  It truly is a place for all teachers and students to be eduacated in a plethora of areas.

     The one that fits in with our school right now is the character education piece.  We are having a new curriculum for freshmen next year called Bulldog Pride.  This is to help freshmen transition into high school and make them feel pride about their school, community and education.  Having good character is something that these young students will need to be successful and using the baseball curriculum will be an interesting and exciting experience. 

             

     Once we were free to tour the museum it was baseball heaven.  Being able to see all the people that contributed to the game over the years was incredible.  Many of the events you see on television and remember how it unfolded.  The artifacts in the Hall are like all other museums there is a story about every artifact.  It is history frozen in time.  Reminiscing with others on the trip and hearing how they saw and remembered players was awesome.  People remembered players and events differently and bringing those stories together is what it is all about.  Seeing the Latin and African-American section was humbling.  These players went through a lot to play a game that they loved.  They had to knock down many barriers before they got there.  The sad part was many people that were great ball players never got to play in the Major Leagues because of their color.  Now Latin America is a breeding ground for the elite player.  How times have changed.  Also, going through the plaque room was awe inspiring.  Reading about all the players and seeing your favorite plaques is something I won’t forget.  What is fun is discussing the players that should be in the Hall and those that will be there soon.  The one thing that brought the Hall of Fame home was seeing the Rockies own Ubaldo Jimenez’s no hit baseball and cap.  If I were to have a favorite moment it was seeing Nolan Ryan and his seven no hitters.  He was my idol growing up and my son is named after him.  Baseball is the only occupation where if you fail seven out of ten times you still are a success (baseball fans know what I mean).  There is nothing better than the smell of the grass, crack of the bat or the pop of the glove; Baseball is Americana.

     

      

   By the way, we went to the Fenimore Art museum and the Farmers museum; two wonderful places.  The Fenimore Museum at a great Magnum Photo collection and the Farmers Musuem was neat because there was people working from the time period.  We did have a great dinner over looking Blackbird Bay.

       

TEDDY

 

“If one does not have an ideal and try to live up to it, then they becomes a mean, base and sordid creature, no matter how successful.”

     This quote by Theodore Roosevelt is something we can take back to our class room to enhance lifelong skills to our students.  This is something Teddy Roosevelt did in his life.  He was a man who tried to live life to the fullest and follow his ideals.  Touring Sagamore Hills gave us a first hand look of how Roosevelt lived and what life was like for his and his family.  The beautiful grounds and house that was built for $16.700 is ninety percent authentic.  After his first wife Alice passed away after bearing their daughter, Teddy went ahead and built the house they were planning before her death.  When entering the house one would thingk they were on an African Safari, there are animal pelts, tusks and rifles throughout the house.  Teddy was a child trapped in a big man’s body.  This is how he lived life even when he was elected president.  He was a man who did not change who he was because of his political career, something that also can be taught to everybody.  The estate was like a big playground for the Roosevelt, family and friends.  When he was president it became his summer retreat, the first president to do so.  Everyone was someone at the home.  The servants who were Irish immigrants had nice quarters and were even able to discipline the children.  When Teddy was in the White House, some of the servants followed him.  Sagamore Hills had a different feel than FDR’s Hyde Park.  This was a huge playground and the home had a family atmosphere to it.  Teddy an avid outdoorsmen decorated the house with animal hides from all other the world.  He was an avid writer and reader which is why there were over 7,000 books in the house. Also on display were Remington sculptures and items from dignitaries around the world including a huge set of tusks that loomed in the family room.  I would take the Sagamore Hills estate o ver FDR’s due to the ambience of the estate.  Plus at Sagamore Hills mommy did not live there.

     His political career took him unexpectedly to the White House.  With the assassination of William McKinley, Teddy became President of the United States.  His above quote which was directed to his son Kermit followed him to the top job.  When he was in office he promoted social justice, racial equality and conservationism.  His ideals were put into motion as he fought big business and instituted government policies to break up trusts.  He also invited Booker T. Washington to the White House to improve racial tension.  Being an avid outdoorsmen, Teddy or Colonel as he preferred to be called, began a Nation Park preservation that protects our beautiful lands today.  Teddy lived his life trying to live up to his ideals.  He had some successes and failures along the way, but he died trying.

     Students in the classroom will be able to see how striving to fulfill your ideals no matter your failures is something that life is about.  When they see a president lived and enjoyed life, they will have a better understanding of how to strive for these ideals.  Also, by visiting sights of Teddy and FDR students will be able to compare their lives and come up with their own conclusions of the success of the two men.