Schwartz: Cooperstown’s own field of dreams, Doubleday Field
From Peter Schwartz at NY Sports Day on August 21, 2019, with mention of SABR member Jeff Katz:
When my family and I went to the National Baseball Hall of Fame last week, part of our trip to Cooperstown also included a visit to another piece of baseball history just a little further up Main Street. Nestled in the middle of baseball heaven with all the sports memorabilia shops, hotels, and restaurants lies a place that will give even the most casual of baseball fans goosebumps.
It’s historic Doubleday Field, a ballpark that opened in 1920 the Miles Commission was appointed in 1905 to determine the origin of baseball. In 1907, the committee ruled that “the first scheme for playing baseball, according to the best evidence obtainable to date, was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, New York in 1839.”
To be able to walk up the ramp into the seating area and take in the atmosphere, even without a baseball game taking place, was just breathtaking. The ballpark has had so many great players on that field over the years and you can feel the history just by sitting in the seats or just walking around. It’s also easy to see that Doubleday Field needs a little TLC and that’s about to happen.
Thanks to financial help from New York State, the ballpark is set to undergo a $5.8 million renovation project that has the community of Cooperstown excited.
“The village owns Doubleday Field and the village does the best it can by renting it out to cover costs,” said Jeff Katz, President of “Friends to Doubleday” (friendsofdoubleday.org), a not for profit 501 3c organization that was established to help raise money in order to preserve and enhance the ballpark.
Read the full article here: https://www.nysportsday.com/2019/08/21/cooperstown-has-its-own-field-of-dreams/
Originally published: August 22, 2019. Last Updated: August 22, 2019.