Hall of Fame Weekend

[hoosiers]

Anyone thinking of making the trip to Cooperstown next weekend.

I found last year's event with Ripken and Gwynn to be awesome and was struck by how many folks showed up.

This year's headliner is Gossage and I expect attendance to be way, way down. This could make it significantly easier to get in autograph lines and move about town. Even in Cooperstown, I believe there are still hotel rooms available.

I wasn't thinking of going until a couple of days ago, but now I may see if the family is up for it. Anyone having similar thoughts?

[ElToro75]

Anyone thinking of making the trip to Cooperstown next weekend.

I found last year's event with Ripken and Gwynn to be awesome and was struck by how many folks showed up.

This year's headliner is Gossage and I expect attendance to be way, way down. This could make it significantly easier to get in autograph lines and move about town. Even in Cooperstown, I believe there are still hotel rooms available.

I wasn't thinking of going until a couple of days ago, but now I may see if the family is up for it. Anyone having similar thoughts?

I go up every year, have since about '94. Yeah last year was the record year attendance-wise, blew Mike Schmidt's year away. First year I've seen them close Main Street too, although they used to have the ceremony right in front of the Hall so it wasn't the first time ever

Attendance will be pretty far down, and lines everywhere will be much shorter. I would expect about as many that came for Rizzuto's induction year, maybe a little bit more.

It defintely will be easier to get autographs, both buying them and random free ones as well.

I have never done this, but if you are really looking for some free autographs then head to the golf course on Saturday. I've talked to lots of people that get autographs that way.

[hoosiers]

Except for the Tunnicliff Inn, I'm having a difficult time finding out who is signing where.

Last year I ended up with 8 HOF signatures on one ball. I want to get Feller and Berra on it before they pass. Also not sure if Aaron is signing or not.

We drove 2/3s of the way to Albany last year and then drove the last part Sunday morning. It seems like I would be better off getting to Cooperstown much earlier on Saturday. Not sure if I could contain my spending though if I am in Cooperstown so long.

[ElToro75]

Except for the Tunnicliff Inn, I'm having a difficult time finding out who is signing where.

Last year I ended up with 8 HOF signatures on one ball. I want to get Feller and Berra on it before they pass. Also not sure if Aaron is signing or not.

We drove 2/3s of the way to Albany last year and then drove the last part Sunday morning. It seems like I would be better off getting to Cooperstown much earlier on Saturday. Not sure if I could contain my spending though if I am in Cooperstown so long.

That's all I've found as well. I've noticed that several of the HOF'ers will sign at various different places, sometimes a few dollars cheaper at one place versus the other. I can't recall the name, but the place near the old movie theater (still on Main, but away from the HOF) they usually have some guys down in the basement signing. I have seen Earl Weaver, Bobby Doerr and Robin Roberts down there among others.

There is also the restaurant, Double Day Cafe I think (almost across the street from the movie theater) that has HOF'ers and other notable players sign there as well. I know Mudcat Graves and Paul Blair usually sign there as well as Killebrew, Yogi, Rollie and others.

Willie Mays always signs in the same building as Mickey's Place too (across from Tunnicliff), he seems to add a few dollars to his prices every year. When I first started going up there he was signing balls for about $50-60 bucks, now it's $135 I think.

We usually drive up all in one shot, about 6 hours, but this year my buddy and I are stopping to catch a minor league game in Scranton (Yankees AAA team) on Thursday night. It's just he and I so we'll probably head the rest of the way to Cooperstown after the game (no wife and kid in tow this year, so it's easy to do that )

I'll have my trusty sheet listing all the HOF'ers by age (aka "My Death Sheet") with me. I can send it to you if you want one, it's just an excel sheet.

[weams]

That's all I've found as well. I've noticed that several of the HOF'ers will sign at various different places, sometimes a few dollars cheaper at one place versus the other. I can't recall the name, but the place near the old movie theater (still on Main, but away from the HOF) they usually have some guys down in the basement signing. I have seen Earl Weaver, Bobby Doerr and Robin Roberts down there among others.

There is also the restaurant, Double Day Cafe I think (almost across the street from the movie theater) that has HOF'ers and other notable players sign there as well. I know Mudcat Graves and Paul Blair usually sign there as well as Killebrew, Yogi, Rollie and others.

Willie Mays always signs in the same building as Mickey's Place too (across from Tunnicliff), he seems to add a few dollars to his prices every year. When I first started going up there he was signing balls for about $50-60 bucks, now it's $135 I think.

We usually drive up all in one shot, about 6 hours, but this year my buddy and I are stopping to catch a minor league game in Scranton (Yankees AAA team) on Thursday night. It's just he and I so we'll probably head the rest of the way to Cooperstown after the game (no wife and kid in tow this year, so it's easy to do that )

I'll have my trusty sheet listing all the HOF'ers by age (aka "My Death Sheet") with me. I can send it to you if you want one, it's just an excel sheet.

I want it! weams@yahoo.com

[ElToro75]

I want it! weams@yahoo.com

On it's way...

[hoosiers]

Willie's number is a good bit more than that last year even after being subsidized by some bank.

I have to present a budget to the Head of Appropriations before we go, but if Aaron is signing he might blow the budget to pieces.

I would be intersted in the list, but this baseball is only for the top HOFers in my mind. I also have a second ball of autographs scored by my daughter for free last year. I may start another ball with lesser HOFers this year.

I am considering whether I should shamelessly employ my three children under 8 to score some autographs as well.

[ElToro75]

Willie's number is a good bit more than that last year even after being subsidized by some bank.

I have to present a budget to the Head of Appropriations before we go, but if Aaron is signing he might blow the budget to pieces.

I would be intersted in the list, but this baseball is only for the top HOFers in my mind. I also have a second ball of autographs scored by my daughter for free last year. I may start another ball with lesser HOFers this year.

I am considering whether I should shamelessly employ my three children under 8 to score some autographs as well.

I've thought about doing one ball, or even a bat, with various members but never got around to starting one.

Mainly I'm just trying to get as many autographs of the older HOF'ers individually on baseballs, then I'll work my way down. It's amazing that some of the older guys are still very affordable, considering some others charge $75 and up. I think Bobby Doerr was only $30 last year.

I just started a ball for my son for autographs he scores at games and stuff too.

as I can, but I also like to get autographed photos of memorable moments. I've only got a few, (Mays, Fisk, and Larson in their famed shots) but I've got my eye on the one of Nolan Ryan giving Robin Ventura a beat down I may get this year.

[ElToro75]

Except for the Tunnicliff Inn, I'm having a difficult time finding out who is signing where.

Last year I ended up with 8 HOF signatures on one ball. I want to get Feller and Berra on it before they pass. Also not sure if Aaron is signing or not.

We drove 2/3s of the way to Albany last year and then drove the last part Sunday morning. It seems like I would be better off getting to Cooperstown much earlier on Saturday. Not sure if I could contain my spending though if I am in Cooperstown so long.

Just found this one - Collectors World