Memorial Day Weekend
A celebration of the National Pastime in Cooperstown.
Enjoy an unforgettable Memorial Day Weekend in Cooperstown at the unofficial start of summer as the Hall of Fame opens the Getting the Nod exhibit dedicated to the beloved bobblehead doll, debuts the Hall of Fame Film Series and welcomes six Hall of Famers back to the home of baseball.
Hall of Famers Harold Baines, Wade Boggs, Rollie Fingers, Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat and Ozzie Smith will participate in weekend events alongside former major leaguers Vince Coleman, Jeremy Jeffress and Jason Kendall.
HALL OF FAME FILM SERIES
Diamond Diplomacy (Sneak Preview)
5:30 p.m., Fenimore Art Museum
Diamond Diplomacy tells the little known story of 150 years of history between the U.S. and Japan through the shared love of baseball. The film is structured around the baseball stories of two former players, Masanori “Mashi” Murakami and Warren Cromartie, and weaves through key points in history examining subjects like racism, international relations, and the influence of sports.
A question-and-answer session with director Yuriko Gamo Romer will follow the film.
Just a Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers
2 p.m., Hall of Fame's Grandstand Theater
This film, which won Best Sports Documentary at the 2024 Louisville Film Festival, chronicles the 40-year love affair between a struggling blue-collar city and a perfectly matched blue-collar team that came oh-so-close to winning the World Series.
A question-and-answer session with Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers and filmmakers Sean Hanish and Kelly Kahl will follow the film. Admission to the Museum and your ticket reservations are required to enter.
MLB Network Presents: Joy in Wrigleyville
5:30 p.m., Hall of Fame's Grandstand Theater
At 12:46 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 3, the impossible finally happened. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. It was an event so iconic and exhilarating for the legions of Cubs fans who'd been waiting their whole lives for this to become reality. Joy in Wrigleyville tells the story of this epic World Series not through the players, the coaches or the broadcasters, but from the perspective of the passionate fans of a historic franchise that hadn’t won a World Series in over 100 years.
A question-and-answer session with Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins will follow the film. Museum admission is not required, but tickets must be reserved in advance.
The Sandlot
1 p.m., Hall of Fame's Grandstand Theater
This beloved 1993 film is a coming-of-age story that features a group of young baseball players in 1962.
MLB Network Presents: Birds of a Different Game
6:15 p.m., Hall of Fame's Grandstand Theater
In today’s age of power baseball both at the plate and on the mound, it’s hard to believe a team like the 1980s Cardinals existed, let alone had as much success as they did. In an attempt to take advantage of the artificial turf installed throughout the league at the time, the ’80s Cardinals won three NL pennants and a World Series playing a brand of baseball that utilized speed, defense and pitching, dubbed “Whitey Ball” after their architect and Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog.
Narrated by Golden Globe Award-winning actor, Missouri native and lifelong Cardinals fan John Goodman, Birds of a Different Game: The ’80s Cardinals documents one of the most unique, memorable and successful eras in the history of the iconic St. Louis Cardinals franchise.
A question-and-answer session with Hall of Famers Jim Kaat and Ozzie Smith plus All-Star outfielder Vince Coleman will follow the film. Museum admission is not required, but tickets must be reserved in advance.
The Battered Bastards of Baseball
10 a.m., Fenimore Art Museum
The Battered Bastards of Baseball is the colorful true story of the Portland Mavericks, a scrappy, independent baseball team of underdogs started by actor Bing Russell in the 1970s.
A question-and-answer session with the filmmakers plus Rob Nelson, former Portland pitcher and the founder of Big League Chew, will follow the film.
COOPERSTOWN CLINIC
The Cooperstown Clinic for youth 7-12 years old will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, at Cooperstown’s historic Doubleday Field. Former big league players Vince Coleman, Jeremy Jeffress and Jason Kendall will share pointers and stories with kids, including hands-on instruction. Participants are asked to bring a fielder’s glove and wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
The Cooperstown Clinic will also feature the Big League Chew bubblegum blowing contest with founder Rob Nelson and a Make Your Own Bobblehead activity in celebration of the opening of the Museum’s Getting the Nod exhibit.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. at Doubleday Field and costs $15, which includes a Museum ticket and admission to a screening of the movie The Sandlot at 1 p.m. in the Hall of Fame’s Grandstand Theater. Youth must be accompanied by an adult at both the clinic and the movie screening, and adults can purchase Museum admission upon entering the Hall of Fame.
GETTING THE NOD
The beloved bobblehead, a part of baseball’s landscape since the 1960s, will take its place in Cooperstown over Memorial Day Weekend as the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum unveils the new exhibit Getting the Nod.
The exhibit will open on Saturday, May 24, featuring highlights from the renowned collection of some 900 bobblehead dolls donated by former Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey H. Loria.
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
This event is sold out.
Hall of Fame legends and former players will greet fans throughout the Museum on Saturday, May 24, beginning at 5 p.m. While the Night at the Museum program is not an autograph session, fans should remember to bring their camera to capture their special memories. Tickets are priced at $75 each and will be limited to four tickets per order.
HALL OF FAME GOLF TOURNAMENT
Enjoy an unforgettable day with legends at historic Leatherstocking Golf Course on Otsego Lake. Individuals, pairs or foursomes of all skill levels are welcome to join the Hall of Memorial Day Weekend Golf Tournament. A Hall of Fame member or former major leaguer will join each foursome and serve as the team captain.
A fundraiser for the Museum, the scramble-format tournament highlights a full lineup of activities for participants during this unforgettable weekend. For more information on supporting the Hall of Fame through this exclusive golf outing, please call 607-547-0385.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
The memories you’ll make here will last a lifetime. Awed by priceless artifacts. Moved by stories and triumphs that inspired and united a nation. Find your way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, and you’ll make history of your own.
BECOME A MEMBER
Members are proud to help ensure that fans everywhere have a home to celebrate the history of baseball and preserve it for generations to come. Every Member is preserving history, honoring excellence and connecting generations.
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
Our line-up of special experiences are sure to create family memories that last a lifetime.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
The memories you’ll make here will last a lifetime. Awed by priceless artifacts. Moved by stories and triumphs that inspired and united a nation. Find your way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, and you’ll make history of your own.
BECOME A MEMBER
Members are proud to help ensure that fans everywhere have a home to celebrate the history of baseball and preserve it for generations to come. Every Member is preserving history, honoring excellence and connecting generations.
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
Our line-up of special experiences are sure to create family memories that last a lifetime.