Black Baseball Programs, Artifacts Highlight Winter Break Week at Museum

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – While many schools in the Northeast will pause for Winter Break, an outstanding educational opportunity awaits visitors at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Cooperstown shrine hosts special daily programs for kids of all ages Feb. 21-25 as part of Presidents’ Week. Families can experience unique Museum artifacts and get a guided look at the history of Black baseball with special daily programs celebrating the Negro Leagues and Black History Month.

All events are included with Museum admission. The lineup includes:

9 a.m. Starting Nine
Feb. 21-25 Throughout the Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum challenges you to find your team’s Starting Nine, a lineup of must-sees from our vast collection containing tens of thousands of artifacts that preserve the magical moments and memorable stories of our National Pastime.

11 a.m-12 p.m. Open Hour in the Learning Center
Feb. 21 Learning Center, 1st Floor
This interactive room allows families to explore baseball history through hands-on items from the Hall of Fame’s education collection. Stop by and learn how the equipment and style of the uniforms have changed over time.

11 a.m-12 p.m. Black History Month Pop-Up
Feb. 22-25 Learning Center, 1st Floor
This interactive Pop-Up celebrates Black History Month. Explore images, hands-on items from the Hall of Fame’s education collection and select artifacts that relate to Black baseball history. Artifacts on display will include:
Tuesday, Feb. 22: Ball signed by Satchel Paige and glove used by Cool Papa Bell
Wednesday, Feb. 23: Shoes worn by Buck Leonard and a Homestead Grays pennant
Thursday, Feb. 24: Shoes and bat used by Cool Papa Bell
Friday, Feb. 25: Bat signed by Ted Williams and Satchel Paige and a ball signed by Satchel Paige

2 p.m. Mining for Talent
Feb. 21 & 25 2nd Floor
Drop by our cart on the second floor and test your ability to sift through data and identify baseball talent. Hall of Fame staff will present you with several scouting reports of some of baseball’s all-time greats, with one catch: all details identifying each future star will be removed. The challenge: choose future stars to build your team around.

2 p.m. Baseball and the American President
Feb. 22 Bullpen Theater, 1st Floor
Did you know that almost every American President has a connection to baseball? Learn about American Presidents and their connection with baseball from Washington to Biden.

2 p.m. Mudcat Grant: Baseball’s Magical Man
Feb. 23 Bullpen Theater, 1st Floor
In this special program, we take an in-depth look at one of the game’s most colorful characters. “Mudcat Grant: Baseball’s Magical Man” examines the career of former major league standout Jim "Mudcat" Grant, the first Black pitcher to win 20 games in a season in the American League.

2 p.m. History of Baseball Cards
Feb. 24 Bullpen Theater, 1st Floor
From the tobacco cards of the 19th century to the candy and gum cards of the 20th century, we’ll examine the history of a hobby that is almost as popular as the game itself. Learn about how Topps altered the course of baseball card history, and how cards have changed over the decades. Each child who attends the program will receive a free pack of baseball cards.

1 p.m.-3 p.m. Hall of Fame Connections
Feb. 25 Bullpen Theater, 1st Floor
Join us for a viewing of Hall of Fame Connections. The series looks at the Hall of Fame’s collection from a new and exciting angle, with each episode telling a different story of how two seemingly unrelated artifacts in the Museum’s vast collection connect to each other, crossing through generations of baseball history.

In-Museum programming is subject to change based on current guidelines.