Museum to Host ‘Viva Baseball Day’ May 6

Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson to Discuss Artifacts from March 22 Cuban Exhibition Game in Museum Program

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will collaborate with Cooperstown Graduate Program student Kwasi Agyemang to celebrate the Latin American impact on baseball at “Viva Baseball Day” on Friday, May 6 at the Hall of Fame.

The love of baseball knows no boundaries. Throughout the Caribbean, Latin American countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela have continued a passionate following for baseball that is some 150 years old and still going strong.

"Viva Baseball Day" celebrates the history and journey of Latin American baseball players by showcasing special collection artifacts connected to Latin American baseball. Jeff Idelson, President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, saw first-hand the Latin American love of the game during his recent trip to Cuba for the March 22 MLB exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team and will be sharing his experiences on "Viva Baseball Day" at 3:30 p.m. on May 6 in the Museum’s Bullpen Theater.

The free program is open to Museum visitors on a first-come, first-seated basis.

The “Viva Baseball Day” event continues through the weekend with local businesses and restaurants offering Latin American food specials and cultural activities.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates the Latin American baseball experience every day through exhibits like Viva Baseball, which documents the Latin American love affair with the game; and Osvaldo Salas’ American Baseball Photographs, which features the work from the famed Cuban photographer when he was based in New York City in the 1950s.

For more information on the Latin American baseball experience, please visit https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/exhibit/the-new-face-of-baseba….