By Connor O’Gara

When Turk Wendell walked into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday afternoon, he wasn’t chewing licorice or brushing his teeth.

Wendell refrained from the superstitions that he practiced throughout his time as a relief pitcher in the big leagues. The 11-year big league veteran made the trip from Colorado to Cooperstown with his family to watch his kids play at a local baseball camp and added a visit to the Hall of Fame to the agenda.

Former Major League Player Turk Wendell was in town with his family for a local baseball camp and made a stop at the Baseball Hall of Fame. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

Wendell and his family were given a tour of the Giamatti Research Center, where staff members brought out his personal file. While his family was treated to archived pictures and articles, Wendell reminisced about his playing days and talked about his unconventional style.

The stare-down was an art Wendell said he lived to perfect when he was on the hill.

“I tell my kids, you’ve got to be tough, aggressive and mean on the mound,” Wendell said. “You can laugh and go out to dinner with a guy after the game. But when you’re on that mound, it should be nothing but business.”

Before Wendell developed that stare-down, he grew up in Massachusetts, where he was a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. Wendell then made his Major League debut with the Chicago Cubs.

“I had the worst of both worlds,” Wendell joked. “I rooted for the Red Sox and played for the Cubs.”

Wendell’s in-game ritual gained notoriety early on with the Cubs. It involved throwing the rosin bag as hard has he could at the mound, chewing four pieces of Brach’s black licorice, hurtling over the baselines at the end of an inning and rigorously brushing his teeth on the bench.

So would he ever consider donating one of his artifacts to the Hall of Fame?

Wendell cracked a smile when talking about the idea and admitted the old tooth brushes were probably still at the one place where everything is saved – his mom’s house.

Connor O’Gara is the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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By Craig Muder

They arrived in uniform at Doubleday Field on Friday, holding their dad’s hand with one arm and clutching their ball glove with the other.

Fathers and sons, parents and children. And in the case of the Wygant Family, four generations of baseball fans.

The annual Youth Skills Clinic, presented by the Hall of Fame and the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, was once again connecting generations through the National Pastime.

Four generations of the Wygant family visit Doubleday Field. (from left): Rob Wygant, Gary Wygant, Bob Wygant and (front) Riley Wygant. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

“My dad and I were here 50 years ago for the Hall of Fame game, and then my son and I were here 23 years ago,” said Gary Wygant, who traveled from Atlanta – where he is the director of recycling development for Coca-Coca Recycling – for Hall of Fame Classic Weekend. “Now, my grandson Riley is here at the Skills Clinic. We have four generations in this ballpark.”

The Youth Skills Clinic launched the Classic Weekend festivities on Friday as hundreds of children received hands-on baseball lessons from former major leaguers like John Doherty, Dmitri Young and Jesse Barfield – all of whom will play in Saturday’s Hall of Fame Classic. Riley, a White Sox fan like his father Rob Wygant, hustled from station to station in the afternoon sun, soaking in the rays and the words of wisdom from the former players.

Meanwhile, Riley’s great-grandfather – Bob Wygant – looked down at Doubleday Field from the right field stands and remembered a rainy day in 1962.

“I haven’t been back since then, but I remember like it was yesterday,” said Bob Wygant, who grew up in nearby Albany, N.Y., and attended the 1962 Hall of Fame Game with his son Gary. “It rained during the game (the contest between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Braves was eventually canceled), and Gary and I tried to stay dry in a culvert but ended up with water up to our knees.

“I was a teacher during my working days, and to see all these kids out there – along with my grandson, as part of four generations of our family – is very special.”

The connection for families continues today in Cooperstown, with the Hall of Fame Classic at Doubleday Field. It’s a connection that baseball continues to foster – throughout the generations.

Craig Muder is the director of communications at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Craig Muder

Less than 24 hours after Saturday’s Hall of Fame Classic, the sun fired up Doubleday Field for another perfect day in Cooperstown.

All that tangibly remained of the June 16 legends game were some lines in the dirt: Bert Blyleven’s spike marks on the mound, the outline of Military All-Star Ryan Hurtado’s diving catch on the left field warning track.

On Sunday morning families gathered at historic Doubleday Field to have an old-fashioned game of catch - a fitting treat for Father's Day. (Carter Kegelman./NBHOF Library)

The echoes, however, still sounded.

Then, a new noise: The brushing of soles against the ground as parents, grandparents and children arrived for Sunday’s Family Catch. As the gates opened, they walked expectantly onto the grass, bringing with them the aroma of sun screen and leather gloves. Finding a space on the field, they began the ancient ritual of a game of catch.

Fathers and sons, moms and daughters, granddads and grandmas. It was a fitting Father’s Day scene in baseball’s hometown, where generations connect everyday.

Throughout Hall of Fame Classic Weekend – at Friday’s Youth Skills Clinic, at Saturday’s parade and game, at Sunday’s Family Catch at Doubleday Field – the National Pastime brought folks together, a centrifugal force that crosses time and culture. That force is what brings fans back to Cooperstown.

In five weeks, it will once again be on display for the world during the July 20-23 Hall of Fame Weekend. The moment will be for Barry Larkin and Ron Santo – the Class of 2012 – but the celebration will be for everyone who loves baseball.

Thank you, Cooperstown.

Craig Muder is the director of communications at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Connor O’Gara

When Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros walk into a building, they’re usually the ones putting on the show.

On Monday afternoon, they were the audience.

Last year Walt Wilkins and The Mystiqueros were in Cooperstown to sing "God Bless America" at the 2011 Hall of Fame Classic. This time they were here as the audience, not the entertainer. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

The script was flipped on the country band when the members were given a tour of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Mystiqueros, who specialize in Texas Country Music, made the pit stop in Cooperstown in the midst of their estimated 5,000 mile concert tour across America.

Like the fans that fill the seats at their shows, the Mystiqueros weren’t shy about whipping out their camera phones to capture the sights of the Museum. The band was taken into the archive where the members were shown a variety of preserved artifacts.

While it was some of the band members’ first time at the Museum, some of them had already worked with the Hall of Fame. The Mystiqueros sang “God Bless America,” at the 2011 Hall of Fame Classic.

It was an experience the Mystiqueros haven’t forgotten.

“I’ll get messed up just talking about it,” Small said. “It was that intense. I was buzzing after that for two weeks. That was just the greatest feeling.”

The Mystiqueros will get a chance to re-live that rush Wednesday night when they sing the National Anthem at Citi Field when the New York Mets take on the Baltimore Orioles.

“It’s going to be a big day and such an elevated moment,” Walt Wilkins said. “I love that song and I’m all about America. To me, baseball is America – so getting to perform like that is just going to be awesome.”

Connor O’Gara is the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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By John Horne

The National Baseball Hall of Fame Photo Archives houses over 500,000 photos. We, of course, use them in our displays at the Museum. We also offer copies of the photos for a reasonable fee to be used in books, magazines, personal use. Many museums from all over the United States and the world use our photos for exhibits in their Museum.

An image of Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio that was provided to the Italian-American Museum for their upcoming exhibit. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

This year, the Italian American Museum (Museo Italo Americano) in San Francisco is presenting a Documentary Exhibit featuring over 150 photos from the Baseball Hall of Fame photo archives. The exhibit is called Italian Americans At Bat: From Sand Lots to the Major Leagues.

The exhibit features many Italian-American players, including nine Baseball Hall of Famers: Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Lasorda, Tony Lazzeri, Ernie Lombardi, Phil Rizzuto, Ron Santo and Eppa Rixey (yes, Rixey – family geneology research shows that the name was changed from Riccia to Rixey in the late 1700s).

The Museo Italo Americano is located at Fort Mason Center, Building C, San Francisco, CA 94123, and the exhibit runs from June 22 through Nov. 25, 2012. You can find more info at their website.

We are proud that people from the other side of the country will be able to enjoy photos from the National Baseball Hall of Fame Photo Archives.

John Horne is a Library Associate in the Photo Archives at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Trevor Hayes

Listed at 6-foot-4 during his playing career, Roberto Hernandez stands over a crowd. His numbers stand out too: 17 years in the big leagues, 1,010 games pitched, 945 strikeouts, 667 games finished, 326 saves and a 3.45 ERA in 1,071.3 innings.

And on Monday with his family and a few of his Cooperstown Dreams Park players in tow from his home in St. Petersburg, Fla., he used his height to hang behind the others and allow them to see the treasures on display at the Hall of Fame.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Manhattan as a Mets fan, Hernandez appreciates the history of the game he played. He fondly remembers the Mets of the 1970s, including the 1973 NL Champs, but he often saw highlights of Roberto Clemente at Shea Stadium and his legendary countryman quickly became his favorite player.

In his 17 year big league career Roberto Hernandez was a two-time All-Star and led the AL in games finished four times, including twice when he had the most in the majors. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

Drafted by the Angels in 1986 before a 1989 trade sent him to the White Sox, Hernandez played in Chicago from 1991 to 2007. With the White Sox in 1992, he made his only other trip to Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame Game, playing against the Mets. But during his last trip, he spent virtually the entire time in the Doubleday bullpen, not entering the game.

So this time a trip through the Museum, where he saw Clemente’s plaque and his 3,000th hit bat on display in ¡Viva Baseball!, led up to the behind-the-scenes tour. Among the artifacts the group was shown was Satchel Paige’s biography – one in which the ageless wonder talked about pitching three scoreless innings against the Red Sox at 59 years of age, allowing a single hit to Carl Yastrzemski. Asked if he could get MLB hitters out at that age, the 47-year-old vet of 10 teams said no, but he might be able to right now, though he acknowledges hitters today are in better condition than they were, even when he was at his peak in the 1990s.

A two-time All-Star, Hernandez said his legs gave out on him, but his arm could possibly still go. Four times he led the AL in games finished, including twice when he had the most in the majors. When he racked up a career high 66 games finished in 1999, he finished second in saves with 43 to saves king Mariano Rivera’s 45. The difference? Hernandez’s Tampa Bay squad only won 69 games while Rivera’s Yankees won 98.

“It wasn’t easy. We had a good bullpen that year,” Hernandez said. “Gimme 12 more wins and I beat Mo.”

In 2005 he signed a one-year deal with the Mets, returning to his boyhood home in New York. In the offseason he signed with Pittsburgh, but at the trade deadline came back to Shea along with Oliver Perez in a deal that sent Xavier Nady to the Pirates.

“It was an honor to put on that uniform, when I played there for a year-and-a-half,” he said.

Coming up, one of those Mets from his youth, Felix Millan, coached him in winter ball.

These days, it’s all about giving back to the game for Hernandez – from his coaching, to mentoring players with his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays. The future may even hold a bigger role with the Rays as a special instructor of some sort. But for now, he’s enjoying what he does, staying close to home and raising his grandson, whom he held during much of the tour while letting the others crowd around up front.

“It’s very impressive to see the meticulous care taken at preserving our history,” Hernandez said of the Hall of Fame after the tour. “It’s very refreshing for (these kids) to see what we’re talking about when we share our first hand knowledge.”

Trevor Hayes the editorial production manager for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 

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By Connor O’Gara

Greg Grunberg is the epitome of a 21st century enthusiast.

The former co-star of NBC’s “Heroes” has over 1.4 million Twitter followers, he created an iPhone application called “Yowza” and jumpstarted the website talkaboutit.org to bring awareness to epilepsy.

But on Tuesday morning, Grunberg took a step back in time when he walked into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The 45-year-old actor was in town watching his kids play at a local baseball camp and decided to make the trip to the Museum.

“This place is just unbelievable,” Grunberg said.

In typical Grunberg fashion, he broke the news that he would be coming to the Hall of Fame via Twitter on June 19.

Grunberg acted on shows such as “Heroes”, “NYPD Blue” and “Lost” but even he couldn’t contain his excitement when he toured the Giamatti Research Center.

Television actor, social media master, mobile apps developer and baseball fan Greg Grunberg stopped by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. (Milo Stewart Jr./NBHOF Library)

Like it is with his kids, baseball was an integral part of Grunberg’s childhood.

“I’ve always been a big baseball fan,” Grunberg said. “I grew up a Dodger fan living in L.A. and my dad and I had season tickets.”

Grunberg and company were taken into the archive, where they were shown a variety of preserved artifacts. When he wasn’t whipping out his iPhone to snap a picture of an artifact, Grunberg learned about the Hall of Fame’s efforts in the digital age.

It should come as no surprise that Grunberg took to social media to advocate a movement. Grunberg worked on a television show pilot with actress Joanna Garcia, who is married to New York Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher. Grunberg has since developed a friendship with the power couple.

“They are just the nicest people you’ll ever meet,” Grunberg said.

On Monday afternoon, Grunberg tweeted a message campaigning for all to vote his pal Swisher into the All-Star Game. Besides digital support, Grunberg met with Swisher after a Yankees game earlier in the month.

The duo was walking through the tunnel when Grunberg spotted Hall of Fame outfielder Reggie Jackson. Grunberg, who happened to be wearing Jackson’s No. 44 Yankees jersey, wanted to introduce himself to the man they call, “Mr. October.” Jackson initially hesitated. But once Jackson saw the jersey, Grunberg said he couldn’t have been more accommodating.

“To me, anybody can be an actor,” Grunberg said. “But to be an athlete on that level using God-given talent is so special. I get choked up just talking to them.”

Connor O’Gara is the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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By Connor O’Gara

Six former Frank and Peggy Steele interns returned to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Friday to serve as the networking seminar panel for the current Steele interns.

Among the panel were Sarah Coffin (Class of 2010), Rayna Linowes (Class of 2011), Craig Nordquist (Class of 2010), Erin Quinn (Class of 2008), Lisa Totaro (Class of 2004) and Andy Zides (Class of 2001).

After giving the current Steele interns a brief biography of how they got to where they are, the panel handed out advice on how to make the step into the professional world.

“We really do want to help you all,” said Coffin, who is currently a Photo Archivist for the Boston Red Sox. “We have used these stepping stones to get to where we are and to give back.”

Coffin and the rest of the panel addressed questions on how to network in person as well as how to network in the technology age.

Though Coffin is relatively new to the Steele Internship Program fraternity, she stressed the importance of intranetworking throughout the summer in Cooperstown.

Former Frank and Peggy Steele interns returned to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Friday to serve as the networking seminar panel for the current Steele interns. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

“Network with each other,” Coffin said. “Talk with other Steele interns. Ask them what they’re up to and what they’re doing. Keep in touch and use those skills because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Totaro, who is currently a Marketing Associate at the Sunmark Credit Union, also emphasized the importance of taking advantage of all the resources the Hall of Fame has to offer.

“This really is a special opportunity so make sure to enjoy these moments,” Totaro said. “Relish this opportunity and take time to step back and appreciate what you’ve done.”

Nordquist worked as a multi-media intern at the Museum in 2010 and is now a Stats Researcher at MLB Network. Nordquist got his current position after impressing the staff at MLB Network when he competed on the network’s trivia show, “Baseball IQ.”

Nordquist, who also spent time working with the Minnesota Twins, had some words of wisdom for the current Steele interns.

“Always enjoy the present but always be looking toward the future,” Nordquist said.

They might be scattered across the country and not necessarily working in baseball, but each former Steele intern shares a common bond that has helped them get to where they are today.

“It was the first time I was ever pushed or exhausted from a job,” Coffin said. “That work ethic…you get that from this experience and you keep it.”

Applications for the Peggy and Frank Steele Internship Program will be available at baseballhall.org in October 2012.

Connor O’Gara is the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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By Connor O’Gara

It was a moment Gil McDougald wouldn’t soon forget.

The Yankees All-Star infielder of the 1950s and 1960s had the honor of catching the ceremonial first pitch from President Dwight D. Eisenhower at Opening Day of the 1956 season. After Eisenhower threw the first pitch, McDougald got the president to sign the ball. How could it get much better than an autographed baseball from the president?

There was just one problem. The President signed the ball, “To Joe McDougald, Best Wishes. President Eisenhower.”

The historic baseball and an original picture from that afternoon were donated to the National Hall of Fame and Museum on Sunday by the McDougald Family. The two items were presented to the Hall of Fame by Gil’s daughter-in-law Lori and his grandson, Nathan, both of whom visited the Museum on Monday.

When McDougald passed away in 2010, artifacts from his playing days were distributed throughout his family. Gil’s wife and family decided that the Museum would be the best place to preserve the two historic pieces.

Hall of Fame President, Jeff Idelson, and Gil McDougald's grandson, Nathan, with the recently donated artifacts. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

The ball and picture will join the Museum’s collection of nearly 40,000 artifacts among pieces of history from the greats like McDougald’s teammates Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra. It was those same two guys whom McDougald hit in front of in the Yankees’ lineup throughout his big league career.

While President Eisenhower couldn’t remember McDougald’s name, the rest of the league did. McDougald won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1951 playing alongside Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio, who was in his final season.

The ’51 campaign marked the first of three straight World Series titles for McDougald and the Yankees. He went on to win five World Series and eight American League pennants in his 10-year career.

McDougald, who developed a reputation for coming through in the clutch, delivered when the Yankees needed it most in 1958. Down three games to two to the Milwaukee Braves in Game 6 of the 1958 World Series, McDougald hit a game-winning homer off of Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn in extra innings to even the series.

McDougald’s heroics fueled the Yankees’ comeback from down 3-to-1 to win the ’58 Fall Classic. By the time McDougald retired in 1960, he was a six-time All-Star and a main cog in Casey Stengel’s Yankee dynasty of the 1950s.

Now, McDougald’s grandson Nathan will try to follow Gil’s footsteps on the diamond. While Nathan admitted he and Gil didn’t share too many baseball stories, there is one thing the duo shares: Nathan wears No. 12 for one reason – to honor his late grandfather.

Connor O’Gara is the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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By Tim Wiles

The newest artifact at the Hall of Fame is the bat Robert Fick used on Sept. 27, 1999 to hit the final home run in Tiger Stadium history.

It was the 6,873rd game for the “Queen of Diamonds” at Michigan and Trumbull, and it was the 11,111th home run – as well as the final hit – in the venerable ballpark. The Tigers were ahead, 4-2, in the bottom of the 8th, and, to borrow a phrase from a local radio announcer, the atmosphere was “bittersweet, festive, and sorrowful.”

As a staff member who was there that day, I offer the following recollections.

With one out and the bases loaded, young Robert Fick stepped to the plate, a virtual unknown who'd played just about 20 games in the majors over the past two seasons.

Bat used by Robert Fick, as a member of the Detroit Tigers, to record the final hit (a grand slam) in the history of Tiger Stadium, September 27, 1999. (Donny Lowe/NBHOF Library)

If you were listening closely, you might have heard the music from "The Natural." Fick’s average was .194 since his call-up from the minors, where he'd spent an injury-plagued season. The pitcher threw and before I knew what was happening, the ball was sailing high toward the right field line. Would it stay fair? Yes! It hit the roof of the second deck, the same roof made famous when Reggie Jackson homered onto its light towers in the 1971 All-Star Game. The roof which had only let 35 home runs escape since it was built. The Roof! A Grand Slam! The flashbulbs were intense as he jogged around the bases. What a fitting end for a grand old ballpark. Hollywood could write this no better.

Fick would reveal some striking things in the post-game interviews. He'd written his junior-year term paper on “The Natural.” Hall of Famer Al Kaline had approached him before the game and said “Make a little history tonight, kid. Hit one out.” Manager Lance Parrish had wanted to pinch-hit for him, in order to ensure that more players would get to play in the finale, but Fick convinced him not to do so. Both he and his manager had a feeling. He was wearing uniform number 25, which had belonged to Tiger first baseman and power hitter Norm Cash. All of the Tigers were wearing the uniform numbers of the Tigers all-time greats at their respective positions. Cash hit four balls onto the roof in his day.

Fick dedicated the homer to his late father, Charles, who died the previous November. Perhaps no stadium ever went out with such a memorable, grand hit.

The bat was donated to the Hall of Fame by Dmitri Young, who was Fick’s Tiger teammate in 2002. Young, an avid collector, purchased the bat from Fick, then donated it to the Hall of Fame after visiting Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame Classic in June.

“Awesome,” said Young after learning that the Museum had accepted the bat, “I'm glad [the bat] has a place in the Hall of Fame and Robert Fick is more than proud to have his old game bat there for every fan to see.”

Tim Wiles is the director of research at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Jim Gates

The Oneonta Outlaws, of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, enjoyed a visit to the Hall of Fame before their late-afternoon game with the Cooperstown Hawkeyes at historic Doubleday Field on Tuesday of induction week. The squads are battling for the Mayor’s Cup, a newly created contest between the two towns that both have a team in the PCGBL, which the Outlaws hope to keep in Oneonta for the inaugural season.

From left to right, Zac Johnson (Illinois State University)), Lucas Leifield (Grand Canyon University), Sutton Whiting (University of Louisville) each hold a bat from an historic era of major league history. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

Similar to the well-known Cape Cod league, the PGCBL is one of the NCAA-sanctioned development programs that permit college ballplayers to use wood bats in competition, many for the first time. This allows both pitchers and hitters to further develop their skills, while not sacrificing any eligibility time with their respective colleges. The players come from schools across the United States - with this year’s distance award going to Sheldon Lee of the University of San Francisco, whose hometown in Honolulu, Hawaii.

While visiting the museum, the team was treated to a special session in the Bullpen Theater. The collection’s staff was able to present three bats from different eras of major league history, each of which brought signs of amazement and smiles to the player’s faces. As they have been getting used to hitting with the wood sticks, the Outlaw hitters have been using a variety of size and shapes, but most fall into a fairly narrow range when compared to some early models.

Everyone on the team was awed by the Honus Wagner bat, which came in at a hefty 45 ounces, five more than their weighted warm up bat. The thickness of the handle is dramatically different than the modern bats, which helped explain how a player could use just one bat for the entire season in the early 1900s. This was followed by a lighter Ted Williams bat, and then by a modern thin-handled model used by Derek Jeter, a favorite player for many of the Outlaws.

The slow modification of the bat to the lighter, thin-handled version we see today helped the players understand a little more about baseball history, and their place in the evolution of the game. The PGCBL season will come to an end during the first week of August and the players will return to their home campuses, hopefully with improved skills in playing the game and a greater appreciation for the history of America’s National Pastime.

Jim Gates is the Librarian at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. 

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By Trevor Hayes 

It’s not often J.J. Picollo feels like a kid. But it’s happened twice in two weeks: First at the All-Star Game last week in Kansas City and then Tuesday, while visiting the Hall of Fame with his family. 

“Being in a place like this brings you back,” said the Royals 41-year-old assistant general manager. “The All-Star Game was unbelievable. I’d never been before and to have my family and go as a fan – to see our stadium, it was tremendous.” 

As the man who oversees scouting and player development, Picollo is constantly going to games, watching players and traveling the country, trying to help build the Royals into a contender. During his four years in Kansas City, he’s helped build the team labeled as Baseball America’s No. 1 Farm System – a hefty title bestowed on the organization in 2011. 

Senior Director of Communications and Education, Brad Horn, talks to J.J. Picollo and his wife Nicole, daughter Lauren, and one of his sons, Ryan. (Trevor Hayes/NBHOF Library)

Prior to Kansas City, Picollo spent time in the Braves organization and coaching in the college ranks. 

The All-Star Game may have been a first last week, and the Hall of Fame, while not a first, seemed like it. Picollo played for the 1994 Oneonta Yankees and played amateur ball at Little Falls, N.Y. (just 30 miles up the road from Cooperstown) in 1991. Between those two summers, Picollo had been to the Hall of Fame more than a half dozen times. But with some reverence in his voice, acknowledged “A lot has changed.” 

In Cooperstown this week with his father, mother, wife and three children, Picollo is living the whirlwind life of a baseball exec. He arrived in Cooperstown Monday for his son Michael’s baseball tournament, following a trip to Oklahoma over the weekend, where his other son Ryan won a tournament. Meanwhile, his wife Nicole and daughter Lauren bounce from game to game, big league to Little League. 

Growing up in the Philadelphia area, Picollo’s love for the game extends back as far as he can remember. His father played as an amateur and with the All-Star Game fresh in his memory, he fondly remembers seeing the different uniforms during pregame introductions and vividly remembers Dave Parker’s legendary laser-like throw in the 1978 game. 

“You always dream and want to be one of the guys on out there on the foul line,” he said.

“From the time I was a little boy, (baseball is) the only thing I had a passion to do. For me it was baseball all the time. I went to bed every night listening to Harry Kalas on the radio. Now our kids grow up and it’s so much different with ESPN and the internet.” 

He’d only get to see a few Phillies games a week and then maybe a few more after his parents got cable. Now his kids can watch every Royals game this season. 

“Seeing them compete and their emotion reminds you of your youth and what got you to love the game,” he said. 

Since he began playing college ball, Picollo can only really recount three places he felt not like a player, a coach or an executive, but like a fan. 

“Being in a place like this, the All-Star Game and seeing (Cal) Ripken set and break the record as a fan in the stands – we forget that that’s why we got into this, so its good to be reminded,” Picollo said. “I felt like a little kid again.” 

Trevor Hayes is the editorial production manager at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By BILL FRANCIS

“I’m hoping that indeed he’s in heaven smiling right now.”

Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker expressed those sentiments during a conference call this week about Ron Santo, the longtime Chicago Cubs third baseman who will posthumously be inducted in to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon. Santo, elected to the Hall of Fame in Dec. 2010 by the Veterans Committee’s Golden Era committee, passed away in 2010 at the age of 70.

Ron Santo, the longtime Chicago Cubs third baseman will be posthumously inducted in to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon. (NBHOF Library)

Though the two spent a few years playing in the National League at the same time – at the end of Santo’s career and the beginning of Baker’s – it was while Baker was skippering the Cubs for four seasons (2003-06) and Santo was a beloved broadcaster with the team that their friendship blossomed.

“I barely knew him as a player,” Baker said. “I know that he played hard, I know that he was a clutch man, and that he’d bite the ball if it meant getting an out, but I knew him better as an announcer. And then when I got to be with him everyday to do a show with him, I found out that he’s about a tough a guy as I’ve ever met but he’s also a kind-hearted, sensitive man at the same time.”

One of the first ballplayers to openly admit to playing with diabetes, Santo in later life underwent the amputation of both legs below the knees as a result of the disease.

“He never complained about anything and I know that he had to be in pain,” Baker said. “I know there were times he’d fall down and he wouldn’t even let you help him up. I was sad when on certain days he wouldn’t feel good and it would be a void in my life that day.

“My last year-and-a-half with the Cubs weren’t very pleasant but it was very pleasant to see him to start the day off. It also let me know that no matter what was happening and what I was going through that what it must have been like to be him… and never complain about anything.”

The relationship developed between Baker and Santo to where they would exchange turkey during the Christmas holiday.

“I have a great memory of him being very consistent in his personality and very positive toward the Cubs no matter what. He lived and died with the Cubs,” Baker said. “I really enjoyed my time with him.”

Bill Francis is a Library Associate at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Connor O’Gara

Tim McCarver is no stranger to being among baseball’s greats.

As a player, McCarver won two World Series titles and was a two-time All-Star in his 21-year career in the big leagues. As an analyst, McCarver spent the last 32 years broadcasting baseball’s biggest games for a variety of national networks and teams.

On Wednesday afternoon, McCarver didn’t have to wear either of the hats he wore in his 53 years in Major League Baseball. McCarver received a private tour of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum prior to Saturday’s Awards Presentation as part of Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown. The longtime color commentator is the recipient of the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Tim McCarver looking at the case that holds the glove he used when he caught Steve Carlton’s 19-strikeout game on Sept. 15, 1969. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

“It’s daunting to be honored in the same room as guys like (fellow Frick Awards winners) Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola and Ernie Harwell,” McCarver said. “It’s just an honor and a privilege.”

McCarver, who was joined by his family and former big league teammate Larry Christenson, said he’s doing all he can to capture the Hall of Fame experience.

“That’s why I arrived two days early and I’m leaving two days late,” McCarver said. “I just want to soak it all in.”

McCarver took a trip down memory lane when he was shown a glove he donated to the Museum he used when he caught Steve Carlton’s 19-strikeout game on Sept. 15, 1969, which set a then-record for Ks in a nine inning game. It was the first time McCarver had seen the glove since a visit to the Museum in 1994.

Besides his own artificacts, McCarver and company got a tour of the Museum’s library, photo archive and collections archive departments. The former backstop was shown photos of himself from his big league career that brought him back to the Cardinals winning ways of the 1960s.

McCarver admitted he thought he’d play forever. Catching for Hall of Famers like Carlton and Bob Gibson, the thought of trading in his catchers mask for a microphone wasn’t ever something McCarver imagined he’d do until the Phillies offered him an announcing job out of retirement.

Did McCarver ever think that his post-playing days would lead him to Cooperstown?

“I didn’t have a clue,” McCarver said. “That was not my intentention.”

While unpredicted, that’s what lies ahead. McCarver joins a fraternity of now 36 men to have won the Ford C. Frick Award. It’s an exclusive club that McCarver said reminds him of a familiar bond.

“I always looked at myself as a team player,” McCarver said. “As broadcasters, we’re all part of a team. I feel honored to be part of this team.”

McCarver is a six-time Emmy Award winner for excellence in sports broadcasting. His resume includes 22 World Series that he’s broadcast. He’s made a career off of analyzing a game and giving his unscripted take on it.

But McCarver isn’t about to wing his speech on Saturday.

“I’ve got it all written out,” McCarver said. “I’ve only practiced it about 900 times. I hope it goes well.”

Connor O’Gara is the 2012 public relations intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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By Craig Muder

Standing on the first tee at the Leatherstocking Golf Course at Saturday’s Hall of Fame Golf Tournament, Barry Larkin gazed out over the beautiful Cooperstown landscape and exhaled a great breath.

“I don’t know that it’s sunk in yet,” said Larkin on the eve of his enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame. “But it will.”

The picturesque Leatherstocking Golf Course played host to this year's Hall of Fame Golf Tournament. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

Maybe by now – after spending the morning golfing with Hall of Fame legends like George Brett, Mike Schmidt and Billy Williams – it has.

Larkin’s Saturday started with the annual Hall of Famer golf tournament as he gears up for Sunday’s induction ceremony. The golf outing is always a favorite of the returning Hall of Famers – whether it’s because of the camaraderie or the tranquil setting… or just getting a chance to watch Hall of Fame teammates like Jim Rice crush drives more than 300 yards.

A cloudy morning gave way to sunshine as the tournament progressed, leaving everybody sure that all was right in Cooperstown.

“I really enjoy coming back here,” said Billy Williams, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987 and who is celebrating this year’s election of the late Ron Santo, who played with Williams on the Cubs and joins Larkin as the members of the Class of 2012. “And when the sun came out today, we knew that Ron was looking down on us and smiling.”

Craig Muder is the director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Tim Wiles

On a picture perfect day in Cooperstown, several hundred Cubs fans gathered for a Cubs Fanfest on the back lawn of the Fenimore Art Museum, overlooking Otsego Lake. Owner Tom Ricketts and the Cubs sponsored the event as a celebration of the life and career of Ron Santo, the team’s newest representative in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Ron Santo, the nine-time All-Star third baseman of the Cubs, opened a pizzeria in suburban Park Ridge, Ill. in 1961. Whether it was pizza pies, snagged line drives, or an RBI, Ron Santo could always deliver.

The master of ceremonies was Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes, who teamed with Santo to broadcast the Cubs for 15 seasons, 1996 to 2010. Hughes led several panel discussions, telling stories, interviewing panelists, and soliciting questions, recollections and Santo stories from the audience, which was clad in every imaginable item of Cub related clothing.

The first panel featured Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Fergie Jenkins, whom Hughes introduced as ‘The greatest pitcher in Cubs history.” Ernie Banks told a poignant story of Ron Santo accepting Mrs. Banks' invitation to Ernie's birthday party. According to Banks, Santo was the first white teammate who journeyed to the south side of Chicago to join in such a celebration." 

The second panel featured Ron Santo’s three children, Ron Santo Jr., Linda Santo, and Jeff Santo. The third panel featured Santo teammates Glenn Beckert and Randy Hundley.

Throughout the event, Hughes repeatedly turned the microphone over to the audience for Santo stories. One young man told of the time he was 13 years old, and approached Santo in a hotel lobby in San Diego hoping for an autograph. Santo spent more than a half hour talking baseball with the boy and his family. The story was greeted by a murmur of recognition from the crowd, used to hearing about Santo’s love for life and baseball and especially, for Cubs fans.

Proceeds from the party’s ten-dollar admission charge were split between the Cubs charities and the Hall of Fame. Attendees received a copy of a book on Santo, and were treated to a fabulous buffet which covered all the bases. But the real treat was seeing so many Cubs stars reminisce about Santo, whose special relationship with Cubs fans pervaded the atmosphere.

Tim Wiles is the director of research at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 

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By Craig Muder

For 196 of the 205 days so far in 2012, Barry Larkin has been a Hall of Famer.

But he didn’t really believe it until he slipped that Hall of Fame ring on his finger this weekend.

Class of 2012 Hall of Famer Barry Larkin with the Hall of Fame class ring. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

The quiet and understated Larkin slipped out of character on Sunday at the Induction Ceremony, celebrating on stage with exuberant shouts – “This is un-stinking believable!” he told the crowd of 18,000 fans at the Induction Site – and tearing up while thanking his family and friends. On Monday, with the festivities wrapping up, Larkin returned to his calm demeanor, swapping stories with Hall of Fame teammates Tony Pérez and Billy Williams at a Voices of the Game event inside the Clark Sports Center.

But before heading onstage, Larkin recounted a moment at Sunday’s Hall of Famer dinner – the moment where Cooperstown went from a concept to reality.

“Frank Robinson told me that now that I have the ring, it’s official,” Larkin said. “Frank said that until I got that ring, they could have taken it all away. He was joking, but I would have believed him. The ring makes it seem real.”

Barry Larkin: Class of 2012. That has a nice ring to it.

Craig Muder is the director of communications at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 

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By Bill Francis

Among the estimated 18,000 fans who attended the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for shortstop Barry Larkin and third baseman Ron Santo on Sunday afternoon were a number of their former big league teammates who couldn’t pass up the opportunity to witness such a historic occasion for a friend.

Making the pilgrimage to Cooperstown, and soaking up the sun near the induction stage, were second baseman Glenn Beckert and catcher Randy Hundley, who, along with Santo, were parts of some great Chicago Cubs teams of the 1960s.

“I’m so honored that my ex-roommate and one of my greatest friends, Ron Santo, is being inducted. He’s not here with us but he’s probably watching from above,” said Beckert of Santo, who passed away at the age of 70 in 2010. “When I first came to the Cubs in ’65 – he had come up in ’60 – he asked me to room with him. I told my mother and dad, and I thought it was a great honor. But after the third year I found nobody else on the team wanted to room with him.

“He was a great friend, and we teased each other a lot.”

According to Hundley, election to the Hall of Fame was something Santo always wanted.

“He’s very deserving of it, so we’re here to celebrate it today. I feel like he’s still here with us,” Hundley said. “He was the best as far as I’m concerned. He could make any of the plays that needed to be made. He was an excellent fielder and took a lot of pride in it.”

As for Santo’s diabetes, Hundley explained he wasn’t aware of it for a number of years while the two were teammates.

“He kept it a secret because he was afraid baseball wouldn’t allow him to play,” Hundley said. “It’s amazing that he had to deal with it and how well he dealt with it. He did so much for diabetics all over the country.”

When Larkin made his big league debut in 1986 with the Cincinnati Reds, the only team he would play for in his 19-year career, a number of veterans on that team, including outfielders Dave Parker and Eric Davis, would lend their support. Later in his induction speech, Larkin would acknowledge the pair’s positive influence on his life.

“One of my baseball sons, Barry Larkin, has been elected to the Hall of Fame,” Parker said just minutes before the ceremony’s start. “I was with him in the beginning and he had a great 19 years in the majors and he’s getting his just due, and that’s a Hall of Fame induction.

“I just tried to put him under my wing and show him what it takes to be a major league player. And with his ability, he was destined to be a star.”

This past weekend was the first time the longtime friends had a chance to catch up since Larkin’s received the news of his Hall of Fame election in January.

“We saw each other last night for the first time since he was elected to the Hall of Fame and we just gave each other an embrace,” Parker said. “We really didn’t have to say anything. We just gave each other a big hug.”

While Larkin was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his third year of eligibility, Davis felt he should have gone in on the first ballot.

“This is not just for him – this is for everybody. And to be able to play 20 years in one city that you grew up in, having the success that you had, that’s special,” Davis said. “When you saw Barry, you saw specialness. I can’t sit here and say that I knew that he was going to be a Hall of Famer, but you knew that he was going to be a special player.”

Bill Francis is a Library Associate at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 

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By Bill Francis

As part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Awards Presentation, which honored Fox Sports broadcaster Tim McCarver with the Ford C. Frick Award and Toronto Sun sportswriter Bob Elliott with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award during a ceremony held at Doubleday Field on Saturday afternoon, three generations of St. Louis Cardinals World Series champions were also saluted.

Recognized as the living Redbirds managers to lead the franchise to Fall Classic glory were Red Schoendienst (1967), Whitey Herzog (1982) and Tony La Russa (2006 and 2011). Afterwards, La Russa, standing near the historic ballpark’s first-base dugout, talked about what it had meant to him to lead the team for the past 16 seasons before retiring only days after capturing last year’s title.

(From Left) Hall of Famers Whitey Herzog and Red Schoendienst with Tony La Russa being honored during the 2012 Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony.

“One of the really, really neat things about that franchise is that those fans have given us great support,” said La Russa, less than two weeks from managing the National League to an 8-0 victory in the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. “They support their stars and without exception the great stars have never disappointed them. They’ve been great people. It’s really overwhelming.

“In 2006, when (Hall of Fame pitcher Bob) Gibson walks by the office and says, ‘Hey, now you’re finally in the club,’ that meant a lot (knowing that La Russa had won the World Series for the first time with the Cardinals that year). It’s just a perfect marriage – the fan support, the players give back, and they all take turns making each other feel good about the commitment they make.”

La Russa was made aware of what was expected of him when he took over the Cardinals’ reins in 1996 and found himself at spring training with franchise legends such as Stan Musial.

“Mostly, it was real clear how much they were invested in,” La Russa said. “It wasn’t like, ‘We had put in our time and now were here to spend a week in Florida.’ They were really in there watching the club, they had opinions about what we needed, who was pitching and when. These guys, they want us to pick the best team and do the best we can. That was true all 16 years.

“I think it’s one of the best things that happens is how much the guys of the past still pay attention and want each club to add to the history. You feel this burden or responsibility but it’s healthy – it motivates you.”

When La Russa retired, he had a career big league managing record of 2,728-2,365 over 33 seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A’s and Cardinals. The four-time Manager of the Year finished with six pennants and three World Series titles.

“After 33 years it was time for somebody else to do it. Everybody passes the baton,” La Russa said. “The game is still great. They’ve got managers all over the place that are doing great. They needed exactly what we needed, which was to be part of an organization that gives you good players. Then you have a chance to win. The game goes on and on. Nobody is too important.”

While La Russa had been to Cooperstown before, skippering the White Sox in the now-defunct Hall of Fame Game in 1980 and ’82, he took a long pause when asked if the next time he comes back could possible involve his own bonze plaque in the famed gallery. La Russa will be eligible for the first time with the Class of 2014.

“I don’t think you take anything for granted,” he said. “I think about it but I also know that Joe (Torre) and Bobby (Cox) retired a year earlier so it looks to me like they’re in line before I am.”

Bill Francis is a Library Associate at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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By Julie Wilson

Throughout the school year, the Baseball Hall of Fame’s distance learning program allows students around the country to experience the Museum without ever leaving their classroom.

Even with school out for the summer, the Hall of Fame’s education team is still hard at work bringing baseball history to the locations throughout the United States. This summer, Hall of Fame educators have traveled virtually to locations in Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and California, to discuss a variety of baseball related topics.

The next best thing to visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame is participating in a video-conference. Baseball is used as the backdrop to help student discover objectives in diverse topics. (Milo Stewart, Jr./NBHOF Library)

Popular summer venues for distance learning programs include libraries, community and senior centers, and schools hosting professional development seminars for educators. This past week, children participating in a summer camp program at the Dallas Children’s Library were treated to a virtual tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a lesson on preserving and caring for their own collectibles and treasures. A day later a group of seniors in Beachwood, Ohio, had the opportunity to examine a collection of documents from the Museum’s library, while sharing their memories of baseball in the 1930s and beyond.

Visitors to Cooperstown can also share in the distance learning experience by connecting to some exciting baseball destinations. Weekly programs take Museum visitors to such places as the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, and AT&T Park in San Francisco.

“With these programs, our visitors have the unique opportunity to not only experience the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but visit places that are thousands of miles away,” said Steve Light, the Museum’s manager of museum programs. “It allows them to tour that ballpark they never made it to, or get the inside scoop on the process of manufacturing bats. This is our third year offering distance learning programs for public audiences and they have been a huge hit."

To schedule a distance learning program with the Baseball Hall of Fame for your school, library or community center, please contact the Education department at 607-547-0347 or email Education@Baseballhall.org.

Julie Wilson is the manager of school programming at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

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