Doubleday Field Information

Located in Cooperstown, New York, Doubleday Field is primarily associated with the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The field, a short walk from the Hall of Fame, is named after Abner Doubleday, who is largely credited with having invented the sport of baseball in 1839. Doubleday Field opened in 1920 and is built on a former cow pasture at the spot where the first baseball game was believed to have been played in the 1800s.

  1. History

    • Doubleday Field hosted the annual Hall of Fame Game for decades. Starting in 1940, Major League Baseball teams play an exhibition game corresponding with the Hall of Fame's enshrinement ceremony. The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs were the first two teams to play the Hall of Fame Game at Doubleday Field. From 1940 to 1978, Hall of Fame Games were played on the same day as the induction ceremony. From 1979 to 2002, the game was played on the Monday after enshrinement. After 2002, games were played in May or June to accommodate teams. Because of scheduling conflicts, the Hall of Fame Game was eliminated after the 2008 season. The Cubs and San Diego Padres were scheduled to play the final game, but the exhibition was rained out.

    Features

    • Doubleday Field has a seating capacity of approximately 9,800. The deepest part of the park is center field, which stretches 390 feet. Other dimensions of the field include 296 feet to left field and 312 feet to right field. The field has no lights or concession stands and all games are played during the day. Spectators sit on bleachers while watching games at the field. Behind home plate is a brick grandstand that has covered seating.

    Hall of Fame Classic

    • In 2009, Doubleday Field hosted the first Hall of Fame Classic on Father's Day weekend. The exhibition game features Hall of Fame players along with retired major league players. The Hall of Fame Classic was meant to replace the annual Hall of Fame Game, which was played for more than six decades. The Hall of Fame Classic also includes a hitting contest and family catch at Doubleday Field.

    Considerations

    • Teams can play on the historic field by petitioning the Village of Cooperstown, New York. The village allows teams to play on the field for a fee. In 2010, the village charged $500 per game and $550 for tournament contests. Baseball games at Doubleday Field are not allowed to exceed more than three hours.

    Cooperstown Hawkeyes

    • The Cooperstown Hawkeyes of the New York Collegiate Baseball League, a summer wood bat league, began playing its home games at Doubleday Field in 2010. The Hawkeyes were scheduled to play 21 home games at Doubleday Field in June and July. The New York Collegiate Baseball League features top collegiate players from around the United States.