Field Rental

Many people recognize Cooperstown as the Home of Baseball. We welcome thousands of visitors to the Village each year to tour the National Baseball Hall of Fame and enjoy and/or partake in a game at Abner Doubleday Field.

Apart from several sandlot games with youth, the first significant competitive game played at Doubleday Field between adult teams occurred on September 6, 1920 as part of a Street Fair celebration sponsored by the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce intended to raise additional funds to purchase the property from the Phinney family. A Cooperstown team played the Cuban Giants, winning the game, 9-8. There is a box score and newspaper account of the occasion. The use of the field has changed significantly over time. It once hosted Cooperstown Central School’s football team and continues to be the site of most of the High School’s baseball games. Doubleday field has been the site of the National Baseball Hall of Fame game, bringing major league teams to Cooperstown to play and now hosts the National Baseball Hall of Fame Classic game bring major league alumni to play a game on Memorial Day weekend.

You too can partake in the spirit of the game and play baseball on Doubleday Field. Each year hundreds of teams choose to visit the Village in uniform and take it to the field. The field is available to rent from approximately mid-April through Columbus Day weekend in October, depending on weather and field conditions. We offer three games per day, 10 AM, 1:30 PM & 5 PM most of the spring and summer season with two games per day (10 AM & 1:30 PM) from mid-September through Columbus Day weekend. Rental of the field for a baseball or softball game ranges in price between $500 to $650 game.

The application process for the upcoming summer season begins the fall prior and continues throughout the season as space permits. Organizations who are interested in hosting a tournament (6 or more games on two or more consecutive days) may apply beginning in early October. Applications become available for hosting individual games on or around November 15. If you would like to be placed in our database to received your application by mail please email your name and mailing address to mnye@cooperstownny.org. You can also find a downloadable application, on or after November 15 and availability list below.

All applications/game requests must be received by mail. We will not accept applications by fax, e-mail or phone. Games are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, as applications are received in the Village Clerk’s Office. Field availability changes frequently. We try to update the availability list weekly during the beginning of the scheduling process, and monthly beginning in February or as time permits. If you have specific questions regarding the application process or use of the field please direct them to Marcia Nye at mnye@cooperstownny.org.