A Hall of a lot of new programs in Cooperstown

From the Baseball Hall of Fame, this list of programs in the months ahead:

A Celebration of Black History Month – Feb. 21-25: The Hall of Fame will host a week’s worth of programs celebrating Black History Month. Programs will feature Artifact Spotlights, films that feature the stories of Negro leagues legends and a walkthrough of the Museum’s Pride and Passion exhibit with a Hall of Fame curator.

Women in Baseball Day – March 19: In honor of Women’s History Month, the Museum will present programs highlighting the accomplishments of women in the National Pastime, including an Author’s Series program with Martha Ackmann, author of “Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, the First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League”; an Artifact Spotlight on women in baseball; and a special screening of oral history interviews conducted with members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Family Day – April 2: The Hall of Fame kicks off the season in style with live music, hands-on activities and demonstrations throughout the Museum all day long. The first 500 visitors receive a numbered family day button which will make them eligible for prizes and giveaways that we will announce throughout the day, including the chance to win tickets to the 2011 Hall of Fame Classic.

Youth Baseball Week – April 18-23: Celebrate Spring Break at the Hall of Fame with interactive programs such as Connect with Louisville Slugger, which features a virtual tour of the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory; Jackie: Cross the Line!, which tells the story of Jackie Robinson’s life through actor Gregory Gibson Kenney; Roberto: Chat with an Angel, a portrayal of Clemente by Gregory Gibson Kenney; and Effa Manley and Her Scrapbook, a program about the first woman inducted into the Hall of Fame presented by noted children’s author Audrey Vernick.

Cricket Weekend – June 3-5: An Interactive weekend celebrating the newest Museum exhibit on the relationship between cricket and baseball, Swinging Away, direct from the Marylebone Cricket Club in London.

Baseball Film Festival – Sept. 30-Oct. 2: We invite you to join us for our annual Baseball Film Festival. The Festival is a showcase of newly-released films of any genre with a baseball focus. Tickets for each screening session are free but must be reserved. Participants in the Hall of Fame’s Membership Program may begin reserving their tickets on Monday, Sept. 12 by calling 607-547-0397. Any remaining tickets will be available to the general public beginning on Monday, Sept. 26.

For more information on these and other events, visit www.baseballhall.org.