Baseball Origin? In Pittsfield?

If you're a big baseball fan (like me), then you might have heard of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  Several years ago, a document was discovered in the town that have helped it stake a claim as the birthplace of baseball.  Apparently, the document was dated 1791, which would put it well ahead of the more popular myth that Abner Doubleday wrote the rules for baseball in Cooperstown, NY in 1839.  Other cities like New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey also claim to be the city of baseball's origin, but the history of baseball remains clouded with influence from England and variations of the sport.

Nevertheless, while driving through the scenic Berkshire Hills up to Vermont, we passed through Pittsfield, and I was hopeful we would find some type of historical plaque or monument devoted to its baseball claim.  While Pittsfield is the largest city in the county, the downtown area is not too big, so we quickly found Wahconah Park, located among a few local businesses in town.  The ballpark was built in the early 1900s and has been the home of a variety of minor league and independent league baseball teams.

Past Rankings - Frank Pepe's, Brooklyn Bridge, Rock Hall

Since I added my official Pinstops Rankings after my first few posts, I thought I'd go back and let you know how I would rank my visits to those places I wrote about.  To read the original posts for these places, click on the title names of each.


Frank Pepe's Pizza - New Haven, Connecticut
Pin Stops Ranking: 4 Pins

I have to say that Frank's exceeded my expectations.  I'm actually biased as I really love NY-style pizza over all others (still do).  I walked into this place thinking there's no way pizza from Connecticut would even compare - but I admit this was pretty darn good.  If I was in the area again, I definitely would have to consider stopping here again to eat.




Brooklyn Bridge - New York, New York
Pin Stops Ranking: 3 Pins

For daily exercise or nice views of the city, the Brooklyn Bridge was pretty cool.  I recommend taking your time crossing this bridge and really soaking in the scenery.  I'm sure many people take this walk for granted but if I lived in Brooklyn and worked in Manhattan, this would be a great walk to commute everyday - except in November thru March. ;)




Giant Free Stamp - Cleveland, Ohio
Pin Stops Ranking: 1 Pin

Let's face it - it's kind of interesting to see, but it's just a landmark in a lonely park of downtown Cleveland.  On it's own, you can't justify driving out to see it, but when combined with the Rock Hall or other places around town, it's a quick "Pinstop" to check it out in person.  This giant stamp is really only for the diehard Pinstopper who just has to see everything.




Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, Ohio
Pin Stops Ranking: 4 Pins

One of the more unique museums around - and definitely for the music lover.  There are several other Hall of Fames in the area, but this place (along with the Pro Football Hall of Fame) are clearly the biggest and best.  The building architecture is very unique, and the inside is filled with hours of reading, films, music and memorabilia.  You can easily spend all day here enjoying remnants of your favorite artists from several music eras.


So what do you think?  If you've been to these places, do you agree with my rankings?  Let me know in the comments below.  As always, thanks for reading!