Baseball families as royal families

Resharing a post from last summer that remains relevant this year

Baseball families are Oneonta, too

Again this year, a local meme has been circulating the socials that succinctly expresses a sentiment some townies have toward baseball families.

In it are three men in royal finery looking down their noses at an unknown subject. The bougiest of character actors, Michael Sheen, is in the center. The text above the photo reads: “Baseball families when they arrive in Oneonta.”

The photo is from the “Twilight” movies of the Volturi, “the largest and most powerful coven of vampires,” according to twilightsaga.fandom.com. The meme has resonated with locals, I imagine, because of how baseball families ooze otherness–and sometimes “better-than-you-ness”–when they replace our town’s college population every summer, asking questions in Facebook groups like “Is there a grocery store in the town?” as if Oneonta weren’t a real place.

The local impression is that baseball families come from wealthier cities and towns with more resources and amenities. It costs thousands of dollars for a single 12-year-old to play at one of the baseball camps, so it’s not an inexpensive week, especially if the whole family comes, too.

Some of these families may be disappointed when they learn that the “Cooperstown” All-Star Village is in Oneonta, 30 miles from the camp’s namesake and the shininess of BASEBALL TOWN, USA.

Oneonta may seem “less than” when they’re expecting the well-preserved Americana-ness of Cooperstown with its plethora of “Babe Ruth Grand Slam Diners” and “Hats for Every Baseball Team That Ever Was Boutiques.”

However, while it might feel validating to “other” baseball families, the population is an important part of our city’s ecosystem.

A quote on fandom.com from the “Twilight” movies resonated with me as a response to the “Baseball Families as Volturi” meme. Dreamy vampire Edward Cullen says to lead character Bella and Indigenous werewolf Jacob Black:

"The Volturi aren't supposed to be the villains, the way they seem to you. They are the foundation of our peace and civilization."

Baseball families feed our local economy, and the baseball camps put our area on the map. Sure, the Hall of Fame is a draw, but our economy would look much different without the two camps that attract tens of thousands of visitors each summer.

Oneonta must be its own destination – the cool, artsy college town near Cooperstown with art openings, live music, and festivals throughout the year. When baseball families arrive, we want them to be happy to stay and play in Oneonta. They are an extension of our community. It’s up to us to show visitors why Oneonta is a great place for their summer vacation.

Here’s a roundup of top things to do in Oneonta this summer to provide you with some ideas for you—and baseball families—to enjoy our community.

I hope to see you out and about – in a baseball cap or not 🧢

Cassandra

Cassandra Miller is the editor of Townie, a publication of Culture Rally Communications. Connect with her at: 💌 townieny@gmail.com