Baseball photo exhibit planned

HOT SPRINGS — The Hot Springs Convention Center is planning an exhibit to pique the interest of baseball, photography and history fans, Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison said recently.

The exhibit, part of the larger “Picturing America’s Pastime” exhibit in Cooperstown, N.Y., will display 51 photographs from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum from Aug. 15-Oct. 21.

The photos are part of the national Hall of Fame’s 250,000-image collection.

The exhibit will be free and open to the public during convention center business hours in its two-month stay.

Arrison said masked visitors will have the opportunity to examine the photos in a socially distant setting.

“We thought it was a great time to bring it in” Arrison said. “You know, August and September it’s hot and if you want to get out of the heat and just walk in the air conditioning, you’re away from large groups and you can just peruse this great collection of photos,” he said.

“The National Baseball Hall of Fame usually does not have a whole lot of traveling exhibits of any type, so we’re really excited to get this one.”

Arrison said these worldclass photos will be of interest to a diverse type of viewers.

“I think people who like photography will enjoy it. I think people who really like baseball will really enjoy it, and I think it’s just something for kids to see. It just encompasses baseball and photos that are not seen that often because they are out of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I don’t know how many of us have gotten a chance to go up there. I know I haven’t had a chance to go up to Cooperstown, N.Y.,” he said.

The touring version of “Picturing America’s Pastime” is designed to show the historic link between the advent of photography and baseball.

The exhibit will arrive in time to be featured at Hot Springs’ third annual Baseball Weekend, scheduled for Aug. 14 and 15.