Races to serve as starting-line effort for program on healthy living

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Hall of Famer Lou Brock waves to people in the crowd at the Parade of legends, which was part of the Induction Weekend festivities. Brock was scheduled to be a part of the BASE Weekend celebration in Cooperstown, but had a conflict. Michelle Miller

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August 2, 2012

Races to serve as starting-line effort for program on healthy living

STAFF REPORT The Cooperstown Crier Thu Aug 02, 2012, 11:01 AM EDT

Staff Report

Hall of Famer Lou Brock was scheduled to be a part of the BASE Weekend celebration in Cooperstown this month, but will not be able to attend.

According to Craig Muder, communications director at he National Baseball Hall of Fame, Brock, who spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, had a conflict in his schedule.

The former stolen base king was going to serve as host of the inaugural BASE Race on Aug. 11 as part of the Hall of Fame’s new “Be a Superior Example” education program.

The Hall of Fame and the Clark Sports Center are teaming up to bring a pair of road races — a family-style 5K fun run and a competitive 10K for racing enthusiasts — to promote healthy and active lifestyles for individuals of all ages.

The debut event will serve as the foundation for the national launch weekend for the Hall of Fame’s new education program, “Be A Superior Example.” Known by its acronym as “BASE,” the new Hall of Fame initiative will introduce the concepts of healthy lifestyle choices to a worldwide audience, educating students about the dangers of performance-enhancing substances. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to expand the outreach of the BASE program.

According to a media release, the inaugural BASE Race will provide families, athletes of all skill level, and racing enthusiasts with the opportunity to participate in a challenging 10K through the rolling hills of the greater Cooperstown area, or a fun 5K that runs past the Hall of Fame.

The release said the BASE Race will also include an expo featuring on-site opportunities to learn more about healthy lifestyle choices.

A full weekend of public programs are planned Aug. 11-12. The release said activities will be focused on the themes of BASE and events will be announced soon.

According to the release, fans can expect Hall of Famer participation, panel discussions and additional active programs, geared toward today’s young athletes.

“The BASE Race serves as the symbolic starting line for the Hall of Fame to introduce the components of BASE to a worldwide audience, with the local support of Cooperstown, Otsego County and the central New York community,” Jeff Idelson, president of the Hall of Fame, said in the release. “As we go beyond Cooperstown with the BASE program, this debut weekend encourages families, runners, and individuals from a diverse background to join the Hall of Fame in this important endeavor, to promote a healthy lifestyle, which includes making the active choice to live free of performance-enhancing substances.”

Director of the Clark Sports Center, Dion Wade, said sports center is committed to promoting health, fitness, recreation and education throughout the community.

“As the Hall of Fame embarks on a national effort to share the messages of the dangers of performance-enhancing substances, the Clark Sports Center is excited to be a partner with them at the starting line of the BASE program,” he said in the release.

Both the 5K and 10K BASE Races will start and conclude at the Clark Sports Center. Prizes will be awarded for both races, in a number of categories based on age groups, in both male and female categories. All registrants will receive baseball and Cooperstown-themed gifts from the inaugural event.

Registration is now under way at baseballhall.org and clarksportscenter.com. Additional details are available online at both sites and by calling the Clark Sports Center at 547-2800.

BASE Weekend will feature the launch of a number of components for the Hall of Fame’s BASE program, including the first major national registry to record individual commitments to live a life free of performance-enhancing substances. The registry will live online at baseballhall.org and will feature the incorporation of an interactive kiosk in the museum in Cooperstown. It will include profiles and photos of those who have made the commitment to the lessons of healthy living.

Registration for the “PES-free” pledge will also begin Aug. 11, as part of a national outreach to schools and youth athletic programs. Online educational tools will be available for access by individuals, teams, parents, coaches and families, with more in-depth programs available through the museum’s on-site and videoconference educational offerings.

“The BASE program promotes healthy choices, while educating students and adults about the dangers of performance-enhancing substances,” Idelson said in the release. “The introduction of this content to the museum’s award-winning educational curriculum is a natural integration into how we educate youth everyday about American culture, with topics ranging from history and character education to math and science, through the lens of baseball. BASE provides a powerful refrain and common foundation for students of all ages that performance-enhancing substances are dangerous, and the only way to live a healthy life is to do so free of these harmful substances.”

For more information on BASE, visit www.baseballhall.org/base.