Jeff Idelson was President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York from 2008 through 2018, and again in 2021. As President, Idelson oversaw the daily operation of the non-profit, educational institution, whose mission is to preserve history, honor excellence, and connect generations.
Idelson joined the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on September 26, 1994, as director of public relations and promotions. In June 1999, he was promoted to Vice President of Communications and Education, responsible for Hall of Fame elections and awards, internal and external communications, community relations, media relations, publications, public programs, promotions, advertising, artifact acquisition, visitor services, photography and the museum’s website.
Before joining the Baseball Hall of Fame, Idelson spent 15 months as assistant vice president and senior press officer for World Cup USA 1994, the organizing committee charged with staging the 1994 soccer World Cup in America. He served as director of media relations and publicity for the New York Yankees from 1989-1993, after being hired as the club’s assistant director of media relations. With the Yankees, Idelson traveled on every road trip, overseeing all aspects of media relations. He interfaced among the players, front office and ownership with the media, acting as team spokesman.
A West Newton, MA native and a 1986 graduate of Connecticut College in New London, CT, (B.A. in International Economics), Idelson began his professional career in 1986, as an intern in the public relations department of the Boston Red Sox, continuing work in the team’s public relations department in 1987-88. He also produced radio broadcasts for all Red Sox home games for the Red Sox Radio Network (110 stations) in 1987 and 1988, serving as the Flagship station’s liaison to the Red Sox primary charity, the Jimmy Fund.
Since his retirement from the Baseball Hall of Fame, Jeff has co-founded Grassroots Baseball whose mission is to celebrate and promote the growth of baseball around the globe.
To get an inside look at both professional and amateur baseball, be sure to join Mick and Mook on November 24th for this fascinating interview with Jeff Idelson, one of the true leaders in the game of baseball.
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