Published: April 16, 2008 09:18 am      

Idelson to head Baseball Hall

Cooperstown shrine set to announce hiring of new president today

By Rob Centorani
Staff Writer

The Daily Star learned exclusively Tuesday night that Jeff Idelson will be named the permanent president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame today. An announcement will be made during a media conference this afternoon at the shrine in Cooperstown, a source speaking on the condition of anonymity said.

Idelson, 43, succeeds Dale Petroskey, who resigned March 25 after nearly nine years. The same day, the Hall named Idelson as its acting president, an interim tag that lasted three weeks. The Hall’s 17-member Board of Directors made the decision to hire Idelson, the source said. The board is chaired by Jane Forbes Clark.

Two days after Petroskey’s resignation, Clark said the Hall was discussing the possibility of hiring an outside firm to conduct the search, but it apparently decided to handle it in-house.

A statement issued by the Hall on March 25 read, “By mutual agreement, the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has accepted the resignation of Dale Petroskey as President.”

The Hall’s five-person Executive Committee, made up of twotime National League MVP Joe Morgan, “Meet the Press” moderator Tim Russert, Edward Stack, Paul Beeston and Clark, also said in the media release: “The resignation is the result of our finding that Dale Petroskey failed to exercise proper fiduciary responsibility and it follows other business judgments that were not in the best interest of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.” Those five are also on the Board of Directors.

Petroskey, 52, made $305,000 in 2006, according to a Form 990 filed with the IRS. Idelson, a native of West Newton, Mass., becomes the Hall’s sixth president. He’s been employed at the Hall since 1994.

Shortly after being named acting president, Idelson was asked if he would be interested in becoming the permanent president. “All of this is so fresh that right now I’m just focused on the task at hand,” Idelson said one day after Petroskey resigned.

“I really haven’t had time to really think about it. I’m flattered and I’m a team player. At some time, I would have to consider it, and I’d be happy to be considered for it.”

The Hall hired Idelson as its director of public relations and promotions in 1994. In 1999, Idelson earned a promotion to vice president of communications and education, an appointment he continued to hold even after he was named acting president. Before working at the Hall, Idelson served as assistant vice president and senior press officer for World Cup USA in 1994, the year the U.S. played host to the World Cup for men’s soccer. From 1989-93, Idelson worked as the New York Yankees’ director of media relations and publicity after holding a similar position with the Boston Red Sox from 1986-88.

Idelson graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in international economics May 25,1986, and began working in the Red Sox’s PR department 11 days later.

He lives in Cooperstown with his wife and three children.

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Rob Centorani can be reached at rcentorani@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 209.