Jeff Idelson: Hail to the Chief

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For five years Idelson served as media point man for the Yankees, traveling with the team, while both extinguishing and lighting fires as needed. "Those years in the late 80s and early 90s had some hard and lean times for the Yankees," he says, "But I began some wonderful, lifelong friendships with players, coaches and trainers, the Steinbrenner family. That's the best part of baseball – once in the fraternity, you are never really out."

He did, however, take a little burp from baseball.

Idelson was assistant vice-president and senior press officer for World Cup USA 1994, the organizing committee charged with staging the soccer World Cup in America. With the international tournament concluded, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum hired him in the fall of 1994, as director of public relations and promotions.

"If you can live where you want to live – or – do what you want to do, you are way ahead of the curve," he says. "If you can do both, you are in rare air, and I am in the rarest air here, for certain."

Idelson had served as acting president of the BBHOF and Museum since March, and was the vice-president of communications and education since 1999. He is the sixth president in the 70-year history of the organization, following Stephen C. Clark, Sr., founder of the Hall of Fame and grandfather of current Chairman, Jane Forbes Clark, Paul Kerr, Edward W. Stack, Donald C. Marr Jr. and Dale A. Petroskey.

Ever the teacher: Jeff Idelson directs a wide-eyed youngster to an exhibit.

In his previous role with the BBHOF, Idelson oversaw all 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 Web site. He also supervised the Museum's college internship program and education outreach department.

"I can't stress enough how important internships are, not just for us here at the museum, but for every organization and the young people feeling out the profession, whatever it might be," he says. "This is the time to chase down your passions, as you can always go back to doing something you don't love."

Like plucking chickens.