Jeffrey L. "Jeff" Idelson (born June 22, 1964) is the former president of the

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays basebal ...

, a position he held from 2008-2019.

Early life and career

In 1986, he graduated from

Connecticut College Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decade ...

(Bachelor of Arts in International Economics), Idelson began his professional career as a vendor at

Fenway Park Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Bas ...

in Boston while in junior high, high school, and college. He went on to be an intern in the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

public relations department in 1986, continuing to work in the team's public relations department from 1987-88. During that time, he also produced home games for the Red Sox Radio Network, serving as the flagship station's liaison to the Red Sox's primary charity, the

Jimmy Fund The Jimmy Fund, established in Boston in 1948, is made up of community-based fundraising events and other programs that benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since 1948, millions of people have given money to the Jimmy Fund to help save lives an ...

. In 1989 he joined the Yankees in the same capacity. In 1994, Idelson also served as assistant Vice President and senior press officer for the

1994 World Cup The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States w ...

organizing committee.

Baseball Hall of Fame

Idelson joined the Baseball Hall of Fame on September 26, 1994, as director of public relations and promotions. He was named as the organization's vice president of communications and education in 1999, a role that includes overseeing the Hall of Fame elections and awards, communications, community and media relations, publications, public programs, promotions, advertising, and artifact acquisition. He also oversaw the museum's college internship program and education department. He was named President of the Hall of Fame on April 16, 2008, replacing

Dale Petroskey Dale A. Petroskey (born August 17, 1955) is the current President and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber. He is the former Executive Vice President of Marketing for the Texas Rangers baseball club, a former executive of the National Baseball Hall ...

. On February 4, 2019 Idelson announced he would leave the Hall of Fame presidency on July 21, following the 2019 induction ceremony. After his successor Tim Mead stepped down in May 2021, he returned as "interim president" through the 2021 induction ceremony on September 8 of that year.

Other work

Idelson serves on the Advisory Council of the

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

branch of

Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) is a youth baseball program operated by Major League Baseball. This youth initiative is designed to provide young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softba ...

, Board of Directors of the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, and on the Board of Directors of the Otsego County chapter of the international program

Girls on the Run Girls on the Run (also referred to as Girls on the Run International), a national non-profit organization, designs programming that strengthens third- to eighth grade girls’ social, emotional, physical and behavioral skills to successfully navig ...

References

External links

Baseball Hall of Fame profile

Interview with Jeff Idelson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Idelson, Jeff 1964 births Living people People from Newton, Massachusetts Connecticut College alumni National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum