Alright everyone, I'm back. I want to apologize to all five of my loyal readers (that would be my dad, stepmom, Uncle Bob, Aunt Anne and cubemate Jen, who, as anyone we work with knows, is somehow amazingly tolerant of me and all of my "uniqueness") for my unannounced sabbatical.

Life just got a little busy on me but rest assured, Justin is here to get you through that last stretch of March and deliver you to Opening Day at the Tokyo Dome. Without further delay...

If you've never been to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, it's time to begin planning your trip. I made the pilgrimage a little over a month ago on Presidents Day, something I've done for four or five consecutive years now. And I have to tell you, the Hall gets better each year.

Located in rustic, sleepy upstate New York, the Hall is much more than a museum. This shrine to America's pastime offers visitors a veritable and sensory baseball experience by combining thousands of original artifacts, relics and memorabilia items with modern day technology to illuminate the game's rich and lustrous history.

Within a matter of a few short hours, fans can witness the birth of baseball and relive its development, from its nascent beginnings right through last year's Fall Classic. While traveling on this magical journey back through time, visitors receive an up-close introduction to iconic figures like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson, have an opportunity to stand in front of the lockers of the greatest players in the game's history, visit old-time ballparks like Ebbets Field, Forbes Field and the Polo Grounds, and learn about the important contributions made to America's pastime by African Americans and women.

In case you need additional motivation to hop in the car and head to Cooperstown, maybe I should tell you that the Red Sox are quickly beginning to command more attention, and therefore a greater amount of space, within the Hall.

One of the first things you notice as you navigate your way through the museum is what a tremendous player Tris Speaker was. Speaker began his Hall of Fame career with the Red Sox and was a member of the 1912 and 1915 championship teams.

Although Speaker's name and accomplishments are displayed prominently throughout the Hall, visitors are most struck by his impact on the game when they enter what's known as the Records Room. Here, large placards list the all-time leaders for every important statistical category. Speaker's name appears on many of these, often near or at the top of the leader board. Despite retiring from baseball 80 years ago, Speaker is still amongst the all-time leaders in the following categories: fourth highest lifetime batting average (.345), eleventh most runs scored (1,882), fifth in hits (3,514), most doubles ever (792), sixth all-time in triples (222), eleventh highest extra base hit total (1,131), fourteenth most total bases (5,101) and tied for twelfth best lifetime OBP (.417). After reading these stats, he kind of makes Wade Boggs looks like Rich Gedman, don't you think?

On the wall adjacent to the Records Room is where no-hitters are honored. Seeing Clay Buchholz celebrated for his historic performance against the Orioles last September 1 was an even greater thrill for me than you might imagine, because I was at the no-hitter.

One of the most interesting and unique exhibits housed in the Hall is a hitting chart designed by Ted Williams. It represents the strike zone using 77 colored baseballs, every one with a batting average listed on it. The hitting virtuoso believed he would hit for the average listed on each ball if the pitch was thrown to that exact location.

When you round the corner on the third floor of the museum, you're heading towards the exhibits that are collectively known as "Autumn Glory: A Postseason Celebration." It's here that a panorama of recent Red Sox superiority displays some of the most revered, sanctified and mystical symbols in all of Red Sox Holy Land. The bloody sock Curt Schilling wore during Game 2 of the '04 World Series and the ball Doug Mientkiewicz caught from Keith Foulke to clinch Boston 's first championship in 86 years and break the Curse of the Bambino lie in the same display case. It's no joke. I attest that I saw them with my own eyes. (Actually, the Schilling sock has been there for a few years now and I imagine it's really starting to smell.)

Numerous items from the '07 World Series conquest of the Rockies are also on display, including the bat Dustin Pedroia used to hit a home run leading off Game 1, the bat Jacoby Ellsbury wielded in Game 3 when he collected four hits, the cap Jon Lester donned during his stellar and courageous Game 4 outing and Jonathan Papelbon's glove from the Fall Classic.

The last area of the Hall fans see is the Plaque Gallery, the centerpiece of the institution where the plaques of all 278 Hall of Fame members line the oak walls. As visitors enter the gallery, a monument listing the names of Hall of Fame players who served in the armed forces greets them. Among the names appearing on this plaque are Tris Speaker, Bobby Doerr and Ted Williams. In a gallery intended to honor heroes and legends, it's befitting that men who made a monumental sacrifice for their country are allowed to shine brighter than the rest while reminding us that baseball, although a great game, is still just a game.

This column was written on March 24, 2008.