The board of trustees heard from residents, business people, tournament organizers and players about the increase during its meeting Monday night.

Main Street businessman Ted Hargrove told the board the business community had enjoyed a ``great’’ 17 days so far this month _ something he attributed to the tournament players in town with the Legends of Baseball and other groups.

He said was ``unconscionable’’ for the board to try to balance the budget on the backs of people who come from across the country to play ball on Doubleday field.

It is time, he said, for the board to reconsider the increase and not chase the tournament games out of town because if they leave, they won’t be back.

Ed Berkich, who has been coming to play on the historic field for 15 years with the Legends of Baseball, warned that if the rental fee remains at $1,000 for tournament games, those tournaments will leave Cooperstown.

``They won’t be back. They’ll find another venue. I hate to see it be priced out of the market,’’ Berkich said.

Scott Green, a tournament organizer, told board members he was very dismayed at the increase and that he pays more for Doubleday Field than any other field.

He said he polled his players and found they spent a total of $36,000 in the village during a recent visit.

``I hope the renting fee is reversed,’’ he said.

``We’ve got a good thing going on Doubleday Field,’’ said Joan Clark, adding that the board should be considering a reasonable increase.

Doubleday Field committee chairman Jeff Katz said he and other committee members all agree it was their responsibility to find out the market value for renting the field.

Doubleday Field is part of a larger market, but the field is unique and that makes it more difficult to determine the market value.

Fair Street resident Steven Mahlum said when he was a trustee, he wanted to treat Doubleday Field differently and he was glad to see the board was re-thinking the field.

``It should be seen as an asset owned by the village,’’ he said. ``I applaud what Jeff and the Doubleday Field committee are doing. They’re moving in the right direction.’’

Paul Clark said charging $1,000 to rent the field was ``gouging’’ people and questioned Katz’s description of the committee’s vote as unanimous.

The vote was unanimous, Katz said, but committee members Dale Petroskey and Howard Talbot were not in attendance when the vote was taken.

The fee increase was also approved by the board of trustees.

Katz said the Doubleday Field committee plans to reconsider the rental fees for the field during its next regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m.