The distance between the Soccer Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame is far greater than the 25.1 miles that separate them.

The Cooperstown shrine has the benefit of more than 100 years of tradition and names ingrained in the American consciousness.

Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Mays, Aaron, Koufax, Clemente and all the rest are a virtual Who’s Who in the sports pantheon.

The Oneonta Soccer institution, with all of its foreign-born inductees, isn’t a Who’s Who.

It’s more of a Who’s That?

On top of that name-recognition problem, the Soccer Hall and the powers-that-be in U.S. professional soccer have been their own worst enemies over the last couple of years.

Two years ago, local fans were promised an appearance by teenage phenom Freddie Adu at the exhibition game that follows the annual induction ceremony.

Not only didn’t Freddie show up, but neither did his head coach and most of the better players on his team.

Maybe it’s a matter of karma, but professionally, Freddie has been "much Adu about nothing." It was hoped he would be the saviour of American soccer. But he’s been a bust, if someone only 18 years old can truly be called such a thing, and has signed to play with a team in Portugal.

Last year, the Soccer Hall’s management was victimized and embarrassed by the Major League Soccer teams that pulled out of the Oneonta game only a few days before it was to be played.

However, this year, it would appear that the Soccer Hall has gotten its act together with a solid plan to take advantage of the induction of the most popular American soccer player ever, Mia Hamm.

Hamm and former teammate Julie Foudy are to be inducted Aug. 26, and it was announced Friday that they will play in the exhibition game between the Washington Freedom and the SoccerPlus Connecticut Reds.

Also playing will be another former standout from the national women’s team, Carla Overbeck, who was inducted last year. In addition, the 1986 women’s team will be honored at the ceremonies.

While Hamm is best-known to some mainstream sports fans as "that soccer player married to Nomar Garciaparra of the Los Angeles Dodgers," she is close to being a legend to legions of young female players.

If the weather cooperates, there’s no reason why the induction and exhibition game shouldn’t attract record crowds.

Getting the women to play, even if only for a short time, was no small feat. Hamm gave birth to twin girls five months ago, and Foudy’s daughter is only 10 months old.

By capitalizing on the appeal of Hamm and Foudy, and highlighting women’s accomplishments in this year’s event, the Soccer Hall is to be applauded.

We hope this is the start of something big every year for the Soccer Hall of Fame.