"Welcome to Cooperstown, Jack!"

Well, it's official. UML, Jack Kerouac and the Lowell Spinners are on their way to Cooperstown, N.Y., to be immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame in the form of a bobblehead.

After becoming an international phenomenon nearly two years ago, as a giveaway to the first 1,000 fans at a Lowell Spinners baseball game, the bobblehead generated more than $10,000 for the Jack Kerouac Scholarship Fund and garnered media attention from across the country.

English Prof. Hilary Holladay and Jon Goode, director of corporate communication for the Lowell Spinners, teamed up to create the bobblehead as a way to publicize Lowell’s annual Kerouac Conference. Neither anticipated the frenzy to follow, as hundreds of Kerouac fans from all over the world clamored to get their hands on a beloved bobblehead in the likeness of the popular Beat writer.

The future of the Kerouac bobblehead was revealed during a recent press conference at City Hall. City officials and representatives of the Lowell Spinners, UML, and the Kerouac Estate were on hand to announce the acceptance of the cherished keepsake into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and reflect on its journey thus far.

“This has been a huge phenomenon,” said Spinners’ owner Joann Weber. “Having a partner like UMass Lowell and the Kerouac Center has been a great pleasure.” Her husband and co-owner, Drew, added to the praise emphasizing the “strong partnership between the Spinners, the city and the university."

"I remember the frenzy it generated at LeLacheur Park, but never did I think it would end up in Cooperstown," said City Manager John Cox. "It's remarkable."

City officials and representatives from the Lowell Spinners, UML and the Kerouac Estate were on hand at City Hall to announce the acceptance of the Jack Kerouac bobblehead into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Pictured with the Kerouac bobblehead are, from left, John Sampas, Kerouac’s brother-in-law and executor of the Kerouac Estate; English Prof. Hilary Holladay; John Cox, Lowell’s City Manager; Lowell Mayor Armand Mercier; Joanne and Drew Weber, owners of the Lowell Spinners; Tim Bawmann, general manager of the Spinners; and John Goode, director of corporate communication for the Spinners.

Hall of Fame spokesman Jeff Idelson said Kerouac is “an American icon who had a deep passion for the game, which he shared in his writing.” And that adding the bobblehead to the collection is important “given baseball’s history and role in helping to shape and define American culture.”

Holladay, who is also director of the UML Jack and Stella Kerouac Center for American Studies, spoke at the press conference, pointing out that “a partnership between a university English Department and a baseball team is pretty rare.” As for the placement of the bobblehead in the hall of fame, she said she hopes “it will bring attention to Kerouac as a writer and an important figure of pop culture.”

Lowell Mayor Armand Mercier, who knew Jack Kerouac personally, said he had a very special place in his heart for Jack. “It’s such a tribute to him and his legacy, and it’s so appropriate that it’s happening in Lowell, where he came from."

Kerouac's brother-in-law and executor of the Kerouac Estate, John Sampas, spoke proudly of the bobblehead, and pointed out that Kerouac’s work is still published in 38 countries. Of the immense popularity that the bobblehead has generated and the honor of acceptance into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Sampas said Kerouac would approve. “He’s probably smiling right now, saying ‘I told you so.'"

Goode, who was responsible for drafting the proposal to the Hall of Fame for the bobblehead induction, wrapped up the press conference saying that once the Jack Kerouac bobblehead is officially placed into the collection, "it will be there forever," and people from all over can see it on display. "He's gone from being a part of Lowell to a part of history."