Random Cooperstown: 10 Obscure Objects to See in the Baseball Hall of Fame
An IBWAA writer highlights some "must see" exhibits at the Hall of Fame
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
. . . The idea for the Hall of Fame was first mentioned by sportswriter (and former 19th-century player) Sam Crane, but the museum really didn’t get its momentum until Ford Frick was the National League president in the 1930s. Cooperstown native Stephen Carlton Clark paid for the construction of the museum.
. . . While the museum in Cooperstown was the first sports Hall of Fame that’s known, other Hall of Fames existed before baseball opened theirs. The most notable one opened before Cooperstown in America is the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, which opened in 1901.
Leading Off
10 Obscure Objects to See in the Baseball Hall of Fame
By Paul M. Banks
Every trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown is special, but this author's journey to upstate New York had an added layer of anticipation and excitement. That's because I visited Cooperstown right when post-Covid lockdowns were being lifted. Visiting the hall shortly after reopening began gave me an extra appreciation for what I got to see and do.
If/when you get there, I highly encourage you to find and view these 10 random, unique, some might even say "obscure" items on display in the hall.
1. The First Ball Thrown in the 1919 World Series
"Tell Cicotte to hit the first batter if the fix is on." That's a classic line you know and love from one of the greatest baseball books and movies of all-time, Eight Men Out. When White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte (whose pocket watch is also on display in the hall) started the fall classic with a hit batsman, it was the signal to the gamblers that this series will indeed not be on the level.
2. The Record of Fernandomania
You can find an old 45 (you might have to Gen-X or older to what this term means) that was sold at Dodger Stadium during the height of Fernando Valenzuela's popularity.
In the words of Abba:
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight Fernando
3. The San Diego Chicken
There is perhaps no greater mascot in baseball, or perhaps even sports, history and his suit is on display here.
4. "No Lights" at Wrigley Field Sign
Remember when baseball didn't have night games all the time? What about when Wrigley Field didn't even have light fixtures? Yes, I am one of those aforementioned Gen-Xers.
5. The "Steroid Wing" of the Hall of Fame
There are no plaques for Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco and Rafael Palmeiro, but there is this one specific display case. It spotlights items connected to the six aforementioned players, as well as others exposed/suspected of doing PEDs.
6. Hack Wilson Getting Body-Shamed
It's not on his plaque, thank goodness, but on a wall where his accomplishments are mentioned. Wilson is described as "a tiny but tubby slugger, who almost seemed as big around as he was tall, at 5-foot-6." It safe to say that the author of that write-up did not think Wilson was a physically attractive man.
7. The Gorgeous Green and Gold of Charles O. Finley's Oakland Athletics
When Oakland Athletics Charles O. Finley assumed control of his club, in the 1960s, he noted that every home team wore only white and all road teams wore drab, dull grey. That returned in full force in 1987 by the way. But back In the 1960s, Finley broke that mold into a million little pieces with his forest green and mustard yellow hues.
All we can say is good for him because he was the predecessor to alternate jersey colors, City Connects uniforms, etc.
8. Foam Glove from Mitt Romney's '08 Campaign
Hey, stick to sports!!!
No, of course not, never stick to sports!
But it is funny that the only politician/presidential candidate with an artifact in the hall is a man who once expressed his belief that having a net worth of <$200,000 made you poorer than the average American.
9. The so Hideous it's Beautiful Houston Astros Jersey of the 1980s
The Arkanoid, Atari-style rainbow, tequila sunrise jerseys are so '80s...that now they're back again, with numerous college programs employing this style and scheme in their uniforms.
Ah for the halcyon days when the Astros were more synonymous with ugly uniforms and a strange ballpark than cheating the game.
10. The Pinwheel of the Exploding Scoreboard at Comiskey Park
When it comes to baseball owners, no one was a better promoter/marketer/showman than Bill Veeck. The man who brought us the Disco Demolition Night disaster, and literally ashed his cigarettes in his artificial peg leg, started the "exploding scoreboard" trend. A pinwheel from it is on display upstairs in the ballpark quirk section.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
Extra Innings
The 2024 baseball Hall of Fame class will include Jim Leyland, Todd Helton, Adrian Beltre, and Joe Mauer. Longtime manager Leyland discusses the honor: