Iceman Celebration Day 2016 - Baseball Hall of Fame

When I first put together this plan for Iceman Celebration Day 2016, I was going to follow up my Niagara Falls adventure with a few days in Toronto and catch a Blue Jays game (as Toronto is less than 2 hours from The Falls). But then I thought I would probably be back there someday. When I realized how close I was to Cooperstown, I figured it was now or never. I don't know when I would ever get the chance to come here again. Because I don't know anyone who would come here with me, so I might as well check it out while flying solo. But I don't want to sit and bore you describing the things I saw in the museum, but I did take pictures because they were cool and historical and shit. There were countless artifacts and memorabilia from players like Honus Wagner, Cy Young and Lou Gherig, just to name a few.

 

All 30 current Major League teams (as well as any former teams that have since disbanded or changed cities/names) were well represented at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Of course I was most interested in the Milwaukee Brewers/Braves artifacts and mentions, which is why I took pictures of them and looked forward to seeing things from my team. The picture on the left had items related to health and sports medicine in baseball, most notably Tommy John surgery. The Brewers connection was that Paul Molitor (in 1984) became the first position player to undergo this process (this surgery was previous only performed on pitchers). The arifacts in the middle picture talk about the emergence of the relief role and more specifically the closer's role in baseball. The Brewers connection is Rollie Finger's jersey. Fingers finished with 341 saves and won the AL MVP and Cy Young in 1981 (6-3 record, 1.04 ERA, 78 innings pitched, 9 earned runs and 28 saves). The picture on the right features Paul Molitor's cleats that he wore in 1996 when he got his 3.000th hit and also Robin Yount's helmet from his 1989 season when he was the AL MVP  for the 2nd time (this time as a Centerfielder, as he won it in 1982 as a shortstop).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This museum did such a great job of paying tribute to the players who made baseball the great American pastime that it is. I'll try not to bore you with all of the details, but it was really cool to see Babe Ruth's Yankees jersey and then a whole section dedicated to the Negro Leagues right around the corner. I just walked in the door but already I could tell that this would be a comprehensive look at the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best part about the National Baseball Hall of Fame is that it didn't just pay tribute to the Major League teams and history that most people are familiar with. I mentioned above about their coverage of the Negro Leagues, but there was also a section devoted to Women in Baseball. Most people (me included) were exposed to this by the 1992 movie "A League of Their Own" but I assure you that it was a thing before that movie came out. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley (son of the gum manufacturer, owner of the Chicago Cubs and namesake for their ballpark) which existed from 1943 to 1954. Over the years there were a total of 14 teams and several in Wisconsin including the Kenosha Comets, the Racine Belles and the Milwaukee Chicks (with the Belles winning the League Championship in 1943 and the Chicks winning it in 1944). I did appreciate that their contribution to baseball was recognized here. These women deserved it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was so much to see and read in this museum and I struggled to consume all of it. I wanted to run through it fearing that I didn't have enough time, but I had to stop and check out this display about the Milwaukee Braves. The Braves played in Milwaukee from 1953 - 1965 (well before I was alive) and won the World Series in 1957 thanks to amazing players like Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, Lew Burdette and Joe Adcock. I wish I knew more about Milwaukee's only baseball championship team, but it's hard to get a grasp on it from reading articles and listening to stories from people who were around when the Braves played at old Milwaukee County Stadium. I definetly appreciated reading about the history of my home team here at the Hall of Fame.

 

 

There were so many artifacts to look over and placards to read. I found myself lost in the material as I wanted to learn more about the team that called my city home for 12 years. It was fascinating.

 

 

On May 5 2015, the Los Angeles Angels set a Guiness Book of World Records feat by having the largest gathering of people wearing Sombreros (at 25,111) as a result of a promo giveaway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1969 Seattle Pilots were represented with this hat from their first and only season in Seattle before Bud Selig bought the team and moved them to Milwaukee, where they have been known as the Brewers since 1970.

 

There are so many items and artifacts about Hank Aaron (as there should be as one of the greatest baseball players of all time), but I especially liked the video of him hitting homerun #715, which passed Babe Ruth and made him the Major League home run leader. I've seen this video before, but good to see it again.