Artifacts tell story of 2015 HOF candidates
The annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame election means the end of the rainbow for those who earn the game’s greatest honor – a journey that usually takes decades to complete.
But the millions of fans who have made the pilgrimage to Cooperstown to celebrate the National Pastime will all testify to a basic truth: A player may have to wait for a plaque in the Hall, but the greatest legends of the game all have stories that are told every day at the Museum through treasured artifacts.
Already in Cooperstown
Take Craig Biggio, for example. The Astros legend was incredibly generous to the Museum throughout his 20-year big league career, donating more than a half-dozen items – including the cap, jersey, batting gloves and bat he used to record his 3,000th career hit on June 28, 2007.
Biggio returns to the BBWAA ballot in 2015 after falling just two votes shy of the 75-percent threshold needed for election last year.
Reunited at the Hall
Randy Johnson is one of 17 players who make their BBWAA ballot debut in 2015, and Johnson’s artifact donations throughout the years range from a Mariners cap from his 1990 no-hitter to the glove he wore when he recorded his 3,000th career strikeout.
From Mike Piazza’s Mets batting helmet from the 2000 World Series to a bat used by Tim Raines in the 1987 All-Star Game, the 40,000-plus three dimensional pieces in Cooperstown tell the story of timeless moments that make up the fabric of the National Pastime.
The ultimate moment, however, might be when those artifacts are reunited with a newly elected Hall of Famer. Each spring, the Museum dedicates exhibit space to the newest inductees – with the artifacts telling the story of their Hall of Fame careers. A walk through the 2014 Inductee Exhibit reveals artifacts like Greg Maddux’s glove and spikes from the 1995 season, Tom Glavine’s jersey from his 300th victory and the bat Frank Thomas used to hit his 300th home run.
And soon, artifacts from the members of the Class of 2015 will take their place in the Museum as the newest Hall of Famers are immortalized in Cooperstown.
