Our Family Museum Collections from A to Z - "B" for Baseball

 

Oct. 26, 2014 – The Giants are one win away from their third World Series championship in five years after topping the Royals in Game 5 on Sunday night.

My hubby Keith loves baseball (and football & basketball. Soccer, a little). His favorite team, being born and raised in Chicago is, of course, The Chicago White Sox.

As this week is the continuation of the 2014 World Series, I thought it would be fun to share some thoughts and pics on baseball. To start out with, here is some FYI’s for you. Six things you may not know about the World Series, however, they do not complete the statement. Can you?

1.     An unofficial championship between leagues predated the World Series.

2.     The outcome of the first World Series may have paved the way for Major League Baseball.

3.     The World Series has only been canceled twice.

4.     Only one “world champion” team didn’t come from the United States

5.     One team has won 27 World Series, while two hapless franchises haven’t appeared in a single one.

6.     Before the era of championship rings, triumphant players took home timepieces.

                                         American Association’s New York Metropolitans, who played in                                       (and lost) the first unofficial World Series in 1884. (Library of Congress)

 Here are the keepsakes from Keith’s baseball days in our Family Museum.

      Little League Ball;

      Baseball card of Jack Christy Mathewson (1915) found in a Cracker Jack Box;

     Tickets stubs from a White Sox’ game. What a bargain in 1970 at $3.50 compared todays price of $125.00.

 

      A give-away-bat from a past White Sox’s game Keith and I attended. Are small baseball bats still given away? Last major league game we went to they didn’t. So I guess this little bat is a rarity, therefore, belongs in our family museum. Do you have any memento’s such as home-run balls, autographed pictures, etc.?

 Little League's roots extend as far as baseball's history itself - even into the 18th century. Though Keith did not play in a little league, he played with the neighborhood kids in the empty field next to his house until a new house was built there.

The history of Little League is very interesting. Find it here are this website:  http://www.littleleague.org

 

 

     Keith’s 1958 Little League Ted Williams Glove from    Sears Roebuck & Co.

     Ted Williams and Sears Roebuck partnered up with and introduced the Ted Williams brand of sporting and recreation goods in 1961. Sears distributed over one million gloves between 1960, and 1980. A Ted Williams Sears Roebuck glove is worth about $40.-$75 in excellent condition. A glove in mint condition will sell for more. Keith doesn’t remember how much was paid for his glove and that really isn’t the point here. What matters is that he still has it and when he slips his hand into it (the glove still fits) fond memories of playing ball out in the field next to his home are still vivid and cherished.  

 

      Baseball Food. Yum!

     Not only going to a game is great,   but the food is wonderful. No matter how one tries, the taste of a ballpark hotdog can never be replicated at home. And the beer. Oh how it flows. Cold and foamy, perfect with whatever you eat, like the hot pretzels with mustard. Again, you can’t get this taste at home. As for the cotton candy, our daughter loved picking at this sugary confectionary, licking her fingers after every bite. It hurts my teeth just thinking about it. For some great info and stories about baseball food, visit this website and drool. 

 

http://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-ballpark-food

So let’s all sing now . . .

Take me out to the ball game,                                                                                       Take me out with the crowd;
Just buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,                                                                      At the old ball game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Me_Out_to_the_Ball_Game