Baseball Heritage Museum facts for kids
The museum in 2021
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| Established | July 7, 1997 |
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| Location | 6601 Lexington Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, 44103 |
The Baseball Heritage Museum is a special place in Cleveland, Ohio. It celebrates the history of baseball. The museum opened in 1997. It is located at League Park, which was once the home field for the Cleveland Indians baseball team. The museum is inside the old ticket building at League Park.
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Discovering Baseball History
The Baseball Heritage Museum started in 1997. It was first located in downtown Cleveland. Robert Zimmer, the museum's founder, first showed his family's baseball collection. This happened at his family's jewelry store. It was during the 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Cleveland.
Growing the Collection
The museum's collection grew from Robert Zimmer's personal items. It now includes many baseball treasures. You can see items from the major leagues. There are also things from the Negro leagues. These were baseball leagues for African American players. The museum also has items from women's baseball leagues. Plus, there are artifacts from Caribbean leagues and other special teams.
Museum Festivals and Events
The first "Baseball Heritage Museum Festival" took place in May 2006. Famous former players attended this event. These included Bob Feller and Buck O'Neill. These festivals helped share baseball history with more people.
Moving to a New Home
In 2006, the museum moved to a second spot. This was in the Euclid Arcade on Euclid Avenue. Later, in 2014, the museum moved to its current home. This move happened when League Park was renovated. League Park is a very historic place. It used to be the home of the Cleveland Indians and other Cleveland teams. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
League Park Renovation
League Park was completely updated in 2014. A new baseball field was built there. The museum is now in the old Ticket House. This building was carefully restored. In 2014, about 2,000 people visited the museum's grand opening at League Park.
Museum Leadership and Programs
Vern Fuller, a former Cleveland Indians player, was the first executive director. In 2017, Mike Gaynier took over this role. Today, the museum does more than just show exhibits. It also supports the Baseball Heritage Museum Buckeyes Travel Baseball Team Program. They also hold youth clinics and other fun events at League Park.
