So the
baseball Hall of Fame now has an exhibit celebrating the 2008 season.
"
Several artifacts, from relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez's
record-setting season for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim include the
jersey No. 57 he wore from the Sept. 13 game against the Seattle
Mariners when he notched his 58th save, breaking the previous mark held
by Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox. The Hall also is showing off
game balls from that game, as well as K-Rod's record-tying 57th save
Sept. 11 against the Mariners.
The No. 29 jersey worn by Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz on
April 22 at Turner Field when he reached the 3,000-strikeout plateau
against the Washington Nationals' Felipe Lopez is on display. Also on
view is the batting helmet worn by Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki
on Sept. 17 at Kansas City, when he reached 200 hits for the eighth
straight season, which tied the longtime record held by Wee Willie
Keeler, a Hall of Famer since 1939."
The press release contains this little note about Shea:
"More 2008 artifacts arrived at the Hall and will soon join the
display. They include items from the last game at Shea Stadium on Sept.
28 between the New York Mets and Florida Marlins; a cap and shirt worn
by Brian Gorman, the first-base umpire that day. His father, the late
Tom Gorman, worked the plate for the first game at Shea on April 17,
1964."
An umpire's shirt? That's what the last day of Shea gets in the Hall of Fame? C'mon there's got to be we could send upstate.
How about a Mets bat? They hardly used any that day.
How about some shards from all the broken hearts of Mets fans? I hear they're still cleaning those up.
How about Scott Schoenweis? Just put him in a case and leave him up there for a year.
Two weeks later and Kingman is still bitter...
