Bring the Babe Ruth Ball Home!
Be a Part of History! Help us bring Babe Ruth’s 436 Home Run Ball Back to Cleveland.
The Story of the Ball
On the afternoon of June 7th, 1928 the Yankees were playing the Cleveland Indians at League Park.
Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth at League Park
The Indians were winning 1-0 going into the eighth inning. Indians southpaw Joe Shaute was keeping the Yankees off balance with his screwball and sinker. But that all changed when New York got to him for 4 runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Then, with Earl Combs and Leo Durocher on base in the ninth, he had to pitch to Babe Ruth. The first pitch was a ball, and the second pitch was strike. But on the third pitch the Babe swung and hoisted it over the right field screen for his 20th home run of the season and 436 of his career.
At the same time, a young man named Connie Long had stopped by League Park on his way home from work to see how the game was going.
Local kids lined up trying to sneak a peak at the game.
Connie was standing on Lexington Avenue when he heard a roar from the crowd and then a ball sailed over the right field screen! Others started chasing it but Connie got the ball. After the game he went to the locker room and a cordial Babe Ruth signed and dated the ball.
Over the years, Connie and his son Bill had the ball signed by other baseball greats: Bob Feller, Herb Score, Vic Wertz, Gary Bell, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
Now The Baseball Heritage Museum has an opportunity to bring the 436 ball home and create a virtual presenter to tell its story
The virtual presenter will use interactive technology to allow visitors to see the ball from a 365 degree angle , experience an interactive graphic representation of the day the ball was hit, and tell the story of its history with the Long family. The virtual presenter will also be used as a travelling exhibit.
We are hoping to have the exhibit in place by June 7 2018 for the 90th anniversary of the event.
The Social Impact of Bringing the Ball Home
For over 20 years the Museum has been committed to telling the stories of baseball and applying the lessons of the sport to the lessons of life. With the move to League Park, the Museum took on the additional commitment of being a central presence in the Hough neighborhood by creating new educational programming, developing relationships with community groups and hosting neighborhood events. In order to do these things the Museum needs a steady stream of funding. The Babe Ruth Ball exhibit will help with that. The exhibit will bring the Museum increased attention and visitors, which will attract additional private and public funding. Another source of income will come from lending the exhibit to other organizations. This money will help us continue on the path we have been on, and, allow us to undertake new initiatives such as expanding Museum hours, creating after school and senior programming, and developing vocational guidance opportunities.
This campaign has been created by Museum Administrator Margaret Reardon but all contributions will go directly to the Museum. Donate today but no later than February 28 2018.
Thank you!