National Ballpark Museum

My wife and I were in Denver this past week celebrating our 10 year anniversary. Our anniversary is actually in October, but it was easier to find someone to watch our three boys during the summer, so we adjusted a little bit.

When we were trying to decide where to go for our anniversary I suggested we list all of the states and then use random.org and go wherever it selected. My wife agreed. We let each of our kids randomize the list and then I did it and then my wife did it. South Dakota ended up on top the last time and I was really excited about seeing Mt. Rushmore. My wife...not so much. Needless to say, we ended up going to Denver.

Once we decided on Denver I made sure the Rockies would be in town and we determined a game that we would go to. I scoured the internet for other baseball related attractions in Denver and found the National Ballpark Museum.

The museum is on Blake Street and you can see Coors Field from the front door. The museum is run by Bruce Hellerstein. The museum is small, but definitely worth a trip if you are in Denver.

A couple days before our trip I emailed Bruce about donating an item to the museum. I had two seat cushions that were given out at the Diamondbacks first game on Opening Day 1998 at what was then Bank One Ballpark. I offered him one and Bruce was really nice and gratefully accepted my donation when we arrived.

Bruce gave us a short 20 minute tour before heading into a back office for his day job as a CPA. I spent another 40 minutes or so browsing the museum.

The museum is dedicated to the 14 classic ballparks built between 1909-1923.

Crosley Field

Ebbets Field

Don Drysdale signed game worn jersey and pants.

You can't tell from the picture, but this light bulb is huge. The ball portion is roughly the size of a cantaloupe. 

Shibe Park

Forbes Field

Wrigley Field

The Cubs win!

Polo Grounds

Yankee Stadium

One of 6 drain covers from Yankee Stadium during the 1951 World Series, and the only one know to exist. If you ask Bruce he'll tell you it's the one that Mickey Mantle injured his knee on during that Fall Classic.

Fenway Park

A piece of the Green Monster. If you look at the picture closely you can see the dent marks. 

Cominsky Park

Tiger Stadium
League Park
Griffiths Stadium
Sportsman Park
Braves Field

Some of the ballparks were more represented than others, but there were bricks from most of the ballparks and chairs from all of them. The Yankee Stadium seat is missing. Bruce said that he had sent it out in a trade as he was upgrading.

There was also sections dedicated to Denver Ballparks including Merchant Field and Mile High Stadium which were the home of the Denver Bears who were a farm team of the Yankees and then the Tigers. There were also a few things from Coors Field as well. 

I really enjoyed the museum and when we asked about paying the $5 admission fee we were told that there was no charge. Thanks Bruce!