rel·i·quary: noun: a container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept
On Sunday, the Baseball Reliquary will hold its tenth annual Shrine of the Eternals induction ceremony in Pasadena, California.
For those not familiar with The Baseball Reliquary (I wasn’t till this came across my inbox), its mission is admirable. According to the announcement, they are a:
Southern California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history
This year’s inductees into the Shrine of Eternals are Buck O’Neil (mightily deserved), Emmett Ashford and Bill Buckner.
Ashford was the first black umpire on the professional level. As for Buckner, the Baseball Reliquary states it unequivocally. “Bill Buckner is living proof that history is not always kind or just.”
Previous inductees are Jim Abbott, Dick Allen, Moe Berg, Yogi Berra, Ila Borders, Jim Bouton, Jim Brosnan, Roberto Clemente, Rod Dedeaux, Dock Ellis, Mark Fidrych, Curt Flood, Josh Gibson, William “Dummy” Hoy, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Bill James, Bill Lee, Marvin Miller, Minnie Minoso, Satchel Paige, Jimmy Piersall, Pam Postema, Jackie Robinson, Lester Rodney, Fernando Valenzuela, Bill Veeck Jr., and Kenichi Zenimura.
Also of note especially to pretty much anyone who reads this blog is the recipient of Tony Salin Memorial award which “annually honors one individual for his/her dedication to preserving baseball history”. This year, that honor rightfully goes to David Smith who is the founder of Retrosheet. Again well deserved, in my opinion.
You can read this weekend’s induction ceremony announcement with bios of the inductees, at The Baseball Reliquary’s web site.
Update 7/19/08: The Miami Herald came out yesterday with an article on the Baseball Reliquary. Check out their photo gallery. The piece sorta paints the place as a weird baseball museum filled with a “Ripley’s” atmosphere.
Would I go there given the chance? In a heartbeat.