Shieber: After 65 years, a Joltin’ discovery at the Hall of Fame
From SABR member Tom Shieber at BaseballHall.org on April 19, 2017:
April 18th marks the anniversary of a special event in the history of the New York Yankees and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. On that day in 1952, the Yankees retired Joe DiMaggio’s famed No. 5 jersey in an on-field ceremony prior to the club’s home opener. The event marked just the third time the Yankees had retired a player’s uniform number, as Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth had been similarly honored in 1940 and 1948, respectively.
As part of the festivities, DiMaggio donated the jersey, a pinstriped model from the previous season, to Rowan Spraker, Vice President of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Thrilled with the donation, Spraker returned to Cooperstown with the historic artifact and soon DiMaggio’s jersey hung in the Museum, just feet away from those of Lou Gehrig (number 4) and Babe Ruth (number 3). Joltin’ Joe’s jersey is currently a featured artifact in the “We Are Baseball” nationwide traveling exhibit.
Recent research has revealed a surprising story about the jersey that once belonged to the Yankee Clipper.
Read the full article here: http://baseballhall.org/discover/short-stops/a-joltin-discovery-at-the-hof
Originally published: April 20, 2017. Last Updated: April 20, 2017.