The generally "By Appointment Only" Roberto Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh's Strip District held an open house today, so Marilyn and I finally got a chance to see this dandy little enterprise. It is privately owned and operated, and it boasts the largest collection of Clemente memorabilia and photos anywhere. As I heard a docent say today, it's like having a little piece of Cooperstown right here in Pittsburgh. As it is not generally open to the public, it's not easy to get in to, but it is also not impossible, either, and if you are a Clemente fan, a Pirates fan, or a baseball fan, you really should try to get to see the place.
A sample of some of the photos that I took there today.
Had to have proof that I was there!
Cool painting with iconic photos on either side
A wall filled with Roberto's awards
More great photos
Athletes from various other Pittsburgh teams
and other MLB teams as well donate signed jerseys
to be used as fundraising items.
Couldn't resist this one
A completed "Build It Yourself" Forbes Field
designed by my friend, Len Martin, from the book
that he and Dan Bonk published in 1994.
After hit #3,000
What Pittsburgh sports museum would be complete
without an homage to Game 7 of the 1960 World Series?
The Museum is housed in an old fire house on Penn Avenue which gives the place a really cool look. Attached to the Museum is a wine making operation that sells special edition wines, many of which are bottled under labels of other celebrities and sports figures who use the resultant bottles of wine to sell or auction for their own charities or foundations. Among barrels that we saw that are still in the aging process are wines designated for Jerome Bettis, Mike Trout, and Yadier Molina, among others. We also bought a couple of bottles for our own use. The labels on the bottles should be self-explanatory:
It was a fun day rekindling memories of "The Great One".
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