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Smithsonian displays Red Sox World Series mementos

E-mail|Link|Comments () June 23, 2009 02:23 PM

(Smithsonian National Museum of American History)

By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

The Smithsonian today added two tidbits from Red Sox lore to its venerable history museum in Washington, D.C., supplementing a collection that includes the 1814 flag that inspired the "Star-Spangled Banner" and the lap desk Thomas Jefferson used to draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

The Red Sox mementos -- Jon Lester's jersey from Game 4 of the 2007 World Series and the third base used in Game 2 of the 2004 World Series -- will occupy a glass case on the third floor, not far from Archie Bunker's armchair and the Ruby Slippers worn by Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz."

"It's a gigantic honor for us, the Red Sox, and everybody who supports the Red Sox," team president Larry Lucchino said today after a ceremony at the National Museum of American History. "This is a hallowed place."

The exhibit coincides with the Red Sox first series with the Washington Nationals, which begins this evening. The ceremony today included Lucchino and Wally the Green Monster. The items will be on public display until at least Sunday and may be incorporated into the permanent exhibit.

The Smithsonian has a bevy of sports memorabilia, including Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves, a uniform worn by Michael Jordan during the 1996 NBA playoffs, and a batting helmet used by Carl Yastrzemski during the Impossible Dream season of 1967.

The new artifacts are the first in recent memory from the Red Sox, which is partially owned by the New York Times Co., which also owns the Globe. The third base from 2004, which remains caked in reddish infield dirt, does not appear to have any significance beyond its use in the World Series. There were no plays of note at third base in Game 2, which the Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 at Fenway Park.

Lester's jersey, however, represents a personal comeback by the pitcher after being diagnosed in 2006 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He wore the jersey in the fourth, clinching game of the World Series the next year.

The baseball display at the Smithsonian remained dominated with artifacts from the Yankees. The New York paraphernalia numbers more than 50 items, including Thurman Munson's catcher mask, Whitey Ford's travel bag, Allie Reynolds's uniform, and a 1923 ticket booth from the opening year of the old Yankee Stadium.

"It's interesting," Lucchino quipped, "that the Yankees stuff is from so long ago."

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