Favorite Sox
The 2018 Boston Red Sox put together one of the best seasons in recent history, winning 108 games during the regular season – the most since the 2001 Seattle Mariners – and running away with the AL East.
They followed that performance up by beating the New York Yankees in four games in the Division Series, defeating the Houston Astros in five in the Championship Series and triumphing over the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to win the World Series.
Visitors to Cooperstown can see this dominance on display in the new Autumn Glory exhibit, which features artifacts from the Red Sox World Series victory.
This year’s exhibit was curated by Gabrielle Augustine, Assistant Curator for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Augustine was excited by the generosity of the Red Sox players and organization, whose donations enabled her to create an exhibit that could “really tell the story of this team, and this World Series.”
Chief within that story is, of course, Game 3 of the World Series, which lasted a record 18 innings until the Dodgers’ Max Muncy broke the stalemate with a solo home run.
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The exhibit features the ball/strike indicator used by home plate umpire Ted Barrett, as well as a copy of the score book, which serves as a striking visual representation of just how long that game wore on.
The 2018 World Series also served as a significant moment in Puerto Rican history, because it was the first time a Puerto Rican manager had brought his team to victory in the Fall Classic.
First-year manager Alex Cora’s distinctive cut-off hoodie, worn in Game 5 of the series, accordingly has a place in the exhibit.
History was also made early on in the Red Sox postseason run when Boston utility man Brock Holt hit for the cycle against the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.
It was the first cycle in MLB postseason history, sealed by a two out, two-run home run off of the Yankees’ Andrew Romine – normally a catcher – in the ninth inning of the 16-1 Boston win.
Holt also became just the 26th player in baseball history to hit for the cycle multiple times, with his first cycle coming against the Atlanta Braves in June of 2015.
In recognition of this achievement, the helmet Holt wore throughout the postseason – including when he hit for the cycle – is featured in Autumn Glory.
Other featured items include starting pitcher David Price’s Game 5 jersey, World Series MVP Steve Pearce’s bat, Nathan Eovaldi’s cap and spikes and, a particular favorite of Augustine’s: Reliever Joe Kelly’s game-worn glasses.
“There aren’t many players who wear glasses during a game, so it isn’t often that we get to feature an artifact like that.," Augustine said.
Isabelle Minasian was the digital content specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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