Deep in the heart of Avon Park, there is a fun little tribute to America’s Pasttime. The Avon Park Baseball Museum is attached to the Depot Museum. Located on Museum Avenue, just along the railroad tracks, it pays homage to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Toledo Mud Hens, The House of David and a number of pro and semi-pro teams that played at nearby Head Field.
Also in the museum are some favorite sons who went on to make their mark in Major League Baseball including Hal MacRae, and Thomas “Flash” Gordon who call Avon Park home. There are other locals such as Gabe White and Eric Knott who went on to play MLB baseball, who are from Sebring, just down the road.
There’s also tributes to the South Florida State College baseball program, as well as the Avon Park High School Red Devil baseballers who set records for their district and state championships over the years.
It Begins Outside
You don’t have to wait until you get inside to begin enjoying the museum. There are murals on the outside of the building. Done by Keith Goodson, the paintings pay tribute to all of the players enshrined. On the south end is a huddle of high school championship players, while on the side there’s a depiction of Thomas “Flash” Gordon.
Once inside the museum you can turn right, or left. If you make a right, you head into the Depot Museum. There you can find a rich history of The City of Charm. By the way, the city is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a municipality, so there’s a lot to see and learn.
However, if you look to the left, there’s a selfie spot. There, you can pose behind the window and prepare to sell a ticket to a St. Louis Cardinals game. Waiting patiently is a uniformed little boy. (Don’t worry, he’ll still be there when you arrive).
Inside the Museum
When you walk through the arched doorway, beneath the drawing of Babe Ruth, that’s where the baseball begins. The first thing you’ll notice is that you’re standing at right center field. A giant base path is in front of you on the perfectly manicured rug, and The Bambino himself welcomes you in.
It’s a short video done with the help of artificial intelligence. The new technology brings old pictures to life. After Babe Ruth’s introduction, it shows how Head Field was created as a major league ballpark. There, the St. Louis Cardinals practiced, and other teams came to play over the years.
“It’s been said that when these games occurred, more people showed up than the number of people who lived in Avon Park at the time,” said Dr. Ronald Sevigny curator and originator of the museum.
It is his collection, and efforts to acquire other artifacts and memorabilia that now constitute the bulk of the collection. One of the missing links is copies of the Avon Park Sun during the 1920s, when the Cardinals held their spring training there.
“It’s the only papers we don’t have,” lamented Avon Park Historical Society head Nancy Fisk. “We have looked at the archives in Gainsville, but nobody seems to have them.”
The Displays
There certainly is a lot to see and do in a small space. The room is lined with display cases holding everything from vintage baseballs and glove, to a bat used by the Ironman of Baseball – Lou Gherig. That one is over 100 years old.
There are countless pictures, baseball cards and other displays inside the cases. Outside the cases hang an impressive collection of vintage game baseball jerseys – including the Toledo Mud Hens that played in Avon Park 75 years ago.
On either side of the museum are individual videos. Fans can sit in actual major league baseball stadium seats, watching – and listening to the audio on headphones, to get the full effect of the presentation.
A Fun Exhibit
Sandra and I found this a fun and entertaining exhibit. There was plenty of time to see both the Baseball Museum and the Depot Museum. There were docents to answer questions and set up the technology at both places. Afterward, there are some good choices for lunch or dinner. There also are walking historical tours of Avon Park for those who would like to get some exercise and an up close and personal look at The City of Charm.
You can hear our review of the Avon Park Baseball Museum here – as part of our Florida Fun Travel Series.
By The Way
If you visit the Avon Park Baseball Museum on the weekends, or if you ask a docent nicely, you may get a parting gift. There is a special pitching gallery set up at the end of the display. Take a few pitches, and see if you can throw a strike.
