Does your family bleed Dodger Blue? Or do you root for a team from your hometown? Either way, a trip to Dodger Stadium is a summer must. But to go deeper into the history of the game, check out two excellent exhibits that are perfect opportunities for a grandparent outing. The newly opened Sports Museum of LA is a private collection that is now open to the public, and the Skirball Cultural Center’s Chasing Dreams:Baseball and Becoming American is on view through the end of October.
The Dodgers are in second place in the National League with plenty of games left on the schedule. We particularly like a night game for the luscious colors of the sunset (and to avoid the extreme heat that sometimes comes during the afternoon games). Click here for seats for the rest of this season. And, good news – the food is slightly improved in Chavez Ravine. Don’t miss Think Blue BBQ if you want to go beyond the beloved Dodger Dog.
Hank Greenberg and Joe DiMaggio (donated by Corbis)
The Skirball Cultural Center offers a unique perspective on the sport in a special exhibit on view now through October 30, 2016. Chasing Dreams: Baseball and Becoming American tells the story of Jews and other immigrant minorities helped changed the most American of games. Here are the questions explored in the exhibition:
Why have so many immigrant groups and minority communities identified with, taken pride in, and felt connected to the nation’s pastime? Did baseball impact how American Jews established affinities with other racial and ethnic minorities? And how did baseball shape Americans’ views of American identity? Beginning with the Civil War era and continuing to the present day, the exhibition addresses these questions and explores how baseball has served as an arena in which values, identity, ethnicity, and race have been projected, contested, and occasionally solidified. (Skirball Center website).
Jackie Robinson signing autographs on the first day of spring training with the Brooklyn Dodgers, March 6, 1948. Donated by Corbis.
Special Treat: Little leaguers and softball players, come in your uniform to receive FREE admission! WEAR YOUR JERSEY, PANTS, HAT, OR YOUR WHOLE UNIFORM (NO CLEATS PLEASE!) AND MENTION THIS OFFER FOR ENTRY!
BASEBALL STORIES: On August 7 at 2:30 PM, come to the museum and hear longtime Dodgers announcer Ross Porter discusses what it’s like to view the game from the announcer’s box.
A League of Her Own: Come to the Skirball to see the exhibit and a favorite baseball movie on Friday, September 16 at 8:30 PM.
Starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and Madonna, this dramedy recounts the story of an all-female professional baseball league. Directed by Penny Marshall. (1992, 128 min. Rated PG). Arrive early to view the exhibitions! Tour the exhibition Chasing Dreams: Baseball and Becoming Americanled by curator Cate Thurston at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., or stop by anytime before the film begins for self-guided viewing! Then enjoy music, play oversized games, and indulge in ballpark concessions in the courtyard. Screening start time is dependent upon time of sunset.
Plus, wear your favorite baseball team attire and take home exclusive exhibition swag! DISTRIBUTED ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.
Sports Museum of LA Opens to the Public
Gary Cypres has been collecting baseball memorabilia for years, and has amassed millions of dollars worth of collectibles which are now on display for the public. The Sports Museum of LA has 30 galleries and over 10,000 items to show off. There is, naturally, a huge gallery of Dodger memorabilia.
The Sports Museum of LA // 1900 S. Main Street, LA 90007 at Main St. and Washington Blvd., just south of downtown Los Angeles and only 1.2 miles from STAPLES Center.
Open on weekend days from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
