News
Fogelman Sports Museum is a memorabilia marvel
Former Kansas City Royals owner Avron B. Fogelman donated his vast sports memorabilia collection to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla, where 562 pieces are on display for the world to see as the Fogelman Sports Museum opened Feb. 18.
Admission to the museum, housed inside the Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence, is free.
The total gift from Fogelman is valued at more than $10 million, including $1.8 million to cover the building of the museum.
The memorabilia includes:
· The 13 original rules of basketball by James Naismith
· Babe Ruth’s pinstripe uniform pants worn on his first day as a New York Yankee in 1921
· Joe DiMaggio’s 1936 rookie uniform
· Roger Maris’ uniform worn in 1961 when he broke the single season home run record
· Hank Aaron’s uniform worn in 1974 when he broke the career home run record
· 1985 Kansas City Royals World Series Trophy
· Final cleats worn by football great Jim Thorpe
· Football signed by the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins
· The 1969 Ryder Cup Trophy
· Baseballs signed by sports legends, entertainers, politicians and historical figures
· Special “one of a kind” sports artifacts never seen before
From the university:
“Creating an exhibit to display this collection is a way for us to protect our history; it is a living, breathing account of our country’s history, America’s Pastime and other sports told through artifacts, my own personal stories and the stories of my friends,” said Fogelman. “If we forget our history we cannot serve as good stewards of our future. FAU understands how to display this collection so it educates and inspires as many people as possible.”
According to FAU President John Kelly, the exhibit will serve the university’s academic programs including MBA Sports Management. Space will be allocated for lectures and post-tour discussions, and the museum will be a free attraction for locals, tourists and sports aficionados alike.
“Securing this collection is a point of pride for our university,” Kelly said. “Avron’s passion for sports, coupled with his lifelong dedication to education are evident through this generous donation. His desire to bring sports history to life will manifest through our plans for academic integration and community engagement.”
