With baseball season in full swing, the State Museum invites its guests to celebrate America’s pastime with special baseball-themed activities and presentations on July 22.
Inspired by the museum’s current exhibition, The 521 All-Stars: A Championship Story of Baseball and Community, Baseball Day at the State Museum offers an escape from the summer heat and an opportunity to explore some of the sport’s history in South Carolina.
During the daytime event, baseball fans of all ages are invited to take a photo with Mason, the Columbia Fireflies mascot, enjoy exclusive baseball-themed giveaways, participate in a hands-on-craft activity, purchase ballpark-themed treats from the Crescent Café by the Food Academy and enter a raffle to win the opportunity to throw the first pitch at a Columbia Fireflies game.
In addition, the State Museum will host panel discussions highlighting the history of baseball in Columbia and the Black baseball team featured in The 521 All-Stars: A Championship Story of Baseball and Community. The exhibition, based on the 1998 book of the same name, depicts baseball in its purest form through more than 40 framed photographs taken during the team’s 1996-1997 season. During Baseball Day, on the 25th anniversary of their book, author Frye Gaillard, photographer Byron Baldwin and players from the team featured in the exhibition will re-unite for a panel discussion. Guests are invited to join in on this reunion and meet with the players, author and photographer afterward.
Baseball Day activities are included with museum general admission and membership. Find more information and a schedule of activities on scmuseum.org.