The highest honor that the Baseball Reliquary affords an individual is induction into its Shrine of the Eternals, the Reliquary's answer to the Hall of Fame. Last Sunday, Dusty Baker, Effa Manley, and Kim Ng joined the Shrine’s 66 other baseball luminaries.
Though none of the recipients attended in person, other greats of the sport accepted the honor on their behalf as Villalobos Hall filled with friends, family, and fans to witness this year’s induction ceremony, cohosted by Whittier College and its Institute for Baseball Studies, where the archives and artifacts of the Reliquary are managed and displayed.
The event began with remarks from Whittier College President Kristine Dillon ’73 and Reliquary Executive Director Joe Price, followed by the presentation of the 2024 Hilda Award and 2024 Tony Salin Award.
The Hilda Award, named for Brooklyn Dodgers baseball fan Hilda Chester, recognizes distinguished service and was given to Steven Butts for his work on the Reliquary and Institute social media pages. The Tony Salin Award, given for commitment to the preservation of baseball history and honoring the legacy of historian and researcher Salin, was posthumously awarded to Jean Ardell. Ardell wrote the book Breaking into Baseball and co-wrote Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey with Ila Borders ’97. The award was accepted by her husband Dan Ardell and Borders.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick took to the stage next to deliver the keynote address. The Institute has a large number of artifacts from the Negro Leagues, and with Major League Baseball recently integrating statistics from the league players, the museum’s items now have increased significance.
Kendrick’s words focused on legacy and impact, attributes found in all inductees. Kendrick explained that after Jackie Robinson broke barriers, it took MLB 12 years before every team had at least one Black baseball player, with the Boston Red Sox being the last team to integrate in 1959. For more recent milestones, Kendrick also discussed how he helped the Negro Leagues appear in the video game franchise MLB: The Show.
“This is a civil rights story,” Kendrick said of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. “This is a social justice story as much as it is a baseball story.”
Honorees were inducted next, with former Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Reggie Smith speaking on behalf of Baker, who won a World Series with the Dodgers. As a manager, Baker was twice recognized as the National League's Manager of the Year.
“A true superstar is an individual that can make the others around him better, and that was Dusty,” Smith said.
Manley, the first woman inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, joined the Shrine next. Manley ran daily operations in the 1930s and 1940s for the Newark Eagles, a Negro National League club. Her induction was presented by Joni Campanella, daughter of catcher Roy Campanella.
“Effa Manley's character and experience as an enthusiastic baseball fan, an astute baseball executive, and a passionate civil rights activist substantiates her election, and induction into the Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals,” she said.
Former St. Paul Saints and Whittier College pitcher Borders also spoke on behalf of Ng, who has held various positions such as assistant general manager for the New York Yankees, vice president and assistant general manager for the Dodgers, and senior vice president of baseball operations for MLB. In 2020, the Miami Marlins hired her as the team's general manager.
“She's somebody that I absolutely admire and look up to,” Borders said. “To see the inspiration that she has given all of those girls on the field and off the field is just amazing.”
Three individuals are elected annually in voting conducted by the membership of the Reliquary. To become a member or learn more, visit BaseballReliquary.org.
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