The founder of the Baseball Reliquary and co-founder of the Institute for Baseball Studies at Whittier College, Terry Cannon, died on Saturday, August 1.
Cannon, was well known in Los Angeles for his contribution to the game of baseball. He established the Baseball Reliquary in 1996 and in 2014, Cannon’s passion, and large collection of baseball memorabilia, found a home at Whittier College. The Institute for Baseball Studies was co-founded with Professors Joe Price, author of From Season to Season: Sports as American Religion and Rounding the Bases: Baseball and Religion in America.
In a written statement, Institute co-director Price and associate directors Professors Charles Adams and Mike McBride, praised Cannon for his contribution to Whittier College.
“Terry’s relationship to the College has been important,” read the statement. “If you have walked through the entrance to the library … you should have noticed themed exhibits drawn from materials at the Institute, most recently an exhibit of the centenary of the founding of the Negro Leagues and another on Jackie Robinson. Terry had a special genius for such exhibits which were frequent here at the College.”
“We know that Terry’s whole idea in bringing the Reliquary into its relationship with the Institute for Baseball Studies at Whittier College was to help students and all scholars gain access to unique primary and secondary materials with which they can do real work and teaching in many fields and many levels. It has been a great example of a really fruitful collaboration between a community resource and an educational institution. We will continue that effort.”
Cannon was born August 31, 1953, in Dearborn, Michigan. He is survived by his wife, Mary. Read his obituary in the Pasadena Star-News and The New York Times.
