Cooperstown sporting an Empire State of Mind

By Craig Muder

There’s something almost regal about it.

The white jersey, the navy pinstripes. The distinctive “NY” below the left shoulder that could almost be an unofficial World Series logo.

The New York Yankees have come home to Cooperstown.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum opened the new Autumn Glory exhibit today, featuring more than a dozen artifacts from the 2009 postseason. Treasures from the Yankees’ 27th World Series title highlight the display, which features items such as the spikes Johnny Damon wore during his double steal in Game 4 of the World Series; the bat used by World Series Most Valuable Player Hideki Matsui in Game 6 of the Series; and tickets from all six World Series games.

Front-and-center, however, is the jersey Andy Pettitte wore when he won Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. With that win, Pettitte not only became the all-time postseason victory leader with 16 wins but also put the Yankees in the World Series for the first time in six seasons.

Phillies artifacts are also featured in Autumn Glory, including Cliff Lee’s postseason cap. The artifacts will remain on display through the 2010 postseason as the Museum celebrates all the achievements of 2009.

After eight World Series without a Yankees championship, New Yorkers – and Yankee fans everywhere – are once again front-and-center in Cooperstown.

Craig Muder is director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.