200 Years of baseball history on deck at the Sacramento History Museum
Sacramento is showing its lineage as a “real baseball town,” with the new “Play Ball” exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum.
HILL, RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER KCRA 3 NEWS. ALL RIGHT, NOW TALKING BASEBALL, THE A’S HOST THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS AND LUNCHTIME AT A LUNCHTIME START TODAY. BUT TOMORROW, STARTING TOMORROW, YOU WON’T HAVE TO BUY A TICKET INTO SUTTER HEALTH PARK TO PLAY BALL. LET’S GO RIGHT TO MIKE TESELLE. WE’RE RIGHT IN YOUR WHEELHOUSE, MIKE. SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS MUSEUM WITH A BASEBALL EXHIBIT. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF THE A’S, WELL, WE GOT OLD PICTURE OF THE A’S RIGHT THERE AT BAT. YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE LEGENDARY BABE RUTH. I LOVE TO QUOTE THIS RIGHT HERE. THIS IS A REAL BASEBALL TOWN. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS EXHIBIT IS ALL ABOUT. THERE’S A PLETHORA OF BIG LEAGUE PLAYERS IN THE MAJORS RIGHT NOW FROM THE MAJORS, INCLUDING DUSTY BAKER HIMSELF, HIS DODGER JERSEY RIGHT THERE. BUT WHAT MAKES THIS EXHIBIT SO FASCINATING IS IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW, SACRAMENTO IS QUITE THE HISTORY IN BASEBALL STEEPED IN HISTORY. IN FACT, GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE GOLD RUSH DAYS, THOSE ARE BATS PRE 1900 RIGHT THERE. IN THAT CASE, THIS IS ALL PART OF A NEW EXHIBIT CALLED PLAY BALL DOWN HERE AT THE SACRAMENTO HISTORY MUSEUM. HEATHER, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MANAGING ALL OF THIS. SO THE BIG QUESTION IS JUST WHY DO AN EXHIBIT ABOUT BASEBALL HERE IN SACRAMENTO? BASEBALL HITS THE LOVE OF EVERYONE IN TOWN. IT’S A IT’S THE HEARTFELT OF THE CITY. WE’RE BASEBALL TOWN AND WE’RE BRINGING IT HOME TO YOU GUYS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE HERE HISTORICALLY IS THE FATHER OF BASEBALL. THERE’S ACTUALLY STORIES THAT HE CAME HERE TO SACRAMENTO TO INTRODUCE BASEBALL. RIGHT. CARTWRIGHT CAME HERE FOR THE GOLD RUSH, AND HE BROUGHT BASEBALL WITH HIM, AND WE CARRIED IT ALL THE WAY 200 YEARS LATER. SO OFFICIALLY, THE EXHIBIT OPENS TOMORROW, AND YOU’VE GOT A DEAL FOR THIS WEEKEND. EXPLAIN WHAT THAT DEAL IS. WE’VE GOT A DEAL. IF YOU’VE GOT YOUR TICKET FROM THE GAME YOU JUST SAW, BRING IT WITH YOU AND WE’LL GIVE YOU HALF PRICE ADMISSION. AND SO THERE YOU GO. IF YOU LOVE BASEBALL OR EVEN IF YOU DON’T LOVE BASEBALL, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU COME ON DOWN AND LEARN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL, INCLUDING THIS GUY RIGHT HERE, PEPPER MARTIN THAT’S ON THIS BAT. AND THE OTHER BAT, JOE. MARTY, IF YOU’RE NOT FROM SACRAMENTO. JOE. MARTY. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT NAME HERE IN SACRAMENTO, IT’S ALL ABOUT BASEBALL. IT ALL STARTS TOMORROW RIGHT HERE AT THE SACRAMENTO HISTORY MUSEUM. BRANDY, MIKE. INTERESTING.
200 Years of baseball history on deck at the Sacramento History Museum
Sacramento is showing its lineage as a “real baseball town,” with the new “Play Ball” exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum.
Updated: 12:51 PM PDT Apr 30, 2026
Sacramento is showing its lineage as a “real baseball town,” with the new “Play Ball” exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum. Photos and memorabilia from Sacramento’s long baseball history will be on display, including some 19th-century baseball bats. The exhibit aims to bring together baseball fans for a look at how the sport has influenced Sacramento since the father of baseball, Alexander Cartwright, brought the game west. “Baseball hits the love of everyone in town: it’s the heart of the city, we’re a baseball town, and we’re bringing it home to you guys,” said Heather Reynolds, the “Play Ball” exhibit manager. “Cartwright came here for the Gold Rush and he brought baseball with him. And we carried it all the way, 200 years later.” The exhibit opens Friday and the museum is offering half-price admission if you bring in a ticket from an A’s game this weekend. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento is showing its lineage as a “real baseball town,” with the new “Play Ball” exhibit at the Sacramento History Museum.
Photos and memorabilia from Sacramento’s long baseball history will be on display, including some 19th-century baseball bats. The exhibit aims to bring together baseball fans for a look at how the sport has influenced Sacramento since the father of baseball, Alexander Cartwright, brought the game west.
“Baseball hits the love of everyone in town: it’s the heart of the city, we’re a baseball town, and we’re bringing it home to you guys,” said Heather Reynolds, the “Play Ball” exhibit manager. “Cartwright came here for the Gold Rush and he brought baseball with him. And we carried it all the way, 200 years later.”
The exhibit opens Friday and the museum is offering half-price admission if you bring in a ticket from an A’s game this weekend.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel