The Bob Feller Museum is scheduled to reopen April 5, but financial troubles are threatening its survival in his central Iowa hometown of Van Meter.That's a shame, as there can't be anything else to draw people to visit Van Meter, and Feller was one of the best ever. I know one thing, though. Considering how shitty Feller was about Pete Rose and the Baseball Hall of Fame, I wouldn't expect the Hit King to come to the museum unless there was a lot of money offered. Of course, Pete would sign autographs in Hell if a lot of money was offered.
The lack of money forced the museum to close on Jan. 3.
The museum was opened in 1995 to honor the Hall of Fame pitcher who was born near the central Iowa city, but it has faltered since his death on Dec. 15, 2010.
Museum board member Bob DiBiasio told the Des Moines Register that Feller “was the engine that powered that museum.” Since his death, membership has fallen, and the museum has been unable to attract the Hall of Fame-caliber stars who in turn attracted patrons.
“The museum itself just can't move forward,” DiBiasio said. “And that's nobody's fault. But it just cannot continue to move forward. It cannot be an entity that loses money.”
Feller won 266 games in 18 seasons with the Cleveland Indians. He had 2,581 career strikeouts and pitched three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility....It's unclear how long the museum can operate after it reopens, because the organization has less than $10,000 in savings, Sawalich said. Museum and Van Meter officials are discussing sharing the building, but that would leave less space for baseball memorabilia. Some items could be moved to a museum in Cleveland, but there are no plans to move the entire museum there.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Bob Feller Museum Struggling
Omaha World-Herald:
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News in the Midwest,
the National pastime
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