Happy Opening Day! | Reds Hall of Fame and Museum
We caught up with Erin Chamberlain, Marketing and Development Manager at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, to talk about Opening Day and how you can celebrate Reds history even without a ticket to the ballpark.
Photos of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum provided by Twin Spire Photography.
An interview with Reds Hall of Fame and Museum’s Marketing and Development Manager, Erin Chamberlain.
It’s a new season and Opening Day has finally arrived, what is this day like for yourself and the staff at the Cincinnati Reds?
Erin: Opening Day is such an exciting day for the Reds organization and for us at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. Each year, there’s the promise and possibility of a new season. The team comes back from Arizona excited and ready to go, and that translates to the excitement of the fans at Great American Ball Park and the Reds Hall of Fame. Often, it is a time for us to welcome back visitors we may not have seen since last season, and everyone shares in the electric atmosphere of a potential win!
So true! When visitors tour the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, are there any exhibits centered around Opening Day itself?
Erin: Absolutely! Opening Day is such an integral part of Cincinnati history. We dedicated an entire case to the city’s (unofficial) holiday. On display, we feature items like Hank Aaron’s bat from 1974 and Aaron Harang’s cleats from 2009. As many Reds fans might know, Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1974 with his 714th home run off Reds pitcher Jack Billingham right here in Cincinnati on Opening Day! Former Reds pitcher, Aaron Harang has started the second-most Opening Day games for the Reds and remains incredibly popular with fans who have seen him play. There are also Opening Day artifacts and references sprinkled throughout the museum, as well as some items related to the day in our gift shop.
Being a resident historian of sorts on Reds history as Marketing and Development Manager, do you have any favorite Opening Day moments?
Erin: It’s so hard to pick just one! Each Opening Day brings our community something special, whether it’s a military flyover, the giant flag waving on the field, or a former player coming back in town to serve as honorary game captain or to throw out the first pitch. All these traditions and the storied history of the Reds are what make the day particularly meaningful in Cincinnati. It’s such a connection for people. We hear from so many fans that they’ve attended Opening Day for decades, or some have waited for years to be able to take a family member to their first one. Personally, my favorite moment has to be the first time I took my dad to Opening Day. He hadn’t been since he attended at Crosley Field with his dad back in the 1950s. The weather was beautiful, and our seats in the Sun Deck were just perfect for watching the Reds play and sharing that cross-generation love of baseball! This year will certainly be uniquely special as we welcome fans back inside Great American Ball Park after a season without them. I can’t wait to see what unfolds in the game!
That’s a wonderful story! So, for those who don’t have tickets to the ballpark (or even those that do) what are some ways that the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum can allow families to share their love for Reds baseball?
Erin: Well, I would encourage everyone to come visit us! The great thing about the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is that it’s a place where baseball is always in season for Reds fans of any age. Even if you’re not attending the game, families can come here to relive Reds history. We just launched a new film in the Jeff Wyler Family Hall of Fame Theater called “Laughs and Gaffes: The Lighter Side of Reds Baseball presented by PNC Bank.” It’s a reel that shows all kinds of great “bloopers” and outtakes from decades of Reds baseball, and it’s really entertaining! There are interactive exhibits and some pieces of Reds history that you will only find at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum!
We also have a number of admission programs designed to encourage people to visit the Hall. Through the Kids Explore Free program, courtesy of the H.C.S. Foundation, kids 12 and under can visit the museum for free. Veterans and active military also get receive free admission, courtesy of the Sargent Family Foundation. The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is also a member of a program called “Museums for All”, where families receiving SNAP benefits can simply show their EBT card and receive free admission for up to four people. It is our mission to make the history of Reds baseball accessible to as many people as we can!
Day Off Cincinnati wishes to thank Erin Chamberlain and the team at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum for their time and for this great information! If you and your family want to visit the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum you can view the museum’s current safety rules and protocols as well as purchase tickets by clicking here.
