Newport Sports Museum

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The Newport Sports Museum was a sports museum in Newport Beach, California, USA. It closed in 2014.

Collection[]

The Newport Sports Museum owned over 10,000 items of sports memorabilia including items from football, baseball, basketball, hockey and golf. The museum also had an Olympic collection.[1] Notable items included Babe Ruth's last home run ball which is signed, Wayne Gretzky's 900th goal puck and hundreds of game worn and autographed jerseys from all sports.

History[]

The Newport Sports Museum was started in 1953 when, at the age of 12 years, John W. Hamilton was given a signed football from the . Hamilton’s collection was reported to be one of the largest displays of sports memorabilia ever assembled.[2] In 1995, Hamilton along with several athletes, decided to open the museum. The collection was housed in a Newport Center office building owned by Hamilton, a commercial real estate developer.[3]

Hamilton announced the museum's closing in April 2014. The decision came shortly after the museum suffered the loss of a number of valuable baseballs in a nighttime burglary. Hamilton cited his health and the costs of upkeep as reasons for his decision.[2] The building was burglarized again in May 2014, just before an auction began to sell off many of the items in the collection.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ Denise Holden, "Be Like Mike", Orange Coast, August 2002, p. 22.
  2. ^ a b Richard Dunn, "Auction details released for Newport Sports Museum memorabilia", Orange County Register, April 8, 2014.
  3. ^ H. G. Reza, "Sports Gems Shine in Obscure Outpost: USC room, Ike's golf clubs and signed baseballs are stars at Newport museum." Los Angeles Times, August 22, 2004.
  4. ^ Marcia C. Smith, "Newport Sports Museum operator thrown for a loss again", Orange County Register, May 12, 2014.
  • "Former Olympian Kerr, a UCI product, to speak". Daily Pilot. February 7, 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  • "Museum Has the Smell of History to It". Los Angeles Times. July 26, 1998. Retrieved 13 May 2010.[dead link]
  • "Shangri-La for sports fans". OC Metro. October 1, 2009.

External links[]

Coordinates: 33°36′46″N 117°52′38″W / 33.61271998926455°N 117.87724100310083°W / 33.61271998926455; -117.87724100310083

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