The Story Behind the Museum
May 16th, 2019
On Opening Day of 2019, fans got their first glimpse of the 2,000+ square foot City of Baseball Museum, which is located on the 3rd base concourse, between sections 118-120. The project was a collaboration between the Saints, Split Rock Studios, Snow Kreilich Architects, Ryan Companies, TDB Builders, the Minnesota Historical Society, and several St. Paul and Minnesota baseball history experts. The Museum includes powerful images, amazing artifacts, and cutting-edge technology all in the effort to bring to life the many stories that have made this city a place where baseball dreams have become reality.
The history of the St. Paul Saints dates back to the late 1800s and the stories inside the museum include names like Charles Comiskey, Babe Ruth, Miller Huggins, Roy Campanella, Toni Stone, Kevin Millar and Darryl Strawberry. In Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor and Jack Morris St. Paul boasts three native sons already enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Many would argue a fourth is on the way with Joe Mauer’s recent retirement. While St. Paul's baseball story extends well beyond the St. Paul Saints, the various versions of this storied franchise are the tie that binds. From Comiskey's teams of the late 1890s, to the Brooklyn Dodgers affiliates of the 1940s and 50s, to the Saints of 1993 (the team that brought baseball back to the capital city after a 32-year hiatus), the franchise has played a significant role in establishing Saint Paul as the City of Baseball.
You don’t see many museums at ballparks: on their own, they don’t generate much in the way of revenue. The St. Paul Saints ownership stepped up with a unique ballpark addition that combined a state-of-the-art museum space with a second-level group space, enhancing what had already been a top-notch fan experience at CHS Field.
Kevin Reichard, Publisher, Ballpark Digest
The vision of team owner Marv Goldklang to have an in-stadium tribute to the national pastime in, and about, St. Paul was finally realized in April 2019, largely through the efforts of his son, Mike Goldklang, and with design from Snow Kreilich and Split Rock Studios. Built around an impressive collection developed over the years from Taylor Simons, The City of Baseball Museum was expertly curated by Dave Kaplan (founding director of the Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, NJ), with consultation from Frank White and Stew Thornley, and additional artwork from noted baseball artist Graig Kreindler.
The City of Baseball Museum represents the collective efforts of many people within the Saints organization, from Derek Sharrer and our entire front office staff, to John Wenzel our 70-year-old game-day employee who served as nightly museum docent. Each helped to engage our fans and demonstrate how this team, with origins dating to the 19th century, historically has intersected with the social, cultural and economic evolution of the City of St. Paul. With our new rooftop seating on the Spire Sun Deck atop The City of Baseball Museum, we strive to connect that history with the present-day St. Paul Saints.
Mike Goldklang, Team Owner