The Sixth Cavalry Museum, in cooperation with Georgia Humanities, will host “Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America,” a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street program.
“Hometown Teams” will be on view May 7 through June 18. The exhibition will be displayed in 12 different Georgia cities. This is the first Museum on Main Street program to be hosted in Fort Oglethorpe and Catoosa County.
The exhibition is delivered in 21 crates weighing over 4,000 lbs. Space requirements are 9 foot ceilings and 850 square feet of display space. The volunteer committee will install the seven sections of the exhibition along with the community displays that tell about local sports stories, such as Rick Honeycutt’s major league baseball career and his philanthropic support of youth, and sports played at the Army Post, which gave opportunity not only to the soldiers but the Women’s Army Corps and the black regiments that trained there. Another local display features Peerless Woolen Mills star catcher and Women’s Army Corps soldier Johnnie Lancaster.
The Opening Day Ceremony is Saturday, May 7 beginning at 11 a.m. Vintage Base Ball’s Sixth Cavalry Cup tournament will be played and a champion will be crowned, with matches held at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The Jericho Brass Band will perform from the bandstand at 7 p.m., followed at dark by the showing of “42.” Arts and crafts will be on site and concessions available. The museum will be open with everyone invited to view the Hometown Teams exhibit and museum displays.
“We are very excited about 'Hometown Teams' and the local displays and activities that we have scheduled,” said Durinda Cheek, museum board member. “It allows us the opportunity to explore this fascinating aspect of our own region’s sports history and we hope that it will inspire many to become even more involved in the cultural life of our community.”
The six-week exhibition is open to the public free of charge, Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Schools, daycares, senior and church groups can call 706-861-2860 or e-mail chris@6thcavalrymuseum.com to schedule a tour.