Baseball Insiders to Discuss

Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry

At Waterbury’s Mattatuck Museum

Thursday, September 7

            Waterbury, CT — Baseball’s greatest rivalry will be discussed by a panel of veteran experts who have experienced the Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees battles first hand through the years with the event taking place at the site of art dealer Neil Scherer’s inspiring exhibit on the same theme at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury on Thursday, September 7.

The Waterbury area is considered by many the geographic mid-point where fans line up on one side or the other to cheer on their team, and the debate seems fitting because it will only be a short time before baseball’s postseason begins, likely once again including the arch-rivals who will be going all out to win another World Series championship.

The debate event, which is open to the public ($10 adults, $7 seniors, 16 and under free), will run from 6-9 p.m. near Scherer’s work, which celebrates many of the greatest moments and personalities in the two teams’ storied history.  Refreshments will be served.

Scherer, a New York City resident, will take part in the event which centers around about 20 of his creative art pieces which include one-of-a-kind collections of autographs, ticket stubs, programs and photos from the intense Red Sox-Yankees history.

The event is a collaboration among Scherer, the museum and longtime baseball executive Bob Wirz of Stratford, CT, who was president of Waterbury’s last professional team, the independent Waterbury Spirit, and recently published his life’s story in a 350-page book entitled “The Passion of Baseball”.

Noted author Bill Ryczek of Wallingford, CT will moderate the discussion.  Ryczek has published numerous books including “The Yankees in the Early 1960s” and “The Amazin’ Mets, 1962-69”.

On hand to talk about the rivalry will be longtime Hartford Courant Yankees beat writer Dom Amore, Smoky Joe Wood Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) chapter president Steve Krevisky, major league baseball rules expert Rich Marazzi, veteran Red Sox scout David Scrivines and baseball author and former Waterbury Republican-American sports editor Don Harrison.

Scherer has meticulously assembled vast original baseball collectibles for his themed exhibits.  The collage featuring Mickey Mantle’s 18 World Series home runs includes an autograph from every pitcher who was victimized, and the same holds for Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.  The display about Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series features an unused game ticket, a scorecard signed by TV personality Ed Sullivan and a commemorative plate signed by Larsen and batterymate Yogi Betta.

Red Sox fans will delight at the details in the piece featuring Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski and another on the first 100 years of Fenway Park, including among the many items a brick from the fabled stadium and a copy of the sales agreement that sent Babe Ruth from Boston to the Yankees.

The Mattatuck Museum is at 144 West Main Street in Waterbury.

For more information or interviews contact the museum or RWirz@aol.com, 203 380-9931 or 203 858-4890.