Photographs by Jesse Saucedo
Over 200 baseball fans packed the Pasadena Public Library’s Donald R. Wright Auditorium on Sunday, July 22, 2018 for the Baseball Reliquary’s 20th annual Shrine of the Eternals Induction Day. We are pleased to share a few photos from the festivities, courtesy of Jesse Saucedo.
The ceremony began with a Shrine of the Eternals tradition: a bell ringing in memory of Brooklyn Dodgers fan Hilda Chester:
Not only did Shrine of the Eternals 2018 inductee Nancy Faust play walk-in music on her Hammond B3 organ as the audience filled the auditorium, but she also performed the National Anthem.
Bart Wilhelm was presented with the Hilda Award.
Ross Altman was presented with the Tony Salin Memorial Award, and, after his acceptance remarks, he performed a new song in honor of the 2018 Shrine inductees, “Nice Guys Finish First.”
Dan Epstein presented the Keynote Address, then Baseball Reliquary executive director Terry Cannon acknowledged Julian Pollack, the only rank-and-file Reliquarian to have attended all 20 Shrine of the Eternals induction ceremonies from 199 through 2018.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Shrine of the Eternals, 2011 Shrine inductee Ted Giannoulas (aka the San Diego Chicken) was a guest speaker. He brought a smile to the face of many, including Tommy John and his son, Dr. Tommy John III.
The afternoon’s first inductee, Nancy Faust, was introduced by newspaper columnist and sportswriter Mike Downey. Following Faust’s acceptance remarks, she performed a selection of some of her favorite songs on the Hammond B3 organ.
Rusty Staub’s induction was introduced by Baseball Reliquary archivist and historian Albert Kilchesty, and was accepted by Staub’s sister, Sally Johnston, on behalf of the Staub family. Following Johnston’s acceptance remarks, Mike Margerum and his daughter Becky were recognized for traveling 2,624 miles from Elizabethville, Pennsylvania to Pasadena to attend the ceremony.
The third and final inductee, Tommy John, was introduced by his son, Dr. Tommy John III.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the audience had the opportunity to mingle with the inductees and honorees.
