Media Release
CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kevin C. Rabago, Sr.
City of Bridgeton
(856) 451-3407
rabagok@cityofbridgeton.com
BRIDGETON HOSTS SMITHSONIAN “HOMETOWN TEAMS”
EXHIBIT JUNE 28 –AUG 10
Starting June 28th
and running through August 10th, the City of Bridgeton will be
hosting the Smithsonian Institutes’ “Hometown Teams” exhibit; a travelling
exhibit which focuses on the rich legacy of local sports and culture and how
these have shaped the American landscape.
With the blessing of
Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly, sponsorship by the Bridgeton Public Library and
New Jersey Council of the Humanities; organizing and planning on the local
level came from historic architect Penny Watson and former Library Director
Gail Robinson, both volunteering with others to coordinate various parts of the
six week long exhibit.
“I want to thank the
Smithsonian Institute for considering our community for part of this travelling
exhibit. I also commend Penny Watson and Gail Robinson for their hard work;
without them, this exhibit does not happen. We
have a rich sports lineage in the greater Bridgeton area and this puts a
deserving spotlight on that tradition” said Kelly.
The opening reception will
take place on June 27th at the Bridgeton Library, which will feature
memorabilia and photographs related to local sports through July and into August.
Other components of the
Hometown Teams exhibit will include the Goose Goslin storefront exhibit at 21
E. Commerce Street courtesy of Cliff Jones; and “Seabrook Sports”, another
storefront exhibit at the Ashley McCormick Center at 40 E. Commerce Street that
highlights multicultural sports from Jamaican cricket to Estonian soccer. Both
exhibits will run through July until August 10th.
The showing of the movie
“Offsides”; an Iranian film about girls forbidden to watch a World Cup
qualifying match inspired by the director’s daughter-who decided to sneak into
the game anyway- will happen at the Bridgeton Library on July 3rd.
The film, timely because
of this year’s World Cup and events unfolding in the Middle East, will be
introduced by Patrick Boyle, with an audience discussion to follow the film.
According to exhibit
organizer Penny Watson, the exhibit is complimented by a number of local events
through the summer; “Starting August 1st, the Bridgeton Invitational
Tournament gets underway and during the summer months we have the Mini Sports
Camp, the Cohansey Riverfest, and on August 23rd, the Kayak Challenge and Historic Bridgeton Bicycle Tour”
said Watson
In addition to the exhibit
and the slate of summer events, the theme of local sports gets a full treatment
at the All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey, which in addition to local
sports stars, features memorabilia from the likes of Willie Mays, Jackie
Robinson and a host of other Pro Sports legends. The museum will be featuring a
special exhibit on the Bridgeton Invitational Baseball Tournament in August.
The Smithsonian exhibit
closes on August 10th, and the season winds down with the August 14th
induction of former Phillies announcer and commentator Chris “Wheels” Wheeler
in the All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey.
“With a season of events
and this fantastic exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute, the legacy of our
own hometown teams will be front and center as it should be. I hope everyone
will take a little time to visit the exhibit and enjoy all that Bridgeton has
to offer” said Kelly said.
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To learn
more about the City of Bridgeton please visit www.cityofbridgeton.com
To find out more about the Hometown
Teams Exhibit, please visit www.bridgetonlibrary.org