After hearing the Bob Feller Museum was closing in 2014, Cleveland Indians curator Jeremy Feador and Bob DiBiasio, senior vice president of public affairs, flew to Van Meter, Iowa, to view the collection.
Feador, who earned a master’s degree in public history from Wright State University, combed through the artifacts, which included Feller’s U.S. Navy uniform and an award he received in 1969 for being baseball’s greatest living right-handed pitcher. But the best part of the trip was listening to Feller’s son, Steve, tell stories about being in the backseat while his father was driving with Ted Williams or standing on the sidelines at Cleveland Browns games in the 1950s.
“He really seemed to know everyone,” Feador says of the Indians legend.
About 75 percent of Feller’s collection is now displayed on the top level of the Terrace Club at Progressive Field, allowing leagues of fans to pay tribute to our national pastime.
“There’s something comforting about baseball,” he says. “One of our missions is to connect generations.”
As the team’s curator for the past 2 1/2 years, he collects artifacts and memorabilia and writes historical descriptions for plaques and markers in the ballpark. Feador has also taken it upon himself to not let history repeat itself.
He’s been tracking down memorabilia for players being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame July 30. Feador has bats used by Frank Robinson and Jim Thome. But so far he’s been unable to collect anything for Charlie Jamieson, the left fielder for the 1920 World Series-winning team, who remains in the top 10 in Indians history for batting average, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples and games played. And, shockingly, Feador has nothing for Albert Belle who played just 20 years ago.
“There wasn’t a big push [in the ’90s] to save anything,” Feador says. “Which is unfortunate, because there was a lot of stuff worth saving.”
So Feador works to ensure future team curators have access to the items he doesn’t. Last year, he grabbed the base then-rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor tripped over during his first major-league hit and maintains relationships with collectors to fill in historical gaps.
He hopes to one day present a full-scale museum at the ballpark. “There’s always discussion, but I’m not breaking ground tomorrow,” Feador says. “Well, in my dreams, I am.”
As the Cleveland Indians curator, Jeremy Feador gets to see a lot of memorabilia. Here are two of his favorites.
The Babe Ruth bat:
In his last public appearance, during an Indians game at Yankee Stadium, the Bambino used a Bob Feller bat to steady himself. The bat is currently under glass in the Terrace Club at Progressive Field.
Larry Doby’s contract:
Someone from the team saved a bunch of contracts, including one with the signatures of Doby — the first black player in the American League — and then owner Bill Veeck. “It’s probably one of the greatest pieces of history we have,” Feador says.