About the Baseball Museum

The Baseball Museum is the Avon Park Historical Society’s celebration of the town’s national pastime: a 1,600-square-foot wing on the south end of the historic 1926 Seaboard Air Line depot at 3 North Museum Avenue. Avon Park is known across Florida as “Baseball City,” and the museum tells the story of a century of baseball on the Ridge, from spring training camps to major-league diamonds.

The building

The baseball wing broke ground on 17 March 2025 and officially opened with a ribbon cutting on 9 May 2026. The $600,000 community project was funded through partnerships with the City of Avon Park, the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners, the Avon Park Noon Rotary Club, and nearly two hundred local families and businesses. Curated by Dr. Ron “Doc” Sevigny and Marva Turner, the exhibits document 100 years of Avon Park baseball history.

Two large exterior murals painted by artist Keith Goodson welcome visitors along Museum Avenue. A 15-by-50-foot mural on the east wall features Avon Park’s major-league legends, including Hal McRae and Tom “Flash” Gordon, alongside players from the town’s historic past. A second 25-by-15-foot mural celebrates youth sports and honors the Lucy Derkman Softball Complex. Three baseball-shaped bollards line the sidewalk along Main Street calling attention to the museum entrance at 3 N. Museum Avenue.

What is inside

Inside the museum wing, visitors walk across a regulation turf infield laid out across the floor, complete with bases, a pitcher’s mound, home plate, and base paths.

Exhibits trace Avon Park’s baseball heritage through the decades. Display highlights include:

• The 1928 Babe Ruth presentation bat: an over-sized 52-inch, 14-pound solid timber bat handcrafted by local boosters and inscribed “To Babe Ruth, Fans in Avon Park” during the slugger’s 1928 exhibition stop in town.
• The major-league legacy of Avon Park native sons: jerseys, equipment, and memorabilia from World Series champion and manager Hal McRae, his son Brian McRae, three-time All-Star pitcher Tom “Flash” Gordon, and his sons Dee Strange-Gordon and Nick Gordon.
• Spring training history from 1927 to 1929, when the St. Louis Cardinals held spring camp at Cardinal Field (now Head Field), as well as visits by the House of David and the Toledo Mud Hens, represented by a 1952 Mud Hens uniform jersey.
• Tributes to the Avon Park Black Tigers, the town’s independent African American team, and the Avon Park High School Red Devils baseball teams that brought home state championships.
• The Strike Zone interactive pitching area, stadium-style seating, video displays, and an AI-enhanced Babe Ruth greeting.

Visiting

Admission to the Baseball Museum is free, with donations gratefully accepted to support exhibits and community programs.

Group tours and research visits can be arranged outside regular hours by appointment; reach out through our About Us page.