'21 Fall Classic items on way to Cooperstown

November 3rd, 2021

World Series champions may change from year to year, but some pieces of every title-winning team will be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum forever.

After their 2021 World Series victory, the Braves will have nine items from their title run sent to Cooperstown, N.Y., for safekeeping.

With Ian Anderson throwing five no-hit innings in Game 3, his historic outing sent two relics to the Hall. One is a game-used ball and the other is his cap from that start. The pieces are definitely worthy of heading to Cooperstown as the rookie hurler became the first pitcher since Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 to complete an outing of five innings or more with no hits allowed in a World Series game.

Anderson won’t be the only Brave to send a piece of his uniform: Shortstop and hometown hero Dansby Swanson will have his hat put on display, while manager Brian Snitker will have his jersey from Games 1 and 2 sent as well. Both Max Fried's and Will Smith’s game-worn spikes from the Series-clinching Game 6 win will be sent from Houston to New York.

World Series MVP Jorge Soler will also be represented in the form of his batting helmet, which saw three World Series dingers up close and personal, while breakout star Eddie Rosario’s glove from his clutch Game 4 catch will find its way out of his equipment bag.

And last but not least, Freddie Freeman’s 11-year career with the Braves reached its pinnacle to date with his 2-for-4, two-RBI performance in Game 6. The bat Freeman used to swat a solo homer and an RBI double is now forever part of baseball lore.

The Astros will also be represented for their valiant efforts in the 2021 postseason. Manager Dusty Baker became the first manager to lead five different franchises to the playoffs and his cap from the Astros’ 95-win regular season will sit in the Hall as a reminder of that achievement.

Yordan Alvarez will send his batting helmet, after the Cuban star took home the ALCS MVP Award for driving in six runs and hitting a blistering .522 in Houston’s series against the Red Sox.