Sports Legends Museum searching for new home

Unable to reach an agreement on a new lease, the Sports Legends Museum is closing its doors immediately and formulating plans to relocate.

Following several weeks of negotiations, the board of directors of the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation today unanimously voted not to accept a counter offer from the Maryland Stadium Authority to renew its Sports Legends Museum lease at Camden Station. The museum has been a primary tenant since 2005.

The board will begin "an immediate search" for a new location, according to a release.

Manager Buck Showalter has been a frequent visitor since coming to Baltimore and often suggests that players new to the area take a tour and become more familiar with the city's rich sports history.

The museum will move its Sports Legends collection into storage over the next several weeks and anticipates a two-year transition into a new venue, according to the release. The foundation's other attraction, the Babe Ruth Birthplace, will continue to welcome visitors year-round.

Mike Gibbons, the foundation's executive director, said that he plans on exhibiting key artifacts of the Sports Legends collection at the Birthplace while a new location is being developed.

"Our board felt that both the financial terms MSA was requiring and the one-year lease would put Sports Legends Museum in an unviable financial position and would eliminate our ability to effectively implement a new business plan," Gibbons said. "While this is a sad chapter in our history, the Board also voted unanimously to immediately embark on efforts to secure a new location for Sports Legends while we safely relocate and store the nation's largest collection of state sports memorabilia in America."

Foundation chairman John Moag said the board balanced the cost of remaining in Camden Station for one year against investing in a fresh beginning.

"We chose the latter," he said.

"Our Board has stepped to the plate and remains as committed today as ever. We are motivated not only by our fiduciary responsibility to the institution, but by our common belief that by telling the story of local sports, we are celebrating perhaps the one segment of our culture that brings all of our ethnic, racial, economic and educational differences to common ground. We believe that is worth embracing, preserving and teaching."

Meanwhile, the Astros have rallied from a two-run deficit today to tie the Royals 2-2 in the fourth inning in Game 4 of the American League Division Series in Houston.

Rookie shortstop Carlos Correa hit a solo home run in the third inning to tie the game. According to the Astros, he's the sixth-youngest player to homer in a postseason game in major league history behind Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Miguel Cabrera, Mickey Mantle and Andruw Jones.

I already submitted my ballot for AL Rookie of the Year, choosing the top three players. I can't reveal my choice until the winner is announced, but feel free to offer your suggestions.

Former Oriole Jake Arrieta starts Game 3 for the Cubs today in their National League Division Series against the Cardinals. Another former Oriole, Jason Hammel, will start Game 4.