Known for sports memorabilia collection
The Stadium, a restaurant, sports bar and museum on Route 9 in Garrison, closed on Aug. 25 after nearly 19 years in business.
The impressive collection of memorabilia that adorned its walls and ceiling was started in 1953 by Joseph Walsh, the father of owner James Walsh.
The Stadium (Photo by Michael Turton)
Lacking money and space in his family’s one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, Joseph Walsh began by collecting newspaper clippings, sometimes taking them from the paper before it had been read. When Joseph and his wife, Terri, moved into their own home in 1972, he began collecting the signed memorabilia later displayed at the restaurant, which opened in 1999.
A baseball signed by Mickey Mantle (Photo provided)
Highlights include Mickey Mantle’s 1956 Triple Crown trophy; Larry Kelley’s 1936 Heisman (the first awarded); Paul Hornung’s 1956 Heisman; Babe Ruth’s 1934 Yankees contract for his final season in New York; a 14K gold necklace with the Yankees’ World Series ring pendant customized by Joe DiMaggio for Marilyn Monroe; and a third base from the 2000 World Series (Yankees vs. Mets) signed by MVP Derek Jeter.
There are also the World Series rings won by Don Zimmer (Brooklyn, 1955) and Ed Lopat (Yankees, 1949 and 1953); the 1960-61 MVP trophy of NHL great “Boom Boom” Geoffrion; Larry Regan’s 1957 NHL Rookie of the Year trophy; and jerseys signed by greats such as Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Marino, Montana, Elway, Namath, Jordan, Abdul Jabbar, Chamberlain and Clemens.
Inside The Stadium (Photo provided)
In addition, the Walsh collection contains the autographs of hundreds of baseball Hall of Famers, including Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner; baseballs signed by every member of the 1948, 1957 and 1960 Yankees and 1925 and 1955 Dodgers; and baseballs autographed by every president from Eisenhower to Obama.
Back to the Bavarian Inn!
German food would be awesome!
Very thorough article. How about, why did it close?
We attempted to connect with owner James Walsh to find out why it closed, as well as what will happen to the collection, but he has not responded.
I used to go to this site when I was a kid in the 1950s. It was called Chimney Corners back then.
That’s a shame. All that sports history in one place.