Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America is on display at the Belton Area Museum Association from June 7 – July 19, 2015. Hometown Teams is a traveling Smithsonian exhibit that examines how sports represent our communities and embody the American spirit. Belton has planned an exciting variety of collateral events to accompany the exhibit while it is in town.
June 6 – July 19, 2015
Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America will be on display at the Belton Area Museum Association (100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627).
Admission is FREE!
Hours of operation:
Wednesday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
For more information contact Kathy Benson at 864-338-7400
May 22-26, 2015
Palmetto Junior Tennis Tournament
Belton Tennis Association/City Courts/Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
June 5 – 7, 2015
SPUD Tournament
Belton Tennis Association /First Baptist Church/SC Tennis Hall of Fame
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
Volunteer with the Special Populations Unified Doubles tournament, held in conjunction with the USTA Southern Special Populations Subcommittee. Mentally and physically challenged players enjoy playing tennis, and participate in a recognition dinner with awards ceremony. Competitors come from SC, NC, GA, and AL to Belton each year. Exhibit will be open to attendees.
June 6, 2015
Pre-exhibit Event
Saluda River Run
June 7, 2015, 2 – 5 PM
Opening Exhibit Celebration
BAMA/Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
–In addition to the Smithsonian Exhibit we will be showcasing sports memorabilia of amateur and professional athletes loaned by those who are connected to Anderson County
–Area former sports greats to be at opening in the gallery to tell tales of their exploits on the field: John LeHeup (football, Philadelphia Eagles, USC Athletic Hall of Famer), Marty Knight (karate, World Champion Black Belt and SC Black Belt Hall of Famer), Matthew LeCroy (baseball, Gold Medal Olympian, Minnesota Twins), Stan Smith (tennis, Wimbledon Champion, SC Tennis Hall of Famer) with others such as Casey Ashley (Bass Masters Champion), stock car racer Justin Sorrow, BMX bike champion Stew Baylor, Beverly Childs ( owner of Westminster Dog Champion), and Thomas Chapman (owner of world champion hunting dog)
–We will set up mini tennis court on our lawn (reminiscent of lawn tennis) and have BTA give brief lessons
–Present Sports Greats Stories documentary films produced by BES, HPES, and WES 5th grade students
–Mascots of area teams will be on hand for pictures and autographs
–Cheerleading demo
–Ball Park foods and concessions to be available.
June 11, 2015 – July 31, 2015
Opening Sports in Action, Photography Exhibit
News-Chronicle Office-Foyer
310 N Main St, Belton, SC 29627
Exhibition of the sports photography of Debbie Rogers, 30 year veteran sports photographer for our local newspaper.
June 12, 2015
Silent Auction, Book signing and Program by Sports Writer, Ken Burger –“A Sporting Life”
Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
Tuesdays June 16, 23, 6:00 PM
Free Family Fun Sports Film Festival
Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
Family friendly sports movies will be shown weekly at 6:00 PM in the Depot Center Section. Films with ties to SC’s rich heritage of sporting events/topics or movies that were filmed here in the Palmetto state will be featured. Sports celebrities with Anderson County ties will be asked to join us prior to the screenings to talk about their sporting exploits and sign autographs.
Sponsored by WebbCraft Family Foundation.
June 16 Secretariat, with Mike Kinsey, the Horse Whisperer
June 23 Days of Thunder, with Justin Sorrow, Race Car Driver
June 28, 2015
Gamac Concert and picnic on the grounds
“Triumph and Tears: A Symphony of famous sports themes”
Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
–Outdoor GAMAC concert including the Anderson Symphony Orchestra and the Anderson Children’s Choir who will perform musical themes such as “Nadia’s Song,” “Eye of the Tiger,” and “Olympic Fanfare and Theme.”
–Reservations required for catered lunch.
Sponsored by Foothills Community Foundation and WebbCraft Family Foundation.
July 7 & 14, 6:00 PM
Free Family Fun Sports Film Festival
Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
Family friendly sports movies will be shown weekly at 6:00 PM in the Depot Center Section. Films with ties to SC’s rich heritage of sporting events/topics or movies that were filmed here in the Palmetto state will be featured. Sports celebrities with Anderson County ties will be asked to join us prior to the screenings to talk about their sporting exploits and sign autographs.
Sponsored by WebbCraft Family Foundation.
July 7 Radio, with Radio Kennedy, TL Hanna Super Fan
July 14 A League of Their Own, with Viola Thompson Griffin, former All American Girls’ Baseball League Player
July 11
Corn Hole Tournament – Game On-Tailgating Competition
Historic Belton Train Depot
100 North Main Street, Belton, SC 29627
Bring your favorite tailgating attire, decorations and tailgate food
–Prizes will be awarded
–For registration please call 864-338-7400
10:00am – Stranger Danger Class for Kids
Center Section Train Depot
2:00pm – Program featuring State Scholar Fritz Hamer: Highlights of the Clemson/Carolina Rivalry
Center Section Train Depot
July 18 – Closing Program
Greenville Drive Textile Mill Baseball Heritage Game Day
–The Greenville Drive dedicates one game per season in honor of the Mill Baseball League, with this year’s emphasis being on Belton/Abney Mill and Chiquola Mill. They don uniforms and use equipment reminiscent of the heyday of the mill teams.
–Patrons will receive information rack cards about the exhibit with an invitation to visit.
–A coach will be hired to carry Anderson County folks to the game, including any former Belton/Abney Mill and Chiquola Mill baseball players from the area who will be recognized at the game.
–Documentary films will be shown prior to game
Sponsored by the Greenville Drive
For more information about Hometown Teams, please contact T.J. Wallace at 803-771-2477.
Hometown Teams has been made possible in South Carolina by SC Humanities. Hometown Teams is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.
In South Carolina, SC Humanities has received additional support for the Hometown Teams project from Central Carolina Community Foundation (Manning Site); South State Bank (Georgetown site); The Foothills Community Foundation (Belton site); The Jolley Foundation (Slater site); and The Broad River Electric Cooperative (Gaffney site).
To find out more about supporting Hometown Teams in South Carolina, please contact T.J. Wallace at 803-771-2477.
The Jolley Foundation
