Quad Cities residents can now visit a traveling Smithsonian exhibit, celebrating sports. "Hometown Teams" is now on display at the Rock Island Main Library. The interactive exhibit combines national and local sports footage, photos, and memorabilia.
Television screens, ipads, flip-books, and links to apps are included in each "Hometown Teams" display. Visitors can even smell the food from one Pittsburgh ball park, by squeezing a fake mustard bottle.
Lisa Lockheart, Rock Island Library spokeswoman, says the Smithsonian Museum provided displays for national teams, but local high schools and colleges also pitched in. She says Rock Island was chosen by the Smithsonian as one of six Illinois stops for the exhibit.
Along with the exhibit, the library is hosting more than 12 free programs, each featuring a different highlight from Rock Island sports history. Other events include local stadium tours, a lecture on women in baseball, and a discussion of African Americans in the NFL. "Hometown Teams" will be on display until October 25th.