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Ventura’s cap, inscribed with message to Oscar Taveras, headed to Cooperstown

By RANDY COVITZ

The Kansas City Star
The hat worn by Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura in game six of the World Series, on which he penned a message to his friend, the late Oscar Taveras, will be enshrined at the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The hat worn by Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura in game six of the World Series, on which he penned a message to his friend, the late Oscar Taveras, will be enshrined at the Baseball Hall of Fame. JOHN SLEEZER The Kansas City Star

Another piece of the Royals’ appearance in the World Series is headed to Cooperstown.

The hat pitcher Yordano Ventura wore during the Royals’ 10-0 victory in game six on Tuesday night will become an official artifact at National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The hat included an inscription “RIP O.T. No. 18” in tribute to St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, who was killed in an automobile accident on Sunday in his native Dominican Republic.

Ventura is also from the Dominican Republic and became close friends with Tavaras when they were rising stars in the minor leagues.

The cap is the third Royals item to be ushered to the Hall of Fame in the last couple of weeks.

Already there are rookie pitcher Brandon Finnegan’s cap (he became the first player in MLB history to appear in the College World Series and World Series in the same year), and the jersey Ned Yost wore in the club’s game four victory over the Baltimore Orioles. That win made Yost the first MLB manager to win his first eight playoff games.

This story was originally published October 29, 2014 at 6:22 PM with the headline "Ventura’s cap, inscribed with message to Oscar Taveras, headed to Cooperstown."

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