The Stanley Harry Silver Collection Story

Eighty-year father-son collection capturing MLB history and a legacy of love donated to the Parkhurst Field Foundation The Parkhurst Field Foundation is proud to announce the official unveiling of the Silver Family Baseball Collection, an extraordinary assembly of more than 1,000 autographed baseballs and original World Series programs dating back to the late 1800s. Now on public display at the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame, this historic collection spans eight decades of baseball history, preserved through the lifelong bond of a father and son. The collection was built across generations by Harry Silver (1890–1954), a World War I veteran and Silver Star recipient, and his son Stanley Silver (1935–2025). Their shared journey began at the 1945 World Series between the Cubs and Tigers, sparking a dual-generation passion. As a prominent shoe executive in Chicago, Harry utilized his season tickets and deep personal friendships at Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park to grant young Stanley rare access to the game's greatest legends. "This is far more than an aggregation of rare sports memorabilia; it is a profound timeline of family, devotion, and American history," said David Karpinski, Executive Director of the Parkhurst Field Foundation. "When you look at these baseballs, you are looking at eighty years of quiet moments between a father and a son. We are deeply honored that the Silver family chose the Parkhurst Field Foundation to protect and share this incredible legacy." The depth of the collection functions as a comprehensive museum database, preserving the signatures of almost every one of the 350 inductees in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Spanning baseball history from its nineteenth-century roots into the modern era, the archive features prized single-signed sweet-spot baseballs from civil rights pioneer Jackie Robinson and Negro League pitching icon Satchel Paige. It also includes a rare baseball from early twentieth-century pitching star Addie Joss’ 1911 All Star Benefit Game. Most remarkably, the collection contains autographed baseballs from the entire inaugural class of the Baseball Hall of Fame—Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson. Of all the baseballs, 770 were obtained directly by Harry and Stanley Silver personally, including a legendary multi-signed team ball from the 1927 New York Yankees "Murderers' Row" featuring the signatures of both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The remaining artifacts were painstakingly sourced via decades of meticulous auctions to ensure every era of the game is fully represented. In addition to the historic baseballs, the unveiling features an unparalleled archive of print media, containing every single World Series and All-Star Game program going back to 1905 and 1933. This flawless run of programs and scorecards provide a vivid, illustrated companion piece to the autographs, charting the evolution of the Fall Classic and baseball's midsummer exhibition across more than a century of American sports culture. Before his passing in 2025, Stanley Silver reflected on the collection's true meaning: “I was surrounded daily with fond memories of my father and how we loved the game of baseball together. I hope that generations of kids and their families who come to historic Parkhurst Field can ‘have a catch’ and enjoy them together as much as I have enjoyed building this collection.” The Parkhurst Field Foundation has partnered with the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame to ensure the public can experience this national treasure. "Stanley’s wish was for this collection to inspire the next generation of baseball families," added Karpinski. "By housing these pieces across the street at the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame, we are connecting the rich history of the national pastime directly with the families and young players who visit our historic grounds at Parkhurst Field to create their own memories."