9 must-see Rays artifacts on display at Hall

The Rays have been in existence for just 21 seasons, but they nonetheless have some history during that span. Starting in 2008, the Rays have been in the postseason seven times, including a World Series appearance, and finished above .500 in the tough American League East in 10 out of the last 14 years.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's collection of more than 40,000 three-dimensional pieces contains artifacts that tell the story of the game’s legendary players, moments and triumphs.

Whether you’ve visited before or you’ve always wanted to check it out, there's always a great reason to plan a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum -- the spiritual home of America’s Pastime in beautiful Cooperstown, N.Y.

1) Worthy home run ball
Fun facts: In Game 7 of the 2008 American League Championship Series, Rays designated hitter Willy Aybar crushed this ball for a home run, giving his club a 3-1 lead over the Red Sox. The Rays went on to win the game by that same score, propelling them to their first World Series appearance.

2) A special jersey
Fun facts: Devil Rays third baseman Wade Boggs made history in this jersey on Aug. 7, 1999, when he became the first player to collect his 3,000th hit with a home run and the first to reach the coveted milestone as a member of Tampa Bay.

3) Those magic shoes
Fun facts: On May 3, 2009, Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford ran wild in these shoes, stealing six bases in one game and becoming the first American Leaguer to achieve the feat since Hall of Famer Eddie Collins in 1912.

4) Matt Garza’s ball
Fun facts: This ball comes from the first no-hitter pitched by a member of the Rays. Garza faced the minimum 27 batters while defeating the visiting Tigers, 5-0, on July 26, 2010.

5) Evan Longoria’s bat
Fun facts: Longoria swung this bat in the 12th inning and hit a walk-off home run to beat the Yankees on the last day of the 2011 regular season. Coming back from a 7-0 deficit, the Rays’ dramatic victory helped them enter the postseason by being a game ahead of the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card race.

6) Fernando Rodney’s cap
Fun facts: On Oct. 3, 2012, reliever Rodney wore this cap while earning his 48th and final save of the year, a single-season record for Rays relievers. His microscopic 0.60 ERA is an all-time record for pitchers who have logged at least 70 innings in a season.

7) Blake Snell’s jersey
Fun facts: Wearing this jersey on Sept. 23, 2018, Snell earned his 21st victory of the year, becoming the first Rays pitcher to win more than 20 games in a season. His 21-5 record and 1.89 ERA earned him the 2018 AL Cy Young Award.

8) It’s the shoes
Fun facts: Wearing these shoes during Game 3 of the 2008 World Series, Tampa Bay’s Melvin Upton Jr. (formerly known as B.J.) became the first American Leaguer to steal three bases in a Fall Classic game.

9) The cowbell
Fun facts: Inspired by a famous Saturday Night Live skit, the Rays began distributing cowbells such as this one to fans at Tropicana Field starting in 2006. Today, cowbells (and their distinctive noise) are synonymous with Rays baseball.