Monrovia's one-of-a-kind Baseball Reliquary is "dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history." Its version of the Hall of Fame is the Shrine of the Eternals, which honors figures deemed important for more than their playing stats. Newly nominated this year are former Dodgers Don Zimmer (right, "among the last of a vanishing breed—the baseball lifer"), Roger Craig and Mudcat Grant and ex-Angel Doug Rader ("baseball's ultimate prankster"). Also on the ballot are notables such as Billy Buckner, Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel, Ted Giannoulas (in the San Diego phone book as simply "Chicken, The") and Helen Callaghan (immortalized in the film A League of Their Own). Winners will be announced in May. Past inductees are listed below:
The eighteen individuals previously elected to the Shrine of the Eternals are, in alphabetical order: Jim Abbott, Dick Allen, Moe Berg, Ila Borders, Jim Bouton, Roberto Clemente, Dock Ellis, Mark Fidrych, Curt Flood, William "Dummy" Hoy, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Bill "Spaceman" Lee, Marvin Miller, Minnie Minoso, Satchel Paige, Jimmy Piersall, Pam Postema, and Bill Veeck, Jr.
The Baseball Reliquary is the group that gives the Hilda Award, named for Hilda Chester, a Brooklyn fan who started the tradition of ringing a cowbell at Dodgers games.