GEORGETOWN — Plans are in the works for an exhibit at the Georgetown Historical Society that will showcase athletes who made it to the big time, as well as teams that won state or world championships.
“What we’re trying to do is bring a new exhibit to the museum (of) the Georgetown Historical Society. We want to shed light on local athletes who made it to the professional level that are from Sussex County,” said Bo Shockley, whose grandfather, Costen Shockley of Georgetown, played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Angels and would be one of the honorees.
The display would be titled “Sussex Sports Legends” and would also include:
- Chris Short of Lewes, who pitched for the Phillies
- Johnny Morris of Lewes, a relief pitcher with the Phillies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Seattle Pilots, the Milwaukee Brewers and San Francisco Giants
- Delino DeShields of Seaford, who played baseball for 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Orioles and the Chicago Cubs
- Luke Petitgout of Georgetown, an offensive tackle with the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“That is the type of people we want to shed light on in this museum,” Mr. Shockley said. “We’re going to work with Sports at the Beach to try to get kids out here to see that you can be from a small town, and you can make it to the professional level.
“Another thing that we’re going to do is we’re going to feature Sussex County teams that won state and world championships,” he continued.
This category would encompass the 1981 Georgetown Senior League World Series baseball team, Sussex Central High School’s 1989 state championship baseball team (which went 21-0) and the 2017 Georgetown Senior League World Series softball squad, which captured the title in a tournament in Roxana.
“I think it would be a great asset to the museum,” said the society’s president, Debbie Jones. “There isn’t a sports museum around here in Sussex. I am hoping that this is something that the public would like to see.”
To promote the idea, Mr. Shockley and his father, Jeff Shockley, were on hand Saturday with a display at the group’s Delaware Defense Day at Fort Miles in Lewes.
“We want to bring more sports to this museum, and it will attract a new group of people out here. Everybody knows that sports bring people together. It doesn’t matter your religion. It doesn’t matter what your race (is). It brings everybody together,” Bo said. “I think it will be something that will really be good for this museum.”
Ms. Jones said members are working to accommodate this proposal.
“We will find a place. I think we’re in the process of looking at that situation and maybe rearranging some exhibits or rotating some of the other exhibits. But we are going to try to work all of that out,” she said. “They are off to a good start. First, we have to raise the money for the exhibit. (Defense Day) was the first event for that.”
In addition, Ms. Jones is hopeful the exhibition will include motor sports, to recognize local racing legends, like Eddie Pettyjohn, a dirt track star from Milton who competed in two 1970s NASCAR races at Dover International Speedway, a venue built by Georgetown’s Melvin L. Joseph.
“We’re going to try to cover the things that are unique to Sussex,” Ms. Jones said.
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