Sir Donald Bradman’s baggy green cap from the 1946-47 Ashes tour is now at the National Museum of Australia. Photo: Supplied.
It’s an item that signifies a period of cricketing dominance and now one of Sir Donald Bradman’s historic cricket caps will call the National Museum of Australia home.
It is one of just 11 Bradman baggy greens known to exist and was worn by the captain and cricket great during the 1946-47 Ashes tour of Australia.
National Museum director Katherine McMahon described the baggy green as an iconic piece of Australian cricket history.
“Sir Donald’s baggy green marks the life of Australia’s most celebrated batsman and reflects a time when sporting heroes gave Australians hope, following the heartbreak and hardship of the Second World War,” she said
“We are delighted this national treasure has found a home here at the National Museum of Australia for all Australians to enjoy.”
The baggy green cap was bought for $438,550, with the Federal Government’s National Cultural Heritage Account covering half of the cost.
Arts Minister Tony Burke said the purchase safeguarded an important piece of our national history for future generations.
“You’d be hard-pressed to meet an Australian that hasn’t heard of the great Donald Bradman, arguably the greatest cricketer of all time,” he said.
“Now to have one of his iconic baggy greens in the National Museum of Australia means visitors will have the opportunity to get up close and connect with our sporting and cultural history.”
The cap will be on display in the museum’s recently reopened Landmarks gallery, which explores the moments and objects that have helped define the nation’s history from 1770 to the present day.
It will sit alongside other Bradman memorabilia at the museum, including an autographed bat from the first Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, during the 1934 Ashes series won by Australia, and the ball bowled by First Nations cricketer Eddie Gilbert (Kanju) when he dismissed Bradman for a duck in a Sheffield Shield match in 1931.
