Baseball Bar

I was perusing this fine article on ESPN.com on baseball bars the other day to see which Wrigley bar would make the cut, Sluggers (to the webmaster of Sluggers, less is more guys) if you're interested, hoping it would be Goose Island's Wrigleyville establishment, when at number 7 some place called Chappell's Restaraunt and Sports Museum popped up for KC. It never even entered my mind that a KC bar would make the cut, I can't name one bar within a mile of the K and drinking at a bar is not a part of pre or post-K activities (it's usually drinking and peeing in the parking lot at the K). I'm pretty sure this place only got on the list because they've got a bitchin' memorabilia collection.

Less than a 20-minute drive north from Kauffman Stadium fans will find what is considered the most impressive collection of sports memorabilia housed in any bar or restaurant in the United States.

Since opening in 1986, Chappell's Restaurant & Sports Museum has steadily expanded its collection to the point that it now includes more than 10,000 items.

The place is a labor of love for owner Jim Chappell, a longtime friend of former Kansas City and Oakland A's owner Charlie O. Finley. Chappell delights in leading first-time visitors from wall to wall, while providing background information about his collection's most interesting artifacts.

The top attraction at Chappell's is thought to be the 1974 World Series trophy Finley's rough-and-tumble Oakland A's won against the Dodgers. There also are balls autographed by Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Dizzy Dean, as well as impressive collections of old jerseys, pennants and photographs.

This place looks and sounds like someplace old dudes go to shoot themselves. Judging by the map, I think it's by North Kansas City Hospital, but I can't be sure since they didn't put up some sort of indication, like perhaps AN ADDRESS. Has anyone been to this place?

Maybe I shouldn't be bummed that Goose Island or Murphy's didn't make the cut.