A cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1946-47 Ashes has a new home, with the National Museum of Australia paying AU$438,500 (about US$286,700) to bring it into the national collection. The federal government covered half the bill, keen to keep one of the country’s most recognisable sporting items on local soil.
Bradman led Australia to a 3-0 series win against England in that first post-war Ashes, laying the groundwork for the 1948 “Invincibles” tour. Only 11 of his Test caps are known to survive; one sits in the Australian Sports Museum and the whereabouts of the remaining nine remain private.
Arts Minister Tony Burke explained why the government opened its wallet: “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. 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.”
National Museum director Katherine McMahon welcomed the arrival, noting its broader significance. “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 cap joins bats, photographs and personal letters in the museum’s Landmarks gallery, which tracks pivotal moments in Australian life. Curators plan to rotate the piece on and off display to protect its fading green wool while still letting the public see a tangible link to Bradman’s career.
