New Exhibits Open in Museum

Two Middlesex natives have exhibits newly finished, built around their life stories and contributions to the world at large.

Sydnor W. Thrift, Jr. (1929-2006)

Born in Locust Hill, Syd’s parents owned a general store there and were active in the community. He was a member of Middlesex’s Syringa High School Class of 1945. Syd was popular with his peers and was selected as vice-president of the senior class and captain of the basketball team. He played catcher on the baseball team, which was his early love.

Syd played ball for Hampton Sydney College as a pitcher and graduated in 1949. After serving in the US Army, he began his 50-year career in professional baseball. He was a player, scout, or executive with multiple Major League Baseball teams including the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Kansas City Royals. He served as the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager from 1985-1988 and the de facto general manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1999-2002.

In 1990, he completed his autobiography with sportswriter Barry Shapiro, The Game According to Syd: The Theories and Teachings of Baseball's Leading Innovator.  Multiple mementos are on display at the museum from both his illustrious career and his early childhood here in Middlesex.

Margaret Elinor Tynes (1919 –2024)

Born in Saluda, her family was involved with the leadership at Northern Neck Industrial Academy as teachers. Margaret was an American opera singer who gained world-wide fame and recognition for her beautiful soprano voice. In 1939 she obtained a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. She then continued her studies in voice at the Juilliard School in New York City and received a master's degree in music education from Columbia University in 1944 after transferring there.

Following her studies, she went on to become a leading soprano in the world performing at many of the world’s greatest houses. Margaret’s roles she was best known for included: Lady Macbeth, Aida, Norma, Tosca, Carmen, Salome, Liu in “Turandot”, Leonora in “La Forza del Destino,” Desdemona in “Otello.” She was acclaimed as a full-throated voice, earning high praise on the continent — “an exceptional voice, intense in every coloring, vibrant and dramatic.”

She performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Prague State Opera, Budapest Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Teatro Comunale di Bologna. She also performed behind the Iron Curtain when she went to Russia with Ed Sullivan for the United States Department.

Other highlights included performing “Amahl and the Night Visitors” on NBC. She sang on Broadway in “Lysistrata” with Sidney Poitier and in Finian’s “Rainbow.”

Margaret portrayed Bess in “Porgy and Bess” at the New York City Opera for six years. The museum has several mementos from this period of her life on display as well as photography of several of her other roles.