Smithsonian showcasing signed Anthony Fauci Nationals mask: 'Infectious disease superstar'

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The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has a peculiar MLB artifact on display in Washington D.C. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that led the way on COVID-19 protocols, has the face mask he wore while throwing out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals in the COVID-shortened 2020 season on display in the museum. 

The mask, a blue base with a Nationals "W" that features stars and stripes in it, is signed by Fauci. The Smithsonian says it was a gift from the organization and "The Lerner Family," who owns the Nationals. 

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Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 23, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

"Infectious disease superstar Dr. Anthony Fauci threw the first pitch of major league baseball’s COVID-disrupted 2020 season," the description of the display reads. 

"As a deadly pandemic ravaged the nation, major sports leagues found themselves at the center of a debate over 'reopening' the country. Amid a cacophony of misinformation and denial, the advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading epidemiologist, rang true: make the decision about resuming play ‘based on scientific evidence and public health judgment.’ When baseball became the first league to retake the field, Fauci threw the ceremonial opening pitch – wearing a face mask in a stadium empty of fans."

FAUCI AND WIFE'S NET WORTH EXCEEDED $11M WHEN HE DEPARTED GOVERNMENT POST,