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Baseball Americana Slideshow

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Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

This baseball player was the first African American to play in the major leagues.

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Baseball Cards, 1887-1914

Cy Young

Legendary figures such as Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Cy Young are featured in this collection of 2,100 cards devoted to America’s favorite pastime.

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Take Me Out To the Ball Game

cover of Take Me Out to the Ball Game sheet music

Read the history of the "other" national anthem, and view the original sheet music received by the United States Copyright Office on May 2, 1908.

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For Teachers

An old-time baseball game.

Put the power of primary sources to work in the classroom. Browse ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids.

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Did You Know?

Colonial figures playing baseball.

Did you know that baseball is believed to come from the English children’s game of rounders or “four-old-cat?”

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Homerun Haggarty

the Spalding trademark, which looks like a baseball.

Sports writer George William Daley’s fictional character expounds upon the “intricacies of scientific baseball” for the Washington Times.

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News and Events

Symposium 2009

Friday October 2 and
Saturday October 3, 2009

Library of Congress
Washington DC

See the Schedule of events for locations.

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Baseball Americana

Visit the Library Shop

A lavishly illustrated history of the National Pastime.

Baseball History

December 22, 1862
Connie Mack was born.

August 6, 1890
Cy Young pitched his first professional game.

October 1, 1903
Boston Americans & Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of the modern World Series.

July 7, 1906
"Satchel" Paige was born.

July 18, 1927
Ty Cobb got his 4,000th hit.

December 10, 1946
Walter Johnson died.

April 15, 1947
Jackie Robinson broke the color line.

October 15, 1972
Jackie Robinson threw out a World Series first pitch (second game) 25 years after breaking the color line.