Baseball Americana

Play ball!

Baseball Americana at Nationals Park

The Library of Congress is now pleased to share some highlights from its baseball collections with fans at Nationals Park. This exhibition celebrates the rich tradition of baseball here in Washington and across our country. It explores those who play the game and those who cheer them on. America and baseball grew up together—a democratic sport for a democratic nation. Transcending class and gender, the game is embedded in our history and consciousness like no other.

The Library of Congress—the largest library in the world—collects and preserves the record of American creativity, including unparalleled collections documenting the history of baseball through photographs, baseball cards, newspaper clippings, broadcasts, films, recorded sound, and sheet music—among many other items.

See the Library’s full online Baseball Americana exhibition that looks at the game from Then and Now

  • Washington Baseball Club
    This is a rare set of uncut baseball cards, deposited for U.S. copyright in 1887. Washington Baseball Club. New York: Goodwin & Co., 1887. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Washington Senators Team Photograph
    During the creation of this panoramic photograph, by posing at one end of the line and then running behind the slowly panning camera to the other end, infielder Herman "Germany" Schaefer appears in the photo twice—second from left and at the far right. Schutz Photographers. The Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium, 1913. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Bucky Harris and Fans
    Washington’s player/manager Bucky Harris meets his fans and signs scorecards on Ladies Day at Griffith Stadium, Washington D.C., 1925. National Photo Company. Bucky Harris autographing scorecards on dugout steps, 1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Nationals’ Opening Game, 1925
    The Nationals’ home opener resulted in a 10–1 victory over the New York Yankees. The team went on to repeat as American League champions that season. Opening Game program, April 22, 1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.

  • American League Pennant
    As the defending world champions, Washington players raise the pennant early in the season prior to defeating the Philadelphia Athletics, 9–4. National Photo Company. Raising the American League pennant, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., May 1, 1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Sliding at Griffith Stadium
    Washington catcher Muddy Ruel lays on a tag to prevent Bing Miller of the Philadelphia Athletics from scoring. Photograph by the National Photo Company, 1921–1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Sliding at Griffith Stadium
    Bucky Harris is safe at third as Boston’s Joe Dugan watches a wild throw sail into left field. Photograph by the National Photo Company, 1921–1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Sliding at Griffith Stadium
    Detroit’s Harry Heilmann takes sliding to new heights as third baseman Howard Shanks makes the out. Photograph by the National Photo Company, 1921–1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Sliding at Griffith Stadium
    Ossie Bluege mans the bag as a grimacing Babe Ruth heads for third. Photograph by the National Photo Company, 1921–1925. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • All-Star Game at Griffith Stadium
    The American league won the 1937 All-Star Game, 8–3, with help from Lou Gehrig, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charley Gehringer, Jimmy Foxx, and Hank Greenberg. Harris & Ewing. Fifth annual All-Star Game, Griffith Stadium, July 7, 1937. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Walter Johnson
    Walter "Big Train" Johnson, Washington’s ace pitcher, warming up, March 1924. National Photo Company. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Walter Johnson
    After a Hall of Fame career, Johnson announced Washington games on CBS radio station WJSV, including this contest against the Yankees, April 22, 1939, Harris & Ewing. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Senators Sign One-Legged Pitcher
    Left-handed pitcher Bert Shepard lost his right leg after his plane was shot down over Germany during World War II. On August 4, 1945, he appeared in his only major league game, finishing his career with 5 1/3 innings pitched and a 1.69 ERA. Lieutenant Bert R. Shepard and Washington manager Ossie Bluege, March 30, 1945. Associated Press. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Presidential Fans
    Woodrow Wilson throws out the first pitch on Opening Day, 1916. National Photo Company. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Presidential Fans
    Calvin Coolidge and Senators ace Walter Johnson, 1924. National Photo Company. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Presidential Fans
    President Herbert Hoover at Griffith Stadium, ca. 1929. National Photo Company. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Presidential Fans
    Franklin Roosevelt on Opening Day with Boston manager Joe Cronin and Washington skipper Bucky Harris, 1940. FDR’s first pitch struck a news photographer’s camera and bounced into the hands of a nearby policeman. Harris & Ewing. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Presidential Fans
    Howard Taft at the Senators-White Sox game, August 13, 1912. Bain News Service. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • First Printing of the Word "Baseball"
    This book contains the earliest known use of the word "baseball" printed in the United States. A Little Pretty Pocket Book. Worchester, Massachusetts: Isaiah Thomas, 1787. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress

  • Baseball in the Civil War
    Northern soldiers introduced baseball to the South during the Civil War. Otto Boetticher. Union Prisoners at Salisbury, North Carolina. New York: Sarony, Major & Knapp, 1863. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Baseball and Our Troops
    American Expeditionary Force soldiers play outside a YMCA hut in France, ca. 1917–1918. Bain News Service. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Baseball and Our Troops
    Integrated U.S. Marine Corps team, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 1943. Roger Smith, photographer, Office of War Information. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Baseball and Our Troops
    Emil Mrizek takes a cut during an Army Air Forces game, Amchitka Island, the Aleutians, 1943. Veterans History Project, Library of Congress

  • Baseball and Our Troops
    Tuskegee Warhawks at Tuskegee Army Air Base, 1945. Veterans History Project, Library of Congress

  • Women Playing Baseball
    The New York Female Giants, 1913. Bain News Service. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Women Playing Baseball
    The Rockford Peaches, All American Girls Professional Baseball League champions, 1945. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Women Playing Baseball
    Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, (R-FL), the first woman in the starting lineup for the annual Congressional baseball game, Four Mile Run Park, Arlington, 1993, Marty LaVor, photographer. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Baseball Music
    Take Me Out to the Ball Game. New York: York Music Co., 1908. Music Division, Library of Congress

  • Baseball Music
    Home Run Polka. Philadelphia: Marsh & Bubna, 1867. This was the first published song for the Nationals Base Ball Club. Music Division, Library of Congress

  • Fans!
    Food vendor and fans, World Series game 4, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., October 11, 1925. National Photo Company. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Congressional Baseball Game
    The Congressional baseball game between sitting Republicans and Democrats has been a tradition since 1909. The Democrats, wearing the uniforms of their hometown teams, and their donkey mascot, Four Mile Run Park, Arlington, Virginia, ca. 1985. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Congressional Baseball Game
    Marty LaVor, photographer. Representative Tim Holden (D-PA) as catcher, makes the tag at home, Prince George’s Stadium, Bowie, Maryland, ca. 1995. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress

  • Bob Wolff
    Sportscaster Bob Wolff, who called Washington Senators games in the 1950s and has been a sportscaster for more than seventy years, donated his audio-visual collection to the Library of Congress in 2013. Library of Congress staff photographer. Bob Wolff, Librarian Gene DeAnna, and Nationals radio announcers Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler at the official announcement of Wolff’s donation, 2013. Library of Congress Collections

  • Racing Presidents Visit the Library of Congress
    President Taft reviews his collected papers and those of his fellow chief executives in the Library’s Main Reading Room. Library of Congress staff photographer. Racing presidents, 2013. Library of Congress Collections

  • Racing Presidents Visit the Library of Congress
    The Washington Nationals racing presidents pay a visit to the Library of Congress. Library of Congress staff photographer. Racing presidents, 2013. Library of Congress Collections

  • Racing Presidents Visit the Library of Congress
    The presidents race through the Great Hall and around the Jefferson Building. Library of Congress staff photographer. Racing presidents, 2013. Library of Congress Collections