September 13, 2018 (REVISED Sept. 17, 2018) Fall Baseball Programs Feature Latinos in the Game, New Books, Sportswriters

Public programs this fall accompanying the exhibition “Baseball Americana” at the Library of Congress will feature Latinos in baseball, new books on the game’s history leading up to the World Series and a panel of baseball writers covering the game today.

The exhibition “Baseball Americana” explores baseball’s past and present and how the game has forged a sense of community for players and fans. Featured items include the handwritten “Laws of Base Ball” from 1857, the earliest written and printed references to the game in America, Babe Ruth’s cleats and Dottie Ferguson Key’s uniform from the Rockford Peaches, among other documents and artifacts. The exhibition remains on view through June 2019.

The Library’s fall baseball-themed programs are free and open to visitors of all ages in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, located at 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. Follow the conversation on Twitter at @librarycongress, @Events_LOC and #BaseballAmericana.

Fall programs will include these events:

Gallery Talk: Latinos in Baseball
Wednesday, Sept. 26, noon – 12:30 p.m.
Location: “Baseball Americana” exhibition, second floor, Thomas Jefferson Building

Many immigrants find in baseball a sense of belonging. Nearly 30 percent of baseball players in the major leagues today are foreign born and players from Latin America and the Caribbean have contributed to the success of America’s national pastime. Join Hispanic Division Specialists Tracy North and Talía Guzman-Gonzalez to explore the Library’s resources and learn more about Latinos in baseball.

Book Talks
Leading up to the World Series, the Library will host a series of book talks on baseball history. Book signings will follow each event, and tickets are recommended where noted but are not required.

Location: Whittall Pavilion, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building

• “Game Faces: Baseball Cards from the Library of Congress,” Peter Devereaux and Phil Michel
  Tuesday, Oct. 16, noon-1 p.m.
  The new book “Game Faces” showcases rare and colorful baseball cards from the Library of Congress' Benjamin K. Edwards Collection, bringing to life an era of American history that saw the game explode in popularity.

• “The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created,” Jane Leavy
  Saturday, Oct. 20, 2-3 p.m.
  Bestselling author Jane Leavy presents her newest work, the definitive biography of Babe Ruth. Drawing from more than 250 interviews, a trove of previously untapped documents and Ruth family records, Leavy breaks through the mythology that has obscured the legend and delivers the man. Tickets are available through this event ticketing site but are not required: big-fella-loc.eventbrite.com.

• “Tinker to Evers to Chance: The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America,” David Rapp
  Tuesday, Oct. 23, noon-1 p.m.
  Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance formed the defensive core of the most formidable team in big league baseball, leading the Chicago Cubs to two World Series championships from 1906 to 1910. “Tinker to Evers to Chance” is a rare look at one of baseball’s first dynasties in action.

Panel Discussion
Baseball in Black and White: Newspaper Sportswriters on Reporting the National Pastime
Thursday, Nov. 8, noon-1 p.m.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building

Baseball sportswriters Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post, Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun and Greg Swatek of The Frederick News-Post will discuss their work covering baseball at the local, regional and national levels.

Public Tours
Public tours of the exhibition will be available Wednesdays through Fridays at 11 a.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. Reserved tours for groups of 10 or more can be arranged by emailing exhibits@loc.gov.

These programs and the exhibition are made possible by the Library of Congress Third Century Fund, the James Madison Council and Democracy Fund.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.  Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.