Baseball Americana at the Library of Congress

The Baseball Americana exhibition at the Library of Congress is now open and gearing up for All-star weekend. The ‘Laws of Base Ball” authored by Doc Adams is the centerpiece of this major, year-long exhibition. The exhibition will explore baseball’s past and present and how the game has forged a sense of community for players and fans across the country.

“The founding documents of baseball that would shape the modern game as our national pastime were ironed out in January and February 1857 at a convention called by the Knickerbockers Base Ball Club in New York City. Corrections were made by hand as the details were negotiated by New York-area ballclubs, including whether to play seven, nine or 12 innings to a game. The convention established a uniform set of rules, many of which are still in use today, including nine players on a side, nine innings to a game and 90 feet between bases.”

Hopefully this exhibit will continue to highlight and spread the word about Doc Adams’ foundational contributions to the game and result in his well-deserved enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

To learn more about the exhibition, check out these blog posts from the Library of Congress:

Baseball Americana: “Laws of Base Ball,” Babe Ruth’s Shoes and Jackie Robinson’s Letters to Be Displayed in New Exhibition

Baseball Americana: Baseball’s Greatest Hits

Baseball Americana: Playing Behind Barbed Wire

Baseball Americana: When Jackie Met Rickey

Baseball Americana: Baseball’s Magna Carta

Baseball Americana: Root, Root, Root’s Debut

Baseball Americana: Telling Stories Through Stats

Baseball Americana: A House of Cards

Baseball Americana: The ‘Unchanging’ Game