Princeton, Hot Dogs, and Apple Pie: Baseball Gems in Special Collections

While the Library’s Special Collections Department is famous for many treasures including its Gutenberg Bible and the Toni Morrison Papers, its vast holdings also contain extraordinary items related to America’s pastime. Join us for 9 innings of fun seeing, holding--but not tossing!--some of these treasures, including early tobacco baseball cards, 19th C. Princeton college baseball team ephemera, rare books depicting the game (including a first edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” that mentions “base ball”), a document listing World Series bonus payouts, select holdings from Moe (“The Catcher Was a Spy”) Berg papers, and other major and minor league baseball documents and memorabilia. This session will last about 90 minutes but with the possibility of “extra innings” for questions and answers. Participants should also come prepared to share something about their interest in the great game.

Meet the facilitator:
Dan Linke is the University Archivist and Deputy Head of Special Collections and a life-long Phillies fan. He attended their 1980 World Series victory parade in Philadelphia, skipping school for the first (and only!) time in his high school career. Charles Doran is a Special Collections Assistant and also a life-long Phillies fan, who still cherishes the ticket stub from his first Phillies game in 1987. The Philadelphia native enjoyed the first Phillies World Series parade of his lifetime in 2008, which finally erased his heartbreak from the Phillies 1993 World Series loss. Eric White is the Scheide Librarian and Assistant University Librarian for Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts. He has collected complete Topps baseball card sets from the years 1961–1973, as well as published articles on baseball history, including one asserting that Henry Aaron is the greatest all-time home run hitter.

What to Expect:
Mini workshop (90 mins total)

To request accommodations for this event, please contact the workshop or event facilitator at least 3 working days prior to the event.

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