The Genesis of Our National Pastime

COOPERSTOWN, NY — Every summer, WFUV Sports provides coverage of Baseball Hall of Fame Weekend, including the induction ceremony among other festivities. In this particular excerpt from the trip, WFUV's staff learns about the genesis of our national pastime from National Baseball Hall of Fame Library Director Jim Gates.

 

In the video below, Gates explains a one-of-a-kind mural by local folklore artist Charles Monroe, who was commissioned by the Hall to depict the origins of baseball in America. He goes into great detail to describe baseball’s origin as well as the importance of “stick and ball games” throughout history, including their prevalence in war, leisure and social rebellion. Gates mentions that while the rules of one of the first instances of the sport may seem completely foreign today, the nature of baseball and America’s feelings towards the game remain very much the same.