Shrewsbury – “Doubleday Didn's Do It: A History of Baseball Before 1860” will be presented Wednesday, April 25 by the Shrewsbury Historical Society. The event starts at 7 p.m. at the 1830 Brick Schoolhouse on Church Road in Shrewsbury.
Popular legend has it that Abner Doubleday invented and codified the rules of the game of baseball in his native Cooperstown, New York, in 1839. That bit of historical trivia, however, has little basis in truth. The game has deep roots and was well known long before Doubleday was even born. This illustrated talk by Tom Kelleher about the origins of “the national past-time” will trace those roots and the evolution of the game from child's play to the very beginning of professional baseball, as well as how the Doubleday myth came to be and why it remains fixed in the popular mind.
Kelleher is a noted historian, author, and long-time curator at Old Sturbridge Village. He has worked as a costumed historical interpreter, trainer for the cooper shop, supervisor of the mills, coordinator of historic trades, research historian, and program coordinator. He has researched dozens of historic characters and programs, which he has presented at museums, schools, and historical societies around the country. His writings on technology, history, historical drama and other museum-related topics have been published in several journals, books and magazines.
The program is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. For more information, call Erik at 774-230-5826 or visit www.shrewsburyhistoricalsociety.org.
