Local 19th Century Baseball

The Portland Historical Society is pleased to host local author, Bill Ryczek, who has written six books on sports history, including a trilogy on nineteenth century baseball - Baseball's First Inning, When Johnny Came Sliding Home and Blackguards and Red Stockings. "  Blackguards won the 1993 SABR/Macmillan Award for Best Baseball History and Johnny was runner up for the Casey Award and a finalist for the Seymour Medal.  Bill is also a  co-editor of a two volume series (Baseball Pioneers and Baseball Founders) that provides a comprehensive history of baseball prior to 1870.  He frequently speaks on both 19th and 20th century sports and delivered the keynote address at the 2012 Nineteenth Century Baseball Convention at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.   Ryczek will speak about major league baseball in Connecticut during the 1870's in Hartford, New Haven and Middletown at our May program meeting at the Portland Library, on Tuesday, May 28, at 7:30 pm.  This meeting is open to the public free of charge and will be followed by refreshments.