Batter Up! The History of Baseball in Kingston and Ulster County

This lecture explores the early history of baseball in Ulster County and the role the region played in the sport’s development during the mid-19th century. Long before professional leagues, baseball took root in river towns like Kingston and Rondout, where dockworkers, tradesmen, and clerks organized clubs and played on open fields. Drawing on newspaper accounts, box scores, and local records, the talk highlights how baseball functioned as both recreation and community life in the Hudson Valley. Special attention is given to local clubs, early rivalries, and games that drew regional and even national attention. This lecture also examines how Ulster County fits into larger stories about amateur baseball, race, and the transition toward organized leagues. By focusing on specific people and places, it shows how national baseball history was shaped by very local experiences. The result is a grounded look at how a global game grew out of small communities along the Hudson River.

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