Baseball in 1865 was recognizable to modern eyes and on its way to becoming the national game. And yet, just thirty years before, North Americans played a variety of bat and ball games, including cricket, townball, batball, shinny, and wicket. Few Americans living at that time could have imagined their own version of ball disappearing. So, what happened? When did the pastime become the baseball game we know today? Historian John Bawden explores how baseball developed and how the American Civil War spread one variety of baseball across the United States. And he'll talk about one of the first amateur baseball clubs in the Pacific Northwest, the Pioneer Base Ball Club of Portland in 1866. 

John R. Bawden is a historian at Oregon State University. Most of his academic writing is about Chilean history during the Cold War. He is the author of two books, Latin American Soldiers: Armed Forces in the Region's History and The Pinochet Generation: The Chilean Military in the Twentieth Century. When not teaching, John enjoys researching baseball history topics for his YouTube channel, the Baseball Professor. 

Enjoy 15% off your hotel stay on History Pub nights! Show your ticket at check-in.

These events are open to everyone interested in Pacific Northwest history, and beyond! Often co-sponsored by local or state historical and civic organizations, we bring you experts, scholars, first-person experiencers, historians and documentaries expounding on topics from indigenous history to the birth of Portland, early explorers to hop growing, and on and on! It's like being back in the classroom - except this time you get to settle into comfortable seats and enjoy a drink or two with dinner while you listen and learn.

This event is eligible for a History Pub Stamp