Since 2019, our team has worked with the Fredericksburg Nationals (Minor League team affiliated with the Washington Nationals) to investigate the history of baseball in Fredericksburg. Partnering with the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Germanna Community College, we developed an outreach initiative on baseball in the community.
Work commenced with extensive research on the history of sports in Fredericksburg, with studies ranging from Native American games played along the Rappahannock River to club baseball in the 1980s. Staff conducted formal oral histories with several key members of the community, followed by archival research.
The ensuing series of white papers and oral history transcripts were synthesized into a 400-page compendium report. This report was used as the basis for the development of a nearly 150-foot-long exhibit behind the batter’s eye in the ballpark on the history of baseball in Fredericksburg.
Research continues as we participate in public outreach events. All work has been done pro bono to help promote the history of the sport, encourage attendance at games, and enrich the Fredericksburg community.
