We’re excited to kick off Tag It Tuesday! In this new weekly feature we’ll be highlighting content from our online catalog that we invite you to tag. Curious about what tagging means and how you can get involved? Check out our previous blog post, in which we introduced the Online Public Access catalog’s new feature that lets you help index the National Archives’ collections. Have suggestions for Tag It Tuesday? Let us know here on NARAtions or by emailing us at search@nara.gov.
Now, let’s play ball!
There’s a nip in the air, the leaves are turning, and the annual Fall Classic is in full swing. Since the mid-1850s, baseball has been widely regarded as America’s pastime – although today it’s played around the world. Not surprisingly, a sport so ingrained in our national history is well represented in the records of the National Archives. Search “baseball” in the Online Public Access (OPA) system and you’ll get over 3,000 results.
Check out this Civil War-era image from the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of Union prisoners playing a baseball game in 1863.
- Baseball game between Union prisoners at Salisbury, North Carolina, 1863
During World War I and World War II, several players served in the Armed Forces. Here’s Ty Cobb’s World War I draft registration card. Notice line 7 – his present occupation was listed as “ball player”.
- World War I Draft Registration Card for Tyrus R. Cobb
The National Archives also has records about Little League baseball. Public Law 88-378, 78 Stat 325, incorporated Little League baseball on July 16, 1964.
These are just three of the interesting baseball-related records that you can find at the National Archives.
But we need your help! We’re asking you to step up to the plate and tag your favorite baseball records. Check out our starting line-up of baseball images in our online catalog. Click on any of the results, login, and start tagging.
If you’re interested in tagging more, check out our online images of Presidents and baseball or more general baseball images
Taggers, you’re on deck. Let’s hit it out of the park! We’ll let you know next Tuesday who had the most hits tags.
Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back, let me tag, tag, tag at the old ball game!