Haggerty goes on to tell about the time he took his team, the Alfalfas, to practice with the Serybellum College team—ultimately showing the college team and “his nibs the captain” a thing or two. Thrown into the mix is a rogue player from Serybellum who blatantly ignores the books’ instructions (which throughout the whole practice game were embarrassingly unsuccessful) and goes on to make the only remarkable plays for the opposing side.
The article was actually written by George M. Daley, an American newspaper editor, sports writer and syndicated author of fictitious baseball stories. From 1900-1905, he created the popular Homerun Haggerty and Strike Out Sawyer fictional characters and launched his syndicated baseball stories.
In a salute to America’s pastime, his article is just one of many features on the Library’s new web portal on historic baseball resources. The rich and unique holdings of the Library of Congress include many items that document the history of baseball and Americans' fascination with the game. Through photographs, personal accounts, official games guides, newspaper accounts, films and memorabilia—including baseball cards dating from 1887—the Library's collections offer a first-hand look at the development of baseball in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Highlighted on the site are select Library resources on the popular sport, including player profiles, historical news and events, collection guides and presentations and more. The multimedia site also offers easy access to a sampling of visual images, including photographs of notable baseball figures, presidents throwing out the first pitch and panoramic views of stadiums around the country, including Griffith Stadium—a precursor to Washington, D.C.’s Nationals Stadium. There are selections of audio and video presentations, such as Webcasts of lectures, as well as unique sound artifacts.