Batter Up! The History of Baseball in Kingston and Ulster County
Schedule
Wed, 18 Mar, 2026 at 07:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Hudson River Maritime Museum | Kingston, NY
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Baseball has deep roots along the Hudson River — and Kingston and Ulster County have been part of the game almost since the beginning.Join us at the Hudson River Maritime Museum for an engaging illustrated lecture exploring how baseball took hold in Kingston and Rondout during the 19th century, when the sport was still taking shape as America’s pastime. From early bat-and-ball games and local clubs to visiting teams from Brooklyn, Albany, and New York City, this talk traces how baseball became a central part of community life along the river.
Along the way, we’ll explore:
⚾ How baseball spread through port towns and working communities
⚾ The rise of organized clubs and inter-club competition in the Hudson Valley
⚾ What early newspapers and box scores reveal about how the game was played and followed
⚾ Surprising stories and lesser-known moments from Kingston and Ulster County’s baseball past
This lecture is perfect for baseball fans, local history lovers, and anyone curious about how a national sport grew out of everyday community life.
📣 Come for the baseball, stay for the stories.
🎤 About the Speakers
Dan Torres is a local historian and researcher focused on early baseball and community life in the Hudson Valley. He is the founder of the Kingston Guards Vintage Base Ball Club and president of the Ulster County Vintage Base Ball Association, and his work draws on nineteenth-century newspapers, census records, and local archives to explore how baseball functioned as part of everyday civic life in Kingston and Rondout.
Taylor Bruck is the Ulster County Clerk and a lifelong baseball enthusiast with a strong interest in local history. In his role as Clerk, he works closely with historic records documenting Ulster County’s civic and cultural past and brings that perspective to the history of baseball, community institutions, and public life in the region.
Hosted by the Hudson River Maritime Museum.
Tickets & Registration
• General Admission: $10
• HRMM Members: $5
👉 Advance registration encouraged.
🎫 Get your tickets online at HRMM’s event page or at the museum.
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Where is it happening?
Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Lndg,Kingston, New York, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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