 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Sponsored Legislation |
 |
| Co-Sponsored Legislation |
 |
 |
|
||
|
 |
|
|
||
| Press Release: March 14, 2008 | ||
|
||
|
||
 |
||
|
||
| OLVER INTRODUCES PITTSFIELD BASEBALL BILL Bill Recognizes Pittsfield as being Home to Earliest Known Reference to Baseball And as Birthplace of College Baseball |
||
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman John Olver introduced a bill to recognize Pittsfield, Massachusetts, as being home to the earliest know reference to the word "baseball" in the United States as well as being the birthplace of college baseball. Congressman John Olver said, "Baseball has been a part of Pittsfield’s history since the very beginning. Less than 40 years after Pittsfield was settled, the town passed the baseball bylaw. This resolution recognizes that the city and the sport have grown together over time, and that Pittsfield plays a very important role in American history as an early home of our Nation’s past time." "I would like thank Congressman Olver for bringing this resolution to the floor of the House of Representatives," said Mayor James M. Ruberto. "The City of Pittsfield is proud to be recognized for its rich baseball heritage, proud to be known as ‘Baseball’s Garden of Eden’, and proud to be acknowledged as the birthplace of collegiate baseball." The city of Pittsfield was settled in 1752, and incorporated in 1761. In 1791, the Town of Pittsfield passed a bylaw during a town meeting that prohibits playing baseball within 80 yards of the town’s new Meeting House "for the preservation of the windows." The meeting house building, located at 27 East Street, was designed by the renowned architect Charles Bulfinch in 1789 and completed in 1793. It currently serves as the Congregational Church. In 2004, noted historian John Thorn discovered these documents in Pittsfield’s archives. In 1859, the first inter-collegiate baseball game was played at North St. and Maplewood Ave. in Pittsfield. Amherst won the game over Williams College in 26 innings, 73-32. The resolution was introduced with 26 original co-sponsors, including the members of the Massachusetts delegation and graduates of Amherst and Williams Colleges. It will now move to the House Committee on Education and Labor for review. |
||
|
Home | |
Biography | |
News | |
Photos | |
Casework | |
Grants | |
Federal Resources | |
State Resources | |
1st District | |
Contact | |