Baseball exhibit includes community programming

Explore baseball’s legends and myths, its heroes and flops, its struggles and its moments of triumph in “Chasing Dreams: Baseball & Becoming American,” on display Nov. 6 through Dec. 15 at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence.

In addition to the core exhibit, on loan from the National Museum of American Jewish History, Rick Harris will display some of his collection of postcards (many a century old) that illustrate the obstacles faced by African-Americans and women as they sought to participate in America’s game. An expert on Rhode Island baseball and minorities in baseball, Harris will present a one credit baseball course Oct. 20 and 21 at Salve Regina University: The Historical, Cultural and Sociological Aspects of Baseball in America 1791 – 1950.

The official opening night program for the exhibit is Nov. 9, beginning at 5:30. At 7, a ceremony will feature a presentation by Robert Cvornyek, a professor at Rhode Island College, where he specializes in sports history. Cvornyek is writing a book on black baseball and community memory in New England. He recently edited the autobiography of baseball hall-of-famer Effa Manley. He served as co-curator and principal scholar for an exhibit at the Museum of African American History in Boston titled “The Color of Baseball in Boston: A History of Black Teams, the Players, and a Sporting Community.”  Cvornyek also co-directed the program “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing: Baseball, Jazz, and Black Cultural Expression.” 

As part of the exhibit, “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story” will be screened on Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. The film is narrated by Dustin Hoffman and stars Sandy Koufax, Larry King, Kevin Youkilis, Shawn Green, Yogi Berra, Ron Howard and many, many others.

On Nov. 27 at 7 p.m., Harris will present a lecture titled, “Women and Baseball: A Short Story?!” It will be illustrated by postcards and posters from the early years of baseball.

The core exhibit celebrates well-known Jewish heroes such as Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax and iconic baseball pioneers like Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio, Roberto Clemente and Ichiro Suzuki, as well as baseball’s extended family of vendors, team owners, minor leaguers, amateur players, scouts, broadcasters, journalists, novelists – and especially, fans. The exhibit investigates and shares how baseball has served as an arena in which values, identity, ethnicity and race have been projected, contested and occasionally solidified.

A fully illustrated, 256-page companion book will be available. The book includes original pieces by more than 40 notable authors.  The book and related exhibition merchandise, including a set of baseball cards developed by Jewish Major Leaguers, Inc. for the Museum and the American Jewish Historical Society, will be available for sale at the Dwares JCC, as will some children’s books about baseball legends. A family guide is available for free to ensure that fans of all ages can enjoy the show.

For more information, please write to ChasingDreams@jewishallianceri.org.

LARRY KATZ is the director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance.