Baseball

Dubbed “America’s pastime,” baseball had its origins in stick-and-ball games from England. The first known use of the term “base-ball” was in 1744, but was actually describing a similar game known as rounders. The modern form of baseball was developed in the United States in the 19th century, and it quickly  grew in popularity, spreading to a global audience in the ensuing decades. Professional leagues now exist in several Latin American countries and across East Asia and the Pacific.

As baseball is so intertwined with the American identity, it’s no surprise that many special interest periodicals dedicated to the sport have come in and out of circulation over the years. The Husni collection contains several first edition copies of baseball magazines. Baseball Stars centers the best players and personalities of the game from the 1980s. Baseball World Major League Preview ‘89 provides statistical analysis of players and teams ahead of the 1989 season. And Hispanic Beisbol caters to the large and dedicated baseball fanbase within the Spanish-speaking Latinx-American community.

BaseballStarsp0001.jpg

Baseball Stars Vol. 1, No. 1

Baseball Stars is a magazine edited by John Vergara, who also edited the Hockey Stars Magazine. Released in 1986, George Brett from the Kansas City Royals was featured on the cover. Baseball Stars covered 28 profiles from a top player on every single team, 

Along with the 28 major profiles, Baseball Stars included information on major milestones from several popular baseball players, including Pete Rose, Tom Seaver, and Phil Niekro, and MVP and CY Young Award winners. The special collector’s edition included a poster of player Don Mattingly. Baseball Stars made a note for readers to look ahead to the mid-season issue.

BaseballWorldBaseballp0001.jpg

Baseball World’s Baseball Major League Preview ‘89, Vol. 1, No. 1

In 1989, Harris Publications, Inc. introduced a new magazine with the primary goal of bringing a comprehensive overview of Major League Baseball for a wide range of sports enthusiasts. Baseball World’s Baseball Major League Preview ’89 was the first issue of its annual publication and promoted a variety of opinion pieces with special features focusing on Jose Canseco, Eddie Murray, and Orel Hershiser. This issue provided expert commentary, evaluations of key players, and statistical breakdowns so that the spectators could stay informed and engaged with the game and the players during the off-season.

Geared toward American baseball followers, this Major League Preview covered topics including the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, broadcasting blackouts, league records, and more. Off-season reports, rookie predictions, and roster analyses also emerged across the pages of this premier periodical, inciting excitement and anticipation across the community of baseball fans for the upcoming 1989 season.

HispanicBeisbolp0001.jpg

Hispanic Beisbol Vol.1, No. 4

In 2002, Chicarity, LLC began publishing a new, monthly, Spanish-language magazine catering to Latinx American baseball fans. A press release announcing the launch of Hispanic Beisbol stated the company aimed to “capitalize on the Latino community’s passion for – and participation in — baseball.” The company cited the growing Hispanic population in the U.S. and Latinos accounting for 25% of Major League Baseball’s rosters as motivations for the new periodical.

The fourth issue of Hispanic Beisbol is preserved in the Husni Collection. The cover story title translates to “Alex Rogriguez is Number One,” and other articles cover baseball-related subjects of interest to Latinx communities.