Join us on Saturday, June 18 at 4pm for a special event with baseball historian and collector Jonathan Popovich. His recent work on the Elysian Fields of Hoboken was selected as the “Special Presentation for 2022” by the Society for American Baseball Research in Cooperstown, N.Y. and we are thrilled that he will be sharing his expertise at the Museum. Jonathan will bring the circa 1865 photograph depicting a “Game of Base Ball at Hoboken” which launched him into an exploration – with greater depth than any to date –  into the geography, layout, and utilization of the Elysian Fields during the height of its popularity. Jonathan will be joined by guest host Irwin Chusid. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Visitors will receive a very special souvenir! Jonathan provided these notes:

“Between 1845 and 1865, Hoboken’s Elysian Fields became a preferred locale for New York baseball clubs who were losing playing fields to Manhattan real estate development. Hoboken thus became one of the most significant hotspots in the early growth of the National Pastime.

During its heyday, Hoboken’s renowned athletic grounds bore witness to a number of baseball milestones, some of which were recorded visually by means of sketches, carvings, and paintings. When combined with written accounts of the period, we can start to imagine what the Elysian Fields may have looked like when it first opened to the membership of the Eagle, Empire, Gotham, and Knickerbocker Clubs of the mid-19th century.

While artistic interpretations of the grounds are valuable to our understanding of the Elysian Fields as an actual location in place and time, they leave us with little more than an impression of the landscape and fall short of the standard that something such as a photograph would more fully impart. However, no such medium depicting baseball subject matter at Hoboken during this period was known to exist…until now.

This presentation will highlight that image and the research process that has led to a broader and deeper understanding of Hoboken’s fabled Elysian Fields.”

Jonathan Popovich is the author of two books on vintage baseball equipment and memorabilia, and has has been a member of the Society for American Baseball Research for the past 10 years. He has presented his research and findings on a variety of 19^th Century baseball topics at each of the past seven meetings of SABR’s 19^th Century Research Committee in Cooperstown, NY.

Irwin Chusid is a 30-year Hoboken resident, a 40-year member of the Society for American Baseball Research, and a 47-year broadcaster on WFMU.