[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE CITY OF HOBOKEN: BIRTHPLACE OF OUR NATION'S PASTIME

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                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 1996

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the City of 
Hoboken, the birthplace of our national pastime. On June 19, 1996, the 
City of Hoboken as well as the entire Nation will celebrate the 150th 
anniversary of baseball. On this day of joyous celebration, the city 
will conduct a variety of activities, including a parade and awards 
dinner to commemorate the origins of baseball.
  The game of baseball was born on June 19, 1846, on the Elysian Fields 
in Hoboken. On that day, the Knickerbockers squared off against the New 
York Nine and the Knickerbockers lost the game 23 to 1. The first 
newspaper account of a baseball game was actually written the previous 
year when other participants gathered in Hoboken on the same field to 
play an intramural variation of the game.
  The official birthday of the sport is considered to be in 1846, 
however, baseball was played in different forms in Hoboken prior to 
that date. Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. of Hoboken, has been 
recognized by many as one of the initial inventors of the rules of 
baseball. Thus, the tradition of baseball was established on the banks 
of the Hudson River in Hoboken, NJ.
  Organized baseball has been played in Hoboken ever since that very 
first game. Citizens of Hoboken have long contributed to the rich 
tradition of the sport of baseball by lending their support to the game 
in a variety of fashions. The youth of Hoboken have enjoyed the 
opportunities that the public parks and fields have provided for their 
recreational uses. From the success of Hoboken's Little League program 
to the well-documented achievements of its high school teams, baseball 
has since been an essential part of the city's culture.
  Moreover, many of our modern day heroes all share a piece of the 
tradition that was established on the Elysian Fields in Hoboken. It is 
with great pleasure and admiration that I honor the City of Hoboken and 
its great people.

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