On a single Wednesday afternoon, Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines will open its doors to a unique exhibition that stitches together the story of baseball in Iowa through tangible pieces of the past.
Visitors can examine the state's oldest known baseball card alongside an 1866 diary from the Mount Pleasant Hawkeyes, while hundreds of additional cards featuring Iowans — some of whom reached the major leagues — line the walls. The display also honors the seven Iowans enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, each receiving a dedicated table of memorabilia.
Connecting War and Game
The exhibit weaves a narrative of how the Civil War accelerated baseball's spread, with soldiers learning the game during downtime and carrying it back to their home states after the conflict. Historian John Liepa, professor emeritus at Des Moines Area Community College, will elaborate on this dynamic in a presentation titled “Baseball’s Origins: The Civil War’s Role in Spreading the Game to Iowa.”
Liepa’s talk, scheduled for 7 p.m., promises a deep dive into the military camps where the sport first took root, linking Iowa's wartime experiences to its lasting baseball culture.
The exhibition will also spotlight Anna Cramer, the venue’s development director, who notes that knowledgeable docents and curated tables will guide guests through the collection, ensuring a rich, interactive experience.
Open to All
Admission to both the exhibit and the evening presentation is free, made possible by support from Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The doors will be open from noon until 5 p.m., inviting the public to explore Iowa's baseball legacy without barrier.