Tynan Weathers

Utilizing my research done for my “Baseball in American Culture” final paper, I was able to speak at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum during the 34th Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture. After watching other presentations for two days, as well as dining in the “plaque room” at the hall of fame and playing “town ball,” I presented a 20-minute presentation on Native Americans in baseball with a focus on Alaska and Aleut baseball. With around a 15-slide presentation, I was able to delve into the uniqueness that baseball in Alaska presents, from the Midnight Sun Game to playing America’s pastime on a sheet of ice. Furthermore, I brought to light the generally unacknowledged game of Aleut baseball, which connects directly to my tribe and family history.

I thought all presenters would be the same age as me (i.e. college students) so I was certainly surprised when every presenter, other than those also in this honors program, was a baseball historian with an average age surpassing 50 years old. But it was fun to listen to their presentations and learn from their feedback. Professor Rick Burton and I have submitted the updated version of my paper to NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture for publication. Additionally, I am looking to be granted further funding for in-person research in Alaska to better enhance my paper and transition it into my senior thesis project.