Annual Meeting of the Membership
The Historic Ramsey House Board of Directors invites you to the Annual Meeting of the Membership on Saturday, July 9, 2022, from 10:00-11:30 am on the grounds of the Historic Ramsey House.
The meeting will begin with a coffee and pastry reception followed by official business and an address from the President, Adam Alfrey, and Executive Director, Kelley Weatherley-Sinclair. We will review the last year's accomplishments and share exciting projects planned for the next year.
Our special guest, Dr. William E. Hardy, will speak about our Vintage Base Ball program and the history of the two original teams in Knoxville. Afterward, we invite attendees to join us at 12:00 for a Vintage Base Ball match between the Mountain City Club of Chattanooga and the Emmett Machinists of Knoxville. All Ramsey House Members will receive a free combo meal from our concession stand.
We look forward to recognizing our members, and we hope to welcome new Friends of Ramsey House this year!
Not a member? Need to renew your membership? You can do so by visiting our Donate & Support page.
About our Speaker
Dr. William E. Hardy earned his Ph.D. in history at the University of Tennessee where he specialized in 19th century American History. He is currently an Assistant Professor of History and the Lincoln Scholar at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. He is also one of the original members of the Knoxville Holstons Vintage Base Ball Club, which organized in 2014, and has called the Historic Ramsey House its home grounds ever since.
About the Discussion
While Knoxville has a rich football tradition, it has always been a baseball town. Dr. Hardy will be speaking on the origins of baseball in Knoxville. Using a number of historical sources, he has identified dozens of the original players who made up the city's first two baseball clubs, many of whom would come to help rebuild Knoxville following the American Civil War and, as political and business leaders, helped guide the city into the 20th century. He will share insights into the various personalities who comprised these early clubs, the grounds on which they played, some of the early games, and how the national pastime grew and blossomed in and around Knoxville. Dr. Hardy will also discuss how the Knoxville Holstons and Emmett Machinists Vintage Base Ball Clubs, who play at the Historic Ramsey House, honor the national game by playing bare-handed "base ball" by the rules and customs of 1864.
