Story Behind the Baseball:
The baseball that appears above was owned by W. Wallace Smith and signed by Harry Chiti. Chiti was a catcher in the Major League Baseball from 1950-1962. The teams he played for included the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Athletics, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. He was most likely playing for the Kansas City Athletics when he signed the baseball.
The Community of Christ has a long history with the game of baseball, commonly known as "America's Favorite Pastime." The Phineas Bible, the Bible used by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in their new translation of the Bible, was printed in Cooperstown, New York. Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the traditional origins of American baseball. There are numerous accounts of Joseph Smith, Jr. playing stick ball with young boys in Nauvoo.
Joseph Smith III was an avid fan of baseball. He served as captain of the Plano baseball team and there are a number of sources where he played the role of enthusiastic spectator while his sons participated in various leagues. In a letter to his daughter, Lucy, he commented about her brother Israel's skills as a first baseman following a difficult loss against the Davis City team:
"...you could tell by the score that Israel had again played an almost faultless game at first base."
One of the more heated moments in a 1920s business meeting for the Kirtland Temple congregation was whether the young boys should be allowed to play baseball on Sunday afternoons. All agreed that Sunday was the Sabbath and should be kept holy, but did that include baseball?
The game of baseball continues to be a staple at reunions and retreats across the church. It is often a tool used to bring people together in a spirit of camaraderie and fellowship.
The baseball that appears above was owned by W. Wallace Smith and signed by Harry Chiti. Chiti was a catcher in the Major League Baseball from 1950-1962. The teams he played for included the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Athletics, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. He was most likely playing for the Kansas City Athletics when he signed the baseball.
The Community of Christ has a long history with the game of baseball, commonly known as "America's Favorite Pastime." The Phineas Bible, the Bible used by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in their new translation of the Bible, was printed in Cooperstown, New York. Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the traditional origins of American baseball. There are numerous accounts of Joseph Smith, Jr. playing stick ball with young boys in Nauvoo.
Joseph Smith III was an avid fan of baseball. He served as captain of the Plano baseball team and there are a number of sources where he played the role of enthusiastic spectator while his sons participated in various leagues. In a letter to his daughter, Lucy, he commented about her brother Israel's skills as a first baseman following a difficult loss against the Davis City team:
"...you could tell by the score that Israel had again played an almost faultless game at first base."
One of the more heated moments in a 1920s business meeting for the Kirtland Temple congregation was whether the young boys should be allowed to play baseball on Sunday afternoons. All agreed that Sunday was the Sabbath and should be kept holy, but did that include baseball?
The game of baseball continues to be a staple at reunions and retreats across the church. It is often a tool used to bring people together in a spirit of camaraderie and fellowship.
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Location of the Object
On exhibit at the museum located in the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri |
Date of the Object
Circa. 1958-1962 |
Photos & Information Shared By
Barb Walden |