Hidden Black History: Ulster County’s Forgotten Baseball Legacy

Kingston, NY — As Black History Month continues, Ulster County is shining a light on a lesser-known but remarkable chapter of its past: the role of Black players and communities in 19th-century baseball.

The Ulster County Clerk’s office, in partnership with the Ulster County Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center, will host a “Lunch and Learn” event on February 12 delving into a groundbreaking discovery: evidence that an integrated baseball game took place in Kingston in 1867, predating the traditionally recognized first integrated game in Philadelphia by six months.

“This is really the first recorded integrated game played in America,” said Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck, who also plays vintage baseball. “It’s fascinating that it happened right here in Ulster County and, interestingly, it didn’t get a ton of fanfare at the time. We’re still researching, but it seems like it may have been a fairly routine occurrence for Black teams and white teams to play against each other in this area.”

Bruck described how his own experience playing vintage baseball—a recreation of the sport as it was played in the 19th century—led to this discovery. “In playing vintage baseball, we follow 1864 rules and do a lot of research into that era. This winter, we uncovered evidence of Black and white players sharing the field here in Kingston,” he said. “Some of the players were Civil War veterans. After the war, many were familiar with baseball because generals had encouraged troops to play to boost morale, so when they returned, they continued playing locally.”

Bruck said this history hasn’t been more widely recognized because there aren’t many researchers focusing on this specific era. “There’s just one small newspaper account of the game. Like much Black history, it often gets buried and isn’t included in larger historical texts. Part of the fun—and the responsibility—of doing history is uncovering these overlooked stories,” he said.

Bruck said stories like this highlight baseball as a true melting pot in its early years. “You had teams of different ethnicities playing together. For Black Americans, these stories should inspire pride. History isn’t always a straight trajectory. Rights gained during Reconstruction were later stripped away during Jim Crow, so these narratives remind us how complex—and how rich—our local history really is,” he said.

Bruck’s personal involvement adds another layer to the event. “We have public records, newspapers, and photographs that helped us uncover these stories,” he explained. “Combining my role as county clerk with my passion for vintage baseball has been incredibly rewarding. We want to make history accessible and engaging, not just for academics, but for the whole community.”

Reflecting on this hidden history, Bruck said, “It’s eye-opening to see how much equality existed, even briefly, during Reconstruction. There’s a lot of painful history afterward, but finding positive stories and lifting them up is exactly why Black History Month remains so important. These stories deserve the spotlight.”

Image: A vintage baseball card. (Ulster County Government)