Leddy Library is partnering with the Centre for Canadian Baseball Research to launch the Journal of Canadian Baseball, a new publication featuring articles in English and French from community and academic researchers.

“This is a unique opportunity to share the fascinating world of Canadian baseball studies,” says librarian, Heidi Jacobs, who connected with the centre and formed a partnership following the 2016 Canadian Baseball History Conference.

What started as a repository to host to the conference proceedings morphed into an annual, open access journal to host baseball scholarship of various forms from different voices across the country. The journal will publish new popular and scholarly research on the rich and diverse culture of baseball in Canada.

The centre is working with scholarly communications librarian, Pascal Calarco, to manage the process from submission to publication.

“The journal will showcase three distinct sections,” explained editorial board member Craig Greenham from the Faculty of Human Kinetics. “In addition to the traditional peer-reviewed scholarly articles, there will be a section dedicated to voices From the Field submitted by baseball enthusiasts, as well as a section to host archival materials such as documents or ephemera related to early Canadian baseball.”

The Journal of Canadian Baseball will also be fully bilingual thanks to the efforts of its associate editor, economics professor Christian Trudeau.

“Publishing articles in English and French allows us the opportunity to publish some of the exciting new research being done by French scholars, particularly related to Quebec baseball history,” said Dr. Trudeau.

The Journal is seeking new and original research that broadens the understanding of Canadian baseball and extends the existing conversations in new directions.

“We are particularly interested in submissions that explore the diversity of Canadian baseball at all levels, from all areas and regions of Canada, from all races, genders, and ethnicities,” said Dr. Jacobs. “The unique format and open access of this journal will allow us to share voices and research from across Canada that may not have had an opportunity to be published elsewhere.”

The journal is currently accepting submissions for its inaugural issue to be published November 2022 to coincide with the next in-person Canadian Baseball History Conference. The deadline for submission is April 15, 2022.