The year 2024 was supposed to mark the centenary of the federation with great fanfare. A century of history, commitment, and passion was to be celebrated as it should be. But the expected echo did not quite resonate as planned.
However, nothing has been in vain. Behind the scenes, digital enthusiasts, archivists, and collective memory keepers have continued their work with determination. Collecting, digitizing, verifying, and telling: a patient labor in the service of common history.
We met one of them, the author of a new publication just put online on the site of the association created to fulfill this memory duty: Meddy Ligner.
BTVF: As vice-president of the Association for the History of French Baseball and Softball, can you outline the major stages of the association’s recent life?
In the early 2020s, the federation contacted a few people, including Gaétan Alibert, Vincent Kropf, and myself, to write a book for its centenary (1924-2024) and to constitute a Hall of Fame for French baseball/softball.
Unfortunately, the project failed. We found it a shame to leave all this historical material accumulated without an outcome. We wanted to share the fruit of our research and start a movement for the history of our sport.
We therefore decided to create the Association for the History of French Baseball/Softball at the end of 2025.
BTVF: The history of baseball in France is already well-documented by another initiative, « Histoire d’un sport méconnu », led by Jean-Christophe Tiné since 2013. How does your approach or work complement this existing work?
Jean-Christophe Tiné has essentially worked on the origins of French baseball, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (until 1914). For this period, we relied on his work and thank him for it. But we have complemented his research by also working on World War I and everything that follows.
Moreover, the advantage of having a website allows us to constantly evolve our level of knowledge, to enrich it as our research progresses, regardless of the period.
BTVF: You have just published a considerable documentary work, organized both by departments and by leagues. Can you tell us how this project came about and what motivated you to undertake it?
French baseball suffers from amnesia. For example, we do not know all the champions of France! Yet, we cannot move forward without knowing our past.
I therefore wanted to contribute, in my own way, to this memory work by giving a global vision, by department, without omitting any area.
The first goal was to get out of Paris and show that, of course, many things happened in the capital, but also elsewhere.
Then, I wanted to provide a basis for work, a starting point intended to be constantly enriched, as we make new discoveries. This is just the beginning!
BTVF: Such a project involves an impressive amount of data. What methodology did you use to collect, structure, and compile all this information?
This is a classic historical research work. You have to dig, document, find information, cross-check, and verify sources. Nothing new. A lot of things are on the Net.
BTVF: You indicate that these data are open to enrichment. Have you already received contributions or additional information from other enthusiasts or historians?
Yes, we have already had some feedback and we encourage it!
BTVF: And of course, other projects are undoubtedly in preparation… Without revealing too much, can you give us an idea of what you are working on now and what might follow?
Several articles will soon follow and will concern several eras. We will also try to relaunch the Hall of Fame.
Association’s website:
