SABR Digital Library: From Bytown to the Big Leagues: 150 Years of America’s Pastime in Canada’s Capital, Ottawa Baseball from 1865 to 2025
Add a new baseball book to your collection from the SABR Digital Library:
From Bytown to the Big Leagues: 150 Years of America’s Pastime in Canada’s Capital, Ottawa Baseball from 1865 to 2025
Edited by Steve Rennie and Bill Nowlin
Associate editors: Frank McDonald, Philippe Cousineau, and Carl Riechers
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-960819-32-1, $9.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-960819-33-8, $24.95
8.5″ x 11″, 168 pages
From Ottawa baseball’s humble beginnings in the nineteenth century to the modern era of professional franchises, From Bytown to the Big Leagues takes you on a thrilling journey through 150 years of America’s pastime in Canada’s capital. Discover the stories of Ottawa’s earliest baseball teams, including two remarkable face-offs against the famed Boston Red Stockings. These early encounters laid the groundwork for the sport’s growth in the region, as amateur teams competed passionately throughout the late nineteenth century, culminating in the city’s first—and short-lived—professional team, the Senators.
Follow the rise and fall of professional franchises like the Ottawa Giants, the Ottawa Lynx, and the current Ottawa Titans. Each team’s journey is marked by significant milestones and challenges, reflecting the ever-changing landscape of baseball in the city. The book delves into the stories of local heroes who have graced the diamond, including Jack Humphries, Frank “Shag” Shaughnessy, Érik Bédard, and Philippe Aumont. These players, among others, have left their mark on Ottawa’s baseball legacy, inspiring generations of fans and aspiring athletes.
This book is the result of collaboration among members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), local researchers, and journalists.
From Bytown to the Big Leagues celebrates the unsung heroes and untold stories that make Ottawa’s baseball history so special. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a newcomer to the sport, this book will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the game’s place in the city’s cultural fabric.
Contributors include: Gary Belleville, Luis A. Blandón Jr., Kurt Blumenau, Warren Campbell, Philippe Cousineau, Andrew Forbes, John Fredland, Charles Gordon, David Gourlay, Sharon Hamilton, Tim Harper, Martin LaCoste, David McDonald, Frank McDonald, Jerry Nechal, Bill Nowlin, Jordan Press, Steve Rennie, Carl Riechers, Christopher Sailus, Mark S. Sternman, Jonathon Symons, Mike Trickey, Christian Trudeau, and Clayton Trutor.
SABR members, get this e-book for FREE!
- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of From Bytown to the Big Leagues for FREE from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, MOBI, EPUB/Kindle formats.
- Paperback: Get a 50% discount on the From Bytown to the Big Leagues paperback edition from the SABR Store ($15.95 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Amazon Kindle Direct can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
Buy the book
- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of From Bytown to the Big Leagues for $9.99 from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, MOBI, and EPUB/Kindle formats.
- Paperback: Get the paperback edition of From Bytown to the Big Leagues from the SABR Store ($29.95 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Amazon Kindle Direct can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
About the SABR Digital Library
For more than 50 years, SABR and its members have led the way in publishing the best baseball historical and statistical research. Our publications program is shifting to take advantage of new methods of publishing. Not only will we continue to publish new books like Can He Play? A Look At Baseball Scouts and Their Profession (2011); Inventing Baseball: The 100 Greatest Games of the 19th Century (2013); Scandal on the South Side: The 1919 Chicago White Sox (2015); Jackie Robinson: Perspectives on 42 (2021), ¡Arriba! The Heroic Life of Roberto Clemente (2022); and Nichibei Yakyu: US Tours of Japan (2023); which showcase the best efforts of SABR’s members, chapters and committees, but new technology makes it possible for us to bring out-of-print titles like When Boston Still Had the Babe: The 1918 World Champion Red Sox (2018); Green Cathedrals (2020); and The Miracle Has Landed: The Amazin’ Story of How the 1969 Mets Shocked the World (2021) back again.
Visit SABR.org/ebooks to find all past titles and download your favorites. Books will be available in digital formats as well as paperbacks produced by “print on demand” (POD).
SABR members can download all Digital Library e-book editions for free and save 50% on purchase of the paperback editions. If you’re not a member, click here to join SABR.
Stay tuned throughout the year for new (and old!) titles that we’ll be adding to the SABR Digital Library. To learn more about SABR Publications, contact Publications Editor Cecilia Tan at ctan@sabr.org.
Having trouble downloading our e-books? Click here for step-by-step instructions or a short tutorial video on how to download SABR digital publications.
Originally published: February 4, 2025. Last Updated: January 27, 2025.