"Hal Goldsmith Baseball Photography Exhibit to Open April 6th"

SOUTHOLD, NY. The Southold Historical Society is pleased to announce that it will host an exhibition featuring photographs from the early baseball career of Harold E. Goldsmith (1898-1985), one of Southold's only professional baseball players. The exhibition, entitled ‘Hal Goldsmith: Early Baseball Photographs, 1916-1929' will be held at the Society’s exhibition building, The Reichert Family Center, in the Cosden Price Gallery.

A right-handed pitcher from Peconic, Long Island, Harold 'Hal' Goldsmith (1898-1985) was a St. Lawrence University graduate, and spent five years in the minor leagues before getting the call to join the Boston Braves in June of 1926.  Some of the minor league teams he played for include the New Orleans Pelicans (1921), the Saginaw Aces (1922), the Providence Grays (1925-26), and the Newark Bears (1928-29).

He joined the Boston Braves - who later moved to Atlanta - in 1926 and played there through 1928, when he was sent to back to the minors. While playing for the Braves in 1928 he participated in a spring training game in Florida against the New York Yankees, where he struck out not only respected outfielder Bob Meusel, but also the infamous Babe Ruth.  Goldsmith played in the minors until the fall of 1929 when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, but pitched just twice for the team before retiring as a player.

In retirement he spent over three decades coaching the baseball and basketball teams at his alma mater, Southold High School, winning a large number of regional and league championships. While many locally remember him fondly as the popular coach and teacher “Goldie,” this small exhibit focuses mainly on images from his college and professional baseball career between 1916 and 1929.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, April 6th, 2013 and will remain on view through Saturday, May 18th, 2013. The Reichert Family Center and Cosden Price Gallery, where the exhibition will be held, is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 1-4pm, and by appointment. The gallery is located at 54127 Route 25 in Southold, just west of Jeni’s Main Street Grill.

For further information on this exhibition or other Society activities, please visit us online at www.southoldhistoricalsociety.org or call (631) 765-5500.