SHANKSVILLE, PA—Members of both the National Park Service and the Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) community gathered May 5 at the Flight 93 National Memorial for the opening of Down but not Out: Baseball After September 11, 2001, a new exhibit designed and curated by students in a W&J College history class.
Down but not Out, made possible by a partnership between Flight 93 National Memorial and W&J College, examines the longstanding relationship between baseball and the nation during times of national crisis, with a focus on baseball’s role in recovery following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The exhibition is open to the public at Flight 93 National Memorial in the Learning Center on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and will remain on display through July 8, 2018. The exhibit will also be open on the Fourth of July (Tuesday) 11:00 am – 3:00 pm for visitors.
Due to other activities at the national memorial, the Down but not Out exhibit will not be available May 19 and 20, and June 16 and 17, 2018.
Stephen Clark, the superintendent of the five National Park Service units of Western Pennsylvania commented, “The National Park Service is honored to partner with the students at Washington & Jefferson College for this special and unique project. We are grateful to the numerous institutions who assisted the students. I am so very proud of each and every one of the students who went above and beyond to create this amazing exhibition.”
Down but not Out was researched, designed, and curated by W&J’s History 410: Museum Exhibit Design class, an undergraduate course in museum studies. The exhibit includes items that tell the story of baseball’s role in helping Americans respond to national tragedy and war from World War I to the present.
“This exhibit illustrates that our national pastime is more than a game,” explained W&J junior Kathryn Prinkey, who is part of the Washington & Jefferson College class that researched, designed, and installed the exhibit. “By highlighting the relationship between baseball, the military, and patriotism over the past 100 years, it reveals how the sport has provided Americans with a platform and outlet to respond to wartime and moments of distress.”
“This is a politically-fraught topic, and we want to be able to spur real, purposeful debate, even within the narrow scope of our particular exhibit,” said W&J junior Harley Moyer, another student in the history class.
Down but not Out was made possible through collaboration with the National Park Service and the cooperation of Major League Baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Pentagon Memorial, George W. Bush Presidential Center, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.
ABOUT WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
ABOUT FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL
On September 24, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Flight 93 National Memorial Act. The Act created a new national park unit to commemorate the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who, on September 11, 2001, courageously gave their lives thereby thwarting a planned attack on our nation’s capital. The memorial is located near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed with the loss of its 40 passengers and crew. For more information about Flight 93 National Memorial, visit www.nps.gov/flni.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 22,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.