Harvard University Base Ball Club

Baseball was played by members of the Harvard community shortly before the Civil War. The Lawrence Base Ball Club was organized in November 1858 and was the first baseball organization associated with Harvard University. Members were chiefly from the Lawrence Scientific School. Harvard's first baseball team was formed in 1862 by freshmen George A. Flagg and Frank Wright. The sport was formally organized on campus in 1864, and has been played continuously since then. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the team was organized first under the auspices of the Harvard Athletic Association and later under the Harvard University Department of Athletics. The program has been a member of the Ivy League since the conference officially began sponsoring baseball at the start of the 1993 season. The team plays at Joseph J. O'Donnell Field, located across the Charles River from Harvard's main campus. Bill Decker has been the program's head coach since the 2013 season.