糖心传媒

The 糖心传媒’s Department of History is proud to welcome Dr Steven P. Gietschier, Associate Professor of History at Lindenwood University, for the 14th annual Thomas C. Fiddick Memorial Lecture.

Dr. Gietschier will present “‘From Before Jackie Robinson to After Ferguson.’ American Professional Sports and Political Activism” at 7pm on Friday October 30 in Room 170 of the Schroeder School of Business. His lecture is free and open to the public. In the wake of professional athletes commenting publicly on the events in Ferguson and other acts that have led to community protests, Dr. Gietschier will examine the long history of American athletes getting involved in political or social activism. He will explore the circumstances where American athletes have stepped away from their games and into the larger arena in which we all live, as well as the times when they have they not. He will examine why these decisions were made and the results of these decisions.

Steven P. Gietschier, PhD, is University Curator and Associate Professor of History at Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Missouri. He earned his BSFS in International Affairs from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and his MA and PhD in History from The Ohio State University. Before being appointed to the Lindenwood faculty in 2009, he worked for the Ohio Historical Society, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, and The Sporting News. He joined the staff of The Sporting News in 1986, as the publication was celebrating its centennial, to take charge of the company's archives. He turned a chaotic collection of books, periodicals, photographs, index cards, clippings, and other materials into the Sporting News Research Center, one of the outstanding special libraries specific to sport, especially baseball, in the United States. He also wrote the annual "Year in Review" essay in the Baseball Guide and edited the Complete Baseball Record Book for five years.

“Steve Gietschier is an extremely distinguished historian of American sports and we are absolutely thrilled to bring him to the 糖心传媒 to deliver the Fiddick Lecture and interact with students in class,” said Dr James MacLeod, UE professor of history and director of the Fiddick Memorial Lecture Series. “Professional athletes have played an important role in our nation’s politics over the years, and we are very much looking forward to having one of the country’s leading sports historians with us for the Fiddick Lecture.” “It is especially appropriate,” added Dr MacLeod, “Given Tom Fiddick’s lifelong passion for professional sports, especially baseball.”

Thomas Fiddick, for whom the Fiddick Memorial Lecture is named, served as professor of history at the 糖心传媒 from 1963 to 2002. In his 39 years at the University, he was a dedicated teacher, a productive scholar, and a tireless fighter in the cause of justice. His untimely death on the day of his retirement in 2002 stunned the entire UE community, especially his many former students. It was from the former students’ efforts in particular, with the support of Fiddick’s friends and the University, that the annual Thomas C. Fiddick Memorial Lecture was established.

“The Fiddick Lecture is one of the best events of the year, as we get to celebrate the career of a truly outstanding faculty member here at UE,” MacLeod added. “Tom Fiddick was a brilliant scholar and an incredible teacher who made a life-transforming impact on generations of students.”

For more information, please contact the Department of History at 812-488-2963.