1918 Baseball Glory: Raising Giants Pennant

This baseball pennant titled Raising Giants, dated June 14, 1918, offers a snapshot into the world of early 20th-century sports culture. Pennants like this one were popular ways for fans to display their allegiance to teams, becoming a staple of American sports memorabilia. The design often incorporated the teams logo, colors, and slogans, fostering community spirit among fans. In 1918, Major League Baseball was approaching the end of a transformative era; it had seen the rise of legendary figures such as Babe Ruth and was becoming established in American society as a major sport.

This particular pennant was produced by the Bain News Service, a well-known entity in early sports photography. The Bain News Service documented significant moments in sports and other social events during the early 1900s. With its origins in a glass negative, this image not only captures the aesthetic of the time but also highlights the burgeoning popularity of baseball, which had become America’s pastime by the early 1900s. As the nation was embroiled in World War I, baseball provided a sense of normalcy and escapism for many Americans, making items like this pennant more than just memorabilia—they were symbols of unity and pride during challenging times.