This episode explores the history of baseball in Lansing, focusing on the late-1800s to early-1900s time period. The Lansing Senators were a professional baseball team that played in a minor league known as the Michigan State League. The Senators were notable for having the first professional Black baseball player in the United States, Bud Fowler. The Senators played in several locations around the city. In places like Lansing, professional baseball developed side-by-side the urbanization and industrialization of America.

Keywords: Baseball, Lansing, Michigan, Professional Baseball, Black Baseball Players, Bud Fowler, John W. Jackson, Ball park, Urbanization, Industrialization, City Parks, Minor League Baseball, Major League Baseball, Waverly High School, John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves