Sports in U.S. History Class Visits RailRiders

A group of students in the Sports in U.S. History course, taught by Adam Shprintzen, recently traded the classroom for the ballpark with a visit to see the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

The class, made up mostly of juniors and seniors from a mix of majors, headed to PNC Field for a behind-the-scenes tour. Students heard from front office and operations staff and got a look at what goes into running a professional sports organization before staying for the game that night.

It was a fitting way to connect what they’ve been studying all semester—everything from the rise of professional sports to the history of athletics in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the idea of sports as labor. Seeing it all up close helped make those topics feel a lot more real.

The trip also gave students interested in sports-related careers, including communication and athletic training, a chance to start thinking about what their path in the industry could look like.

One of the standout moments of the night came when History/Secondary Education major Andrew Dovin took the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

What started as a class trip turned into something more: a chance to see how history, business, and opportunity all come together in one place.