Media Advisory: Award-winning author and baseball historian Rob Fitts to deliver Political Science Gleed Lecture March 26

Topeka, Kan. - The Washburn University Political Science & Public Administration Department will bring global baseball to campus as it hosts Rob Fitts for the Political Science Gleed Lecture Series presentation, "East Meets West: Inside Japanese Baseball." This engaging talk offers a unique look at the game's international culture. The lecture is free and open to the public.

When: 2:30-4 p.m. Thursday, March 26
Where: Plass Learning Resources Center, Room 118, on the Washburn University campus

About Rob Fitts:
Rob Fitts, a former archaeologist with a Ph.D. from Brown University, left academia to pursue his passion for Japanese baseball. An award-winning author and speaker, he has published articles in numerous journals, magazines and websites. He has written 11 books on Japanese baseball and baseball cards, including the 2025 title "In the Japanese Ballpark."

Fitts founded the Society for American Baseball Research's Asian Baseball Committee. The organization awarded him the 2013 Seymour Medal for the best baseball book of 2012 ("Banzai Babe Ruth"), the 2019 and 2023 McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Awards, and the 2012 Doug Pappas Award for best oral research presentation. He also received SABR Research Awards in 2006, 2021, 2023 and 2024. He has twice been a finalist for the Casey Award and has earned two silver medals at the Independent Publisher Book Awards.

About the Gleed Lecture Series

The Gleed Lecture Series honors James Willis Gleed, who established a fund for the Washburn University Political Science & Public Administration and History & Geography Departments to bring speakers to campus to educate students and the community and promote good citizenship.

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For further information, contact:
Lacey Kinder
Content Specialist
Telephone: (785) 670-2154
Cell: (785) 845-1909
Email: [email protected]