Greetings, Brothers, and happy August! 

As I write this, the temperatures are cooling, but I know from past experience that Augusts in Sacramento can be brutal.  I try not to get too excited about thinking that the scorching days are ceasing, however, one can hope!

​

This month, we celebrate several fraternal milestones.  Ramey Packer and Carlos Brusel-Casals, our current Chaplain and Junior Steward, respectively, celebrate their birthdays, as do three of our Past Masters, Worshipful Richard Hixson, Jared Yoshiki, and Luis Montero.  Please wish them all the best, should you encounter them in your travels.

​

Our Lodge also recognizes several brothers with Master Mason anniversaries in August.  This month, our current Organist, James Dimmitt, will celebrate 15 years in the Craft.  Two Past Masters have also trod the well-worn path of Masonry for several years, Worshipful Jeret Burnett (18) and Worshipful Fred Hardiman (27).  Congratulations, brothers, for all you’ve done for our honorable fraternity.

​

Recently, I was speaking with a friend and lodge brother (same person) about the ties between Baseball and Masonry.  To be honest, I was making most of the connections up within my own mind, but it spurred me to do some research into any actual associations that may exist between two of my favorite pastimes.  I am fascinated by what I found.

​

Freemasonry and baseball both operate through structured rituals and rules. A Masonic lodge meeting is filled with symbolic gestures, formal language, and a hierarchical structure (Hodapp, 2015). Baseball, too, is governed by a codified rulebook, ceremonial opening pitches, and unwritten game rituals like not stepping on the chalk or speaking to the pitcher during a game.

​

Several key figures in early baseball history were Freemasons. Most notably:

​

• “Honus” Wagner (1874–1955), one of the greatest shortstops in baseball history and a charter member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," he played 21 seasons, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was renowned for his hitting, speed, and defense. He was a member of Centennial Lodge No. 544 Carnegie, PA.

• Cy Young (1867–1955) was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history. Over a 22-year career (1890–1911), he won 511 games—a Major League record that still stands and is considered unbreakable.  Known for his durability and control, Young pitched for teams including the Cleveland Spiders, Boston Americans (now Red Sox), and St. Louis Cardinals. He threw three no-hitters, including a perfect game in 1904. He was a member of Mystic Tie Lodge No. 194 in Dennison, Ohio.

• Branch Rickey (1881–1965) was a visionary baseball executive best known for breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson in 1945. As president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Rickey combined strong moral conviction with sharp baseball insight.  A devout Freemason and member of Tuscan Lodge No. 360 in Ohio, Rickey’s values of equality and integrity were deeply rooted in his faith and Masonic beliefs.

These men weren’t just athletes—they were moral leaders and reformers.  Their influence spread far beyond the baseball field and can still be felt in American society today.

​

The baseball field itself—a diamond—is deeply symbolic. In Masonry, the square represents order and virtue. The diamond-shaped infield is a square turned on its point, invoking movement, direction, and geometry—Masonic themes echoed in lodge symbolism.

​

All baseball fields are based on Geometry; most notably, the perfect square, which spreads outwards from home plate along a 90° angle to form one-fourth of a circle.  The edge of that quarter-circle varies from park to park, but the bases and infield are always similar, promoting order and regularity.