Months of research in the London Room will help bring London's baseball history to Labatt Park
When Barry Boughner set out to document more than a century of London baseball history, he knew the answers wouldn't be found online.
Instead, he spent months in the Ivey Family London Room at Central Library, scrolling through decades of newspapers on microfilm, one month and one year at a time.
Boughner, a former NHL player, retired London Majors player, and chair of the London Majors Alumni Association, has been researching the history of the London Majors and Labatt Park as part of a project to commemorate the team's championship seasons and celebrate several significant milestones: the City of London's upcoming bicentennial, the London Majors' 100th anniversary season, and the 150th anniversary of Labatt Park.
"I was probably here 85 or 90 times," said Boughner. "I came at least five times a week. Some months had two reels of microfilm, some had one. It was very time consuming."
His research will help inform a series of commemorative plaques recognizing the London Majors' 14 championship teams. The plaques are expected to be installed at Labatt Park this summer, giving visitors an opportunity to explore more than 100 years of London baseball history.
The project began with a desire to preserve and share the team's history.
"This team has been functioning in the city of London since 1925, and it's now in its 102nd year," said Boughner. "But no one has any history to read about the team."
To change that, Boughner began collecting team photographs, documenting championship rosters, and tracing the names of players, coaches, and managers through historical newspaper records. Much of that work required searching newspaper archives available through the London Room's microfilm collection.
Working with decades of newspaper coverage was not always easy.
"When you get into the '50s and '60s, they had two or three different newspapers," he explained. "Sometimes it took a long time to do one month."
Despite the challenges, Boughner says the experience reinforced the value of preserving local history and the importance of resources like the London Room.
"If it was covered in a newspaper, you're going to find it here," he said.
The London Room, located at Central Library, houses resources relating to the history of London and Middlesex County, including newspapers, photographs, maps, city directories, family history resources, and local archives. Researchers use the collection for a wide range of projects, from genealogy and local history to academic research and community initiatives.
Boughner credits London Room staff with helping him navigate the research process.
"The people here were very, very helpful, which made my job a lot easier," he said.
While the plaque project is nearing completion, Boughner's research is far from over. He plans to continue documenting the names of players who have competed for the London Majors over the past century and is currently contributing research to a North American baseball history project examining the impact of former Negro League players who came to Canada in the 1950s.
For Boughner, the project is about helping people connect with the history of the park, the team, and the family members who played there.
"What I think is going to happen is people who had a brother, a father, a grandfather, or a great-grandfather who played at Labatt Park are going to see these plaques," he said. "When they see their family member's name, they'll tell other people, and other people will come to see it. It's going to create interest."
His advice for anyone considering a research project of their own is simple: start exploring.
Whether you're investigating local sports history, researching your family tree, or uncovering stories from London's past, the London Room offers a place to begin.
Related Program
Interested in learning more about baseball history in London and beyond? Join us for Terrific Tales of London and Area: Bright Lights, Black Stars, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from 7–8:30pm at Central Library. Former Intercounty Baseball League star and author Paul Allen will discuss the Negro League players who came to play in Canada’s oldest baseball league, the IBL, and how Black players and their white teammates helped make integrated baseball in Canada a success. Presented in partnership with the London and Middlesex Historical Society.