Pythian founder and team member Octavius V. Catto was a competitor both on and off the baseball field. He worked tirelessly in the years following the Civil War to break down racial barriers and to push for increased social and political rights for Philadelphia’s black community. For Catto and his fellow Pythian teammates, baseball was more than just a game; it was yet another playing field upon which African Americans could challenge and compete for equal participation and recognition. Catto’s Pythian ball club represented Philadelphia’s best and brightest and publicly demonstrated the talent, competitiveness, determination, and solidarity within the black community. This activity examines the formation of the Pythian club and explores the role that baseball played in the postbellum period. Students investigate the ways in which baseball built community ties, pushed racial boundaries, and established local and national networks of support. The primary-source material in this lesson also allows students to explore the difference of opinion among Philadelphia’s black leadership regarding the strategies employed to bring about social change and promote advancement within their community.