1860.48

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"Veterans of 1812" Play OFBB . . . Annually?

Salience Noteworthy
Tags Military
Location Western New York
City/State/Country: Seneca Falls, NY, United States
Immediacy of Report Contemporary
Age of Players Adult
Text

One of the earliest instances of an apparent "throwback" game occurred in August 1860, when a newspaper reported that the "Veterans of 1812" held their "annual Ball play" in the village of Seneca Falls NY, east of Geneva and southeast of Rochester NY.

[A] The "old warriors," after a morning of parading through local streets, marched to a field where "the byes were quickly staked out," sides were chosen, and the local vets "were the winners of the game by two tallies."

[B] "...[they] seemed to be inspired with renewed energy by the memory of youthful days and the spirit (?) of boyhood, and displayed a degree of skill and activity in the noble game of base ball that showed they had once been superior players..."

 

Sources

[A] Seneca Falls Reveille, August 18, 1860, reported by Priscilla Astifan.

[B] New York Sunday Mercury, August 19, 1860, reported by Gregory Christiano.

Comment

We would presume that this was not modern base ball.  It seems plausible that the vets had played ball together during their war service, and that this game was played in remembrance of good times past.

 

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Query

Further insight is welcome from readers.

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Submitted by Priscilla Astifan, Gregory Christiano
Submission Note emails of X/X/2007 and 7/20/2013



Comments

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