Block:English Baseball in London on June 21 1880

Block English Games

English Baseball

1700s 1800 - 1849 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s

Ball Bias Pize Ball Tut Ball

Add a Block Game

Data	The subject of “base ball” was raised in a Parliamentary debate over whether the playing of ballgames should be legalized in Hyde Park. One member, a Mr. Hopwood, “asked the First Commissioner of Works whether his attention has been called to the arrest and prosecution of a delinquent aged twelve years for the misdemeanour of playing at 'rounders' or 'base ball' in Hyde Park; and whether he would consider if it would not be for the public advantage that such games should be allowed in some part of the Park appropriated for the purpose?” A Mr. Adams responded to the effect that the boy arrested was 17 and not 12, and moreover he believed that Hyde Park was too heavily used by the public to permit ball play.
Sources	Hansard's Parliamentary Debates, Third Series, 43° & 44° Victoriæ, 1880, Vol. CCLIII, London, 1880, Cornelius Buck, PP. 428-429
Block Notes	Use of the phrase “'rounders' or 'base ball'” could imply one of two possible intentions. The speaker might have been uncertain which of the sports the boy had been playing; or he mentioned both names because he thought the sport could be identified by either. In either case, it is unlikely he would have had American baseball in mind since it was not known to be played in London by children at such an early date.
Comment	Edit with form to add a comment
Query	Edit with form to add a query

Toggle Subnav