Block:English Baseball in South Glamorgan on May 7 1881
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| Data | “Baste ball” was played in Cardiff Gaol circa 1820 according to the first of a three-part series on the jail's history that appeared in two Cardiff newspapers. The writer, citing two prison documents made available to him by the current governor, described the relatively comfortable conditions for prisoners, primarily debtors under the administration of the former governor Charles Le Breton (or Lebreton). Beer, wine, and spirits were permitted if passed in from the outside, he wrote, and added: “For amusement during the day they were allowed in fine weather to play at baste ball, rounders, or other outdoor amusements, in the courtyard at the back of the prison. The new governor, Mr. Le Breton, found many irregularities which he endeavored to check, and on some occasions he considered it necessary to 'stop supplies' when the debtors would persist in playing 'baste' against his orders, or in refusing to to give up the ball when he demanded it.” |
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| Sources | Cardiff Times, May 7, 1881, p. 5, and South Wales Daily News, May 7, 1881, p. 2 |
| Block Notes | As of writing this I have not yet located the two original documents cited by the writer of this article. However, the article has a strong ring of authenticity to it, including an explanation of how he came to be given the documents by the current governor. Charles LeBreton administered Cardiff Gaol between the years 1819 and 1821. If the facts in this article are borne out by the original documents, it would be the earliest mention of baseball in Wales, and also the earliest mention of the word rounders anywhere. |
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