Block:English Baseball in Waterford (Ireland) on March 28 1888

Data	“Bass ball” was played historically in Ireland if we are to believe the unusual claim made in a speech by the chairman of the YMCA in the city of Waterford, Ireland, to the annual reunion of the Essay and Debating Department of the Y in that city. As reported by a local newspaper, the speaker emphasized the importance of providing opportunities for athletic sports in order to deter youths from “being allured into places where no Christian young man ought to be seen.” He continued, “We must remember that we are a Young Men's Association, and while our forefathers were satisfied with a game of bass-ball, we must suit ourselves to the times by establishing those innocent amusements and keeping them in our own hands which are in many of our homes, such as tennis-court, gymnasium, etc.”
Sources	Waterford Standard, March 28, 1888, p. 3
Block Notes	There is no evidence that baseball was played in 19th century Ireland or earlier, as this speaker suggested. It's also not clear what he was saying about baseball, possibly implying it was a children's game and not up to the athletic standards of healthy young men.
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