Ice Cream

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Game Ice Cream
Game Family Baseball Baseball
Regions US
Eras 1800s
Invented No
Description

Bruce Allardice on 2/26/2021, reported that

around the fall/winter of 1867, some Haverford College students, looking for exercise during periods of snow, invented a game they called "Ice Cream." It was a bat ball game, resembling wicket/cricket, and according to the book was unique to Haverford.

"Certain men of '69 and other classes, mostly from the tribe of Them-That-Dig, being convinced of the need for active exercise, but jealous of the time demanded by cricket, and mindful, too, of its long winter sleep, set about the invention of a game that could even bid defiance to a light snow. They procured a solid rubber ball; obtained from Boll a pine bat, in one piece, flattened slightly in the lower half, and looking like the missing link betwixt baseball and cricket; took solemn possession of the ground between the old carpenter shop and a board fence; placed against the board fence three sticks, in the manner of a wicket, and were ready, The bowler sent his ball as fast as he could (underhand) with intent of hitting the wicket. The batsman struck the ball, and ran to the carpenter shop, touching the closed shutters with his bat.  A third man in the field threw his ball at the said shutters; if he anticipated the batsman, and aimed well, the latter was out, and the bowler went in, batsman took the field, and the third man went to bowl."

Sources

Philip Garrett, A History of Haverford College for the First Sixty Years of its Existence, (Haverford College Alumni Assn) , p. 350-351

 

 
Comment

Haverford is known to be a place where cricket held some popularity.  One might wonder if Ice Cream (was that treat popular prior to electrification?) was meant to blunt the beginnings of America's Base Ball Fever appeal?

Special thanks to Bruce Allardice for spotting this. 

 

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