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Lincoln Awaits Nomination, Plays Town Ball . . . or Handball?

Salience	Noteworthy
Tags	FamousFamous
Location	IllinoisIllinois
City/State/Country:	Springfield, IL, United States
Modern Address
Game	Town BallTown Ball
Immediacy of Report	Retrospective
Age of Players	AdultAdult
Holiday
Notables	Abraham Lincoln
Text	[1] "During the settling on the convention Lincoln had been trying, in one way and another, to keep down the excitement . . . playing billiard a little, town ball a little, and story-telling a little." A story circulated that he was playing ball when he learning of his nomination: "When the news of Lincoln's nomination reached Springfield, his friends were greatly excited, and hastened to inform 'Old Abe' of it. He could not be found at his office or at home, but after some minutes the messenger discovered him out in a field with a parcel of boys, having a pleasant game of town-ball. All his comrades immediately threw up their hats and commenced to hurrah. Abe grinned considerably, scratched his head and said 'Go on boys; don't let such nonsense spoil a good game.' The boys did go on with their bawling, but not with the game of ball. They got out an old rusty cannon and made it ring, while the [illeg.: Rail Splitter?] went home to think on his chances."  [2] Interview with Charles S. Zane, 1865-66:  "I was present in the Illinois State Journal on the day when Lincoln was nominated: he was present & when he received the news of the 3d Ballot. Lincoln Said I Knew it would Come to this when I Saw the 2d. Ballot. . . . Lincoln played ball pretty much all the day before his nomination – played at what is called fives – Knocking a ball up against a wall that served as an alley – He loved this game – his only physical game – that I Knew of – Lincoln said – This game makes my shoulders feel well."
Sources	[1] Henry C. Whitney, Lincoln the Citizen [Current Literature Publishing, 1907], page 292. [2] Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis, Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln (U Illinois Press, 1998), page 492. [3] "How Lincoln Received the Nomination," [San Francisco CA] Daily Evening Bulletin vol.10 number 60 (Saturday, June 16, 1860), page 2 column 3.
Warning	Richard Hershberger and others doubt the veracity of this story. He says [email of 1/30/2008] that one other account of that day says that Abe played hand-ball, and there is mention of this being the only athletic game that Abe was ever seen to indulge in. (But also see 1830s.16 on a younger Abe Lincoln and town ball in the 1830s). Source [2] above contains other accounts of the nomination story.  They support the idea that Lincoln "played ball" the day before the nomination, but it seems fairly clear that the game played was "fives," presumable a form of handball.  For a very helpful submission from Steve Gietschier on the content of Herndon's Informants, see the Supplemental Text, below.
Comment	A political cartoon of the day showed Lincoln playing ball with other candidates. It can be viewed at  http://www.scvbb.org/images/image7/.  Thanks to Kyle DeCicco-Carey for the link. Edit with form to add a comment
Query	Is the cartoon dated?  Is a location given?  Is the content from source [3], from 1860, known? Edit with form to add a query
Source Image	[[Image:|left|thumb]]
External Number
Submitted by	Craig Waff, Richard Hershberger, Kyle DeCicco-Carey, Steve Gietschier (2017)
Submission Note	7/18/2007
Has Supplemental Text	Yes

1860.20 Lincoln Awaits Nomination, Plays Town Ball . . . or Handball?"

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Comments

<comments voting="Plus" />

Supplemental Text

Contributed by Steve Gietschier, email of 12/12/2017:

 

Wilson, Douglas L., and Rodney O. Davis (eds.). With the assistance of Terry Wilson. Herndon’s Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements about Abraham Lincoln. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press. 1998.

 

Here are the relevant entries from the index:

 

Games. See Sports and games

Gourley, James: . . . AL and sports, 451, 453

Lincoln, Abraham

   CHARACTER AND BEHAVIOR

      ---sports and games: . . .  fives, 453, 492; . . . town ball, 451; . . .

   POLITICS

      ---nomination and presidency, 435; awaiting results of Chicago convention, 435, 437, 438, 453, 490-491

Sports and games: . . . corner ball (bullpen), 533, 603; fives, 355, 453, 492; . . . town ball, 451, 533, 603

Zane, Charles S.: . . . AL on nomination day, 490-491; on AL’s love of the game of fives, 492

 

Here are the relevant documents:

(p. 355)

249. Archer G. Herndon (WHH interview)

                                                                                    [September 28, 1866?]

A.G. Herndon

   Says – am from Virginia – The Customs & habits of Virginia we brought from England. – only partially So – We wanted – or found new uses adapted to our conditions &c – Our games were (5) fives – striking a ball up against a perpendicular wall – Say 30 feet high by 40 or 50 feet wide . . .

My note: Archer G. Herndon was William H. Herndon’s father. AGH says later in the interview that he is seventy years old, which would put the date of this interview between February 13, 1865, and February 13, 1866, but the editors estimate that it was given on September 28, 1866, the same date on which WHH interviewed Rebecca Herndon, his mother.

 

(p. 435)

321. Edward L. Baker (WHH interview)

                                                                                                           [1865-66]

Baker Editor –

   Says that Lincoln marked 3 passages in Mo – Democrat. that Lincoln marked the 3 passages – that he Baker took them up to Judge Davis – then he got here on the night train – the day before the nomination: that Lincoln & himself went to what is called the bull ring – a play at 5 vs – that the alley was full – was preengaged – that they went to a Excellent & neat Beer Saloon to play a game of Billiards – that the tables was full and took a glass of Beer – that they then went to the Journal office – there recd the first dispatch stating the result in the first ballot -- & finally they parted – Each his own way –Baker to Dinner – Lincoln to his paper &c

 

From the appendix: “Edward L. Baker was the son of David J. Baker, a prominent Illinois attorney and short-term U.S. senator. In 1855 Baker and a partner purchased the Illinois State Journal, the Springfield newspaper with which AL was strongly identified.”

My note: This document speaks to whether Lincoln was playing ball when he got word that the Republican Party had nominated him for president. One Lincoln biographer dates this interview as July 1865.

 

(p. 437)

325. Christopher C. Brown (WHH interview)

                                                                                                               [1865-1866]

Chris Brown says that on the day that Lincoln got nominated he L was very nervous – told vulgar Stories &c vehemently – said that as the balloting was going on that Lincoln said in reference to the balloting & Seward – “I’ve got him” . . .

 

From the appendix: “Brown studied law at Transylvania University and was admitted to the Illinois bar in Springfield in 1856 after being examined by AL and WHH. . . .”

My note: no reference here to playing ball

 

(p. 438)

326. Christopher C. Brown (WHH interview)

                                                                                                                        [1865-1866]

C.C. Brown

            Says that he came down to Lincoln’s office Early on the morning of the day when Lincoln was nominated.

            Lincoln was lieing on the Sofa – said “Well Brown, have you heard any thing.” – Lincoln sais “Lets go to the telegraph office., Brown” They did go over about 10 o’cl am. Lincoln stopt awhile till the telegraph brought the intelligence of the first ballot – the 2d. ballot – the 3^rd &c. Lincoln then exclaimed – “I’ve got him.”

            Lincoln played ball with me on that day (so he did with P.P. Enos, Baker &c) L was nervous, fidgety – and intensely excited Lincoln told stories – one of which was Washingtons picture in a necessary – privy in England – make an Englishman S—h—t.

 

From the footnotes: Pascal P. Enos was a Springfield merchant and politician, and Baker, as noted, was editor of the Illinois State Journal. Here, of course, is a reference to playing ball.

 

(p. 451)

343. James Gourley (WHH interview)

                                                                                                                        [1865-1866]

Jas. Gurley

            I knew Lincoln as Early as 1834: . . . I Know when Lincoln Came to this City – in 1837 –probably in May 1836. We played the old fashioned town ball – jumped – ran – fought & danced. Lincoln played town ball – he hopped well – in 3 hops he would go 40.2 on a dead level. He was a great wrestler – wrestled in the black Hawk war: his mode – method – or way – his Specialty was Side holds: he threw down all men. Lincoln was good player – could catch a ball: he would Strip and go at it – do it well -- . . .

 

From the appendix: “A native of Pennsylvania and a boot- and shoemaker who had known AL from the 1830s. Gourley was for many years a near neighbor of the Lincolns in Springfield, living one block east of them. Gourley served as deputy sheriff of Sangamon County and was also a deputy U.S. marshal.”

From the footnotes:  One early pair of biographers give the date of this interview as February 9, 1866.

 

(p. 453)

Continuation of the same document, the interview with Gourley:

            In 1844 I used to play ball with Abe Lincoln – E D Baker -- &c others: the game was Called fives – Striking a ball with our hands against a wall that Served as alley. In 1860 Lincoln & myself played ball – this game –

            Lincoln went home from the Journal Office directly after his nomination for Presdt: he was agitated – turned pale – trembled. We – a good many – Soon went up to See him at his house. Lincoln played ball the day before his nomination – probably he played Some in the morning – Early

 

(pp. 490-491)

387. Charles S. Zane (statement for WHH)

                                                                                                [1865-1866]

            About nine oclock on the morning of the Eighteenth of May 1860 I was sitting in the law office of Messers Lincoln and Herndon, Conversing with a Student in the office, when Mr Lincoln came in, . . . A short conversation then followed during which Mr. E L Baker entered the office with a telegram which said the names of the Candidates for nomination had been announced to the Convention; that Mr Lincolns name was received with greater applause, than that of any other candidate – Soon after he Lincoln went to the telegraph office accompanies by those [p. 491] present; After waiting there some time the telegraph of the first ballot first ballot Came over the wires. From the manner in which Mr Lincoln received this dispatch it was my impression that it was as favorable as he expected . . .

From the appendix: “New Jersey-born Zane moved to Sangamon County during his youth. He attended McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois, from 1852 to 1855 and in 1856 began to study law with James C. Conklin. He was admitted to the Illinois bar the next year and in 1861 began practicing with WHH when AL left for Washington, D.C.”

My note:  This document goes on for a while, but there is no mention of ball or fives in it.

 

(p. 492)

388. Charles S. Zane (WHH interview)

                                                                                                [1865-1866]

C.S. Zane

            I was present in the Illinois State Journal on the day when Lincoln was nominated: he was present & when he received the news of the 3d Ballot. Lincoln Said I Knew it would Come to this when I Saw the 2d. Ballot. . . . Lincoln played ball pretty much all the dy before his nomination – played at what is called fives – Knocking a ball up against a wall that served as an alley – He loved this game – his only physical game – that I Knew of – Lincoln said – This game makes my shoulders feel well.

 

(p. 533)

423. Bunbry B. Lloyd (WHH interview)

                                                                                                                        [1866]

B.B. Lloyd

            The plays of the People in Ky – generally ball – corner ball, called bull pen, cat & town ball. . . .

 

From the appendix: “A prominent dentist in Springfield, Lloyd was born in Kentucky, removing to the Illinois capital in 1847 and residing there until shortly before his death.”

My note: This is a short document, and there is no mention of Lincoln in it.

   

 

(p. 603)

492. Andrew S. Kirk (WHH interview)

                                                                                    Petrsburg March 7^th ‘87

            Mr. A.S. Kirk tells me this story: . . .

            Some of the customs – habits – plays & the like of the people in 1840 and before are as follows – Marbles – pitching or throwing mauls – quoits – foot races – horse races – town ball – cat – bull pen – dancing – quiltings – social gatherings – Corn huskings; 9 Saturday was the universal day to go to Springfield & other villages to do business – get drunk and to fight

From the appendix: “Kirk was a Kentuckian who was raised in Sangamon County, Illinois, and spent most of his life near Athens in Menard County.”