In Nauvoo in 1841

Pre-pro Baseball
	Nauvoo, IL Firsts, Games, Clubs, Fields, Predecessor Games Greater New York City Firsts, Games, Clubs, Fields, Predecessor Games IL Firsts, Games, Clubs, Fields, Predecessor Games United States Firsts, Games, Clubs, Fields, Predecessor Games
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Date of Game	1841
Game	Old Cat
Location	Nauvoo, IL, United States
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Description	There is considerable evidence that Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS (Latter-Day-Saints) Church, played a bat-ball game, and that later reminiscences hinted that this was baseball. The Ken Burns baseball series hints at this. The sources are accumulted at http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2012/11/joseph-smith-and-baseball-the-evidence/ . The evidence suggests that a bat-ball game was played at Nauvoo in 1841. Launius, "Kingdom on the Mississippi Revisited," p. 81, calls the game Old Cat. Smith had grown up in upstate New York, and may have been exposed to some early form of baseball there.
Sources	http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2012/11/joseph-smith-and-baseball-the-evidence/
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Has Source On Hand	No
Comment	The Journal of Mormon History, vol. 11 (1984) p. 89 discusses recreation in Nauvoo and also labels the game "one old cat." The Joseph Smith Journal, entry of March 19, 1843, records: "about 4 took a game at ball east of Main Street." Via Joseph Smith Papers. Edit with form to add a comment
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Submitted by	Bruce Allardice
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Entry Origin	Sabrpedia
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