Clipping:Tag Media

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a bogus reporter scam

Date Friday, March 27, 1857
Text

We are informed, that some person, pretending to be a reporter for this paper, made a demand for reporting the proceedings of the last annual election of officers of the Base-ball Convention, and also endeavored to collect pay for reporting certain matches during the last season.  This, therefore, is to give notice, that such person was an imposter and a rogue, and that any person making similar application hereafter should be regarded as of similar character.  The reporters for Porter’s Spirit of the Times receive ample remuneration for all their duties from this office, and we give room to anything that will interest our Base-ball friends with pleasure.

Source Porter's Spirit of the Times
Tags Media
Submitted by Richard Hershberger

a self-congratulatory reprise of the Clipper's origin

Date Saturday, October 25, 1856
Text

Four or five years ago but little was known in this country regarding sporting affairs, and athletic exercises were but little indulged in.  The merchant hurried to his counting house, the clerk to his desk, the tradesman to his wareroom, and the humble mechanic to his unceasing and but ill-requited toil.  Such a thing as recreation was never dreamed of—it was work, work, work, form morning until night, a continued thirst for the dollars, without one thought to the life they were so determinedly hurrying on to eternity. Children were cooped up in narrow and ill-ventilated school rooms for several hours each day, their health being thus undermined, and their parents unable to account for the inactivity and languor of their offspring...

No sooner was this idea conceived, than we put ourself in a “course of training” to bring about the establishing of a journal devoted to sports and pastimes, physical exercises, and the various recreations that help to lessen the burden with which we are all laden in the downward course of life.  The task seem almost a hopeless one, for the extent of our resources was the munificent sum of $300, all told, and those who had been in the business laughed at us when they understood that, “sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish,” we were bound to “go in,” and win, if possible.  On the 30th of April, 1853, we issued our first number...

...We began to owe the printer, and pressman, good-natured souls that they were to trust us.  We were gradually increasing in circulation, and they knew it, so they held up on us a little, and we went ahead.  We “took the inside position,” gave all opposition the “go by,” and went in a winner by the “skin of our teeth,” raking down the money, and “paying the printer,” with the greatest pleasure imaginable.

Having firmly established the reputation of our craft, we struck out in a new track—we ferreted out old sportsmen who had been “laid on the shelf”--we brought forward new ones who only required a trial to prove themselves A No. 1.  In short, we first made a sporting paper for the people—we then got together readers for our paper, and lastly, created sports and pastimes for their amusement and recreation.  From near and far, subscriptions began to flow in upon us, and sporting matters began to increase and multiply here, there, and everywhere.  The opposition we had encountered at the outset began to diminish—those who had formerly denounced sports and sportsmen began to look upon them in a more favorable light, and in some instances to “indulge a little” themselves.  Of course these were “converts.”  And “organ” having been thus established for the “dissemination of useful knowledge” as regards events in the sporting line, proprietors of race tracks began to improve them, owners of fast nags to “look out for the chances” of a match, pedestrians for a spin, river craft for a sail, ball players for a wide and level green, boxers for the best gloves, and the various other classes who assist in making up this “fancy” world entered into the spirit of the “revolution” with a zeal altogether refreshing and lovely to behold.  Exercises were introduced in academies and schools—the “poor scholar,” no longer imprisoned between four narrow walls, without the least exercise or recreation, became jubilant over the prospect of an hour's play, and with plenty of exercise, no longer presented that wan and sickly appearance that caused his or her parents many a day of anxiety and fear.  Cricket and base ball clubs were formed, north, east, south, and west—the mechanic, the merchant, the tradesman, and clerk, all took part in the manly pastime, and resumed the business of the morrow with renewed energy and vigor...

We do not wish to be considered egotistical in this matter, but we cannot refrain from claiming the credit of having brought about these many changes, for without the Clipper, now the recognized sporting journal of America, these things could not have been so successfully achieved.  Efforts had been made to this end before we entered upon the arena, but they proved futile.  Journals were started, but they soon “acknowledged the corn,” and gave up the ghost.  Look at our little sheet, filled with news from almost every quarter of the globe;  news, too, of interest not only to the sporting man, but to the general reader.  Go where you will, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, north, south, east, or west, in the British provinces, in Europe, everywhere, in fact, and you may find the New York Clipper.  This is no idle boast, but a veritable fact.  Have we not cause, then, to exult over the changes that have been brought about in the sporting world, and to congratulate ourself upon the introduction of games, physical and mental, and athletic and other exercises among the people on this continent...

We have done thus much, and the Clipper is not yet four years old.  We shall continue in the course marked out for our guidance at the outset of our newspaporial career, until every nook and corner of the land shall have their representatives in the field of Sports and Pastimes.

Source New York Clipper
Tags Media
Submitted by Richard Hershberger

an early complaint about no facilities for reporters

Date 1860
Text

[Charter Oak vs. Excelior 5/17/1860] Owing to there being no accommodations for reporters, we could obtain no list of names—and were only successful in getting the synopsis of the each innings, which we append...

Source Brooklyn Eagle
Tags Media
Submitted by Richard Hershberger

club secretaries responsible for providing reports; when do the papers send reporters?

Date Saturday, June 6, 1857
Text

We have been asked several very puzzling queries, by subscribers, readers, and other, of the Spirit, what the Base Ball Clubs expect to do this season.  Having come out with such a large flourish of trumpets at the convention, they should have done, or do something, by this time, in the field. ... It is, however, possible that the Base Ball Clubs have met, and entered into several very exciting matches, and not sent word thereof to any of the papers.  We can only say, if they will hide themselves and their doings thus under a bushel measure, it is the fault of their secretaries.  If these gentlemen accept office, they must know that it has its duties and responsibilities, as well as its dignities and enjoyments.  One duty of a secretary, is to forward, with all convenient speed, a full and correct report of the week’s play, to the editor of this or some other journal, devoted as a speciality to out-door sports or amusements.  It cannot be expected that every mat is of sufficient importance for any paper to incur the expense of sending a reporter to attend to it.  There are, of course, occasionally, in the season, matches that excite more than ordinary interest; and to these, if we have due notice, we shall pay all necessary attention.  In the meantime, we solicit any information in relation to challenges or matches, from the secretaries of yacht, boat, cricket, base ball or, other clubs, through the length and breadth of the United States.

Source Porter's Spirit of the Times
Tags Media
Submitted by Richard Hershberger

the earliest known reference to baseball as the “national” game, from an article generally about, and praising, cricket

Date Friday, October 21, 1853
Text

Much that we have said in praise of cricket may also be said in praise of base ball–the national out-of-door game of this country.  It is to be regretted that it is not more encouraged here.  And to encourage it and cricket, and to do away with pale faces, with emaciated frames, and hole and corner gambling, gauzling, [sic] smoking and premature demoralization and death, they should be made a part, and a very important part, of the education of our youth.

Source New York Sunday Mercury
Tags Cricket, Media, Newspaper, Gamble, Gambling, National game
Submitted by Richard Hershberger

the reporters

Date 1867
Text

[Mutual vs. National of Washington 8/26/1867] Off to the right was a number of tables for the accommodation of the reportorial fraternity, where were seated besides the representatives of the city press, Mr. Gill, of the New York Mercury, New York Times and New York Clipper; J. R. Young, of the New York Tribune; W.S. Hineline, of the New York Herald; and H.A. Dobson, of the Owego (N.Y.) Times.

Source Washington Evening Star
Tags Media
Submitted by Richard Hershberger