Property:Block Notes
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E
G
<p>"Bass-ball" is another of the alternate spellings for baseball used occasionally in the 18th and 19th centuries.</p> +
J
<p>"Baste-ball" is one of several alternate spellings of baseball that are found in 18th and 19th century writings. "The Trifler" was a weekly satirical literary journal that ran for less than one year. Its authors, writing under the nom de plume Timothy Touchstone, were reputed to be two Cambridge students and two Oxford students, all under the age of 20.</p> +
E
<p>A date this late would tend to cast doubt on this being a reference to English baseball. Still, the context of the passage, and the fact that there is little evidence that American baseball was played in the west of England at the time this was written, suggest the possibility that the writer had English baseball in mind. Another possibility is that this referred to Welsh-style baseball as an exhibition match of that form of the game had been played at Teignmouth, Devonshire in 1907.</p> +
<p>A racist caricature baseball bank called "Home Town Darkies" was manufactured in the United States at about this time, but it seems unlikely that one of those would have found its way to a small, Buckinghamshire market town.</p> +
<p>A rainout. Presumably, this "base ball" would have been played on water.</p> +
<p>A regular crime wave.</p> +
<p>According to Wikipedia, "Darby and Joan" is a proverbial phrase for a married couple content to live a quiet shared life. The paired names have appeared many times in English and American literature, dating back at least to 1735.</p> +
<p>Again, this would have been a water baseball game.</p> +
<p>Almost all of the many British newspaper accounts of the 1874 tour of American baseball players stated that the game was an elaborated form of rounders. This is one of the few that recognized baseball as being originally English. "Grandmother," however, was exaggerating a bit about the game being "ancient," and it seems she was unaware that it was still being played.</p> +
G
<p>Although dated 1828, this work was published in mid-1827 and was reviewed in the October 13, 1827 issue of "The London Literary Gazette; and Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c.," p. 657. The story appears to have been set in southern Durham County along the River Tees.</p> +
E
<p>Although this report does not indicate that the church school was located in Easton, it seems likely it is the same as from the above entry. </p> +
<p>Although we cannot know what type of baseball was offered at this fair, it more than likely did not resemble formal American baseball.</p> +
<p>American baseball by organized clubs of adult men were already known in London by this date, but these players were young children at my guess is that they were playing the traditional form of the game.</p> +
<p>American baseball is a possibility here, although Windsor was smack in the middle of traditional English baseball territory.</p> +
<p>American baseball is a possibility, although there is no previous evidence it being played at this type of social event in this era.</p> +
<p>Among the several newspaper notices at the time of the American players' tour claiming baseball to be English in origin, this one is unique in asserting the game to be a product of Yorkshire and other northern counties. It is also distinctive in comparing rule differences between the English and American versions of baseball, and provides additional evidence that English baseball batters struck the ball with their bare hands.</p> +
M
<p>An amusing review of this book appeared in the Sept. 30, 1826 issue of "The London Literary Gazette; and Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c.": “We have heard of ladies changing their names, but never before met with a lady who had given up her name for initial letters as Miss M'Leod seems to have done. She dates her preface, however, from a place which sounds extremely matrimonial, viz. Fing-ring-ho Hall, Essex; and we dare hope that E.H.P is as happy as the late Miss M'Leod could wish her to be. So much for the author; and we have little more to say about the book. As drudging critics, we cannot be expected to know aught of Fashionable Life; and we can only guess that the Lords, Ladies, Honourable Mr.'s, Mistresses and Misses, Counts, Baronets and other great folks who figure in these pages, are drawn to the Life.”</p> +
E
<p>An example of English baseball and rounders played side by side. Interestingly, this entry and the one below comprise two strawberry-themed events held on the same day.</p> +