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Seabury Base Ball Club of Faribault + ( It had 3045 residents in 1870.)

1850s.33 + ( It is interesting that the game … It is interesting that the game of wicket is not mentioned, given Ashland's location in western MA.As of Jan 2013, this is one of three uses of "gool" instead of "goal" in ballplaying entries, all in the 1850s and found in western MA and ME. [To confirm/update, do an enhanced search for "gool".] This is the only entry that uses "gool" as the actual name of the game.es "gool" as the actual name of the game.)
1853.11 + ( Pownal ME is about 20 miles north of Portland.)
1828c.3 + ( Priscilla Astifan has looked hard for such an article, and it resists finding. She suspects the article appeared in a newspaper whose contents were not preserved.)
1861.13 + ( Ravenna OH is about 35 miles SE of Cleveland in eastern Ohio.)
1861.12 + ( Sanford ME is about 30 miles N of Portsmouth NH, near the NH border.)
1840c.26 + ( See also 1837c.12 Craig reported that Oakey, 65 years old in 1894, had attended Erasmus Hall from 1838 to 1845. David Dyte added details in a July 3, 2009 19CBB posting. )
1660c.3 + ((Jacobs) says that unfortunately "balslaen" has been translated as cricket but it simply means hitting the ball.)
Eagle Base Ball Club of New York v Eckford Club of Brooklyn on 23 July 1861 + (17 total home runs hit in the match, 11 by the Eckford and 6 by the Eagle. Josh Snyder, SS for the Eckford, hit four. Eckford CF, John Snyder, hurt his knee in the ninth inning and was replaced by Wm. Brown.)
Club of Albany + (1882 African American ball club)
1867.8 + (19cbb post by Peter Morris, Nov. 8, 2002)
Old Dominion Club of Alexandria v Mt. Vernon Club of Alexandria on 15 October 1866 + (2nd nines for both teams. Game started at 2:15 PM and ended at 5:30 PM. Old Dominion played without a shortstop for most of the game as he was delayed for some reason. See clipping for more detail, including boxscore.)
1857.38 + ( "For President Buchana … "For President Buchanan in 1857, a new reverse to the (latest "Indian Peace") Medal was commissioned from engraver Joseph Wilson . . . . [The medal showed] in the distance, a simple home with a woman standing in the doorway -- and a baseball game being playing in the foreground. . . . "No matter what some gentlemen were saying in New York at the "national" conventions of area clubs, the frontier game of baseball, in all its variety, was already perceived as the national game."-- John Thorn, "Our Baseball Presidents," Our Game posting, February 2018. ary 2018. )
1807.3 + (2008 update: … 2008 update: John Thorn [email of 2/3/2008] discovers that others have been unable to determine exactly who the poet was, as there were three people with the name Garrett Barry in that area at that time. One of the three, who died at thirty in 1810, attended St. Mary's College in Baltimore.hirty in 1810, attended St. Mary's College in Baltimore.)
1840.6 + (Note: < … Note: John Thorn traces the Eagle Club further on pages 35 and 51-53. In 1852, It was to join the Knickerbockers and to arrive at a revisin of the Knickerbocker Rules. On January 7, 2021, Richard Hershberger advised the following: <div dir="ltr">"The entry currently states that William Wood says the Eagle Club originally played in the old fashioned way. Wood says no such thing. He says that there were two clubs in New York City that date as far back as 1832 and which played in the old fashioned way. He does not identify the Eagle Club with either. This is a strictly modern supposition. I'm not saying it is wrong, but there is no evidence for it, and the entry as it stands is misleading." This error was corrected 1/16/2021. Thanks RRH!</div>orrected 1/16/2021. Thanks RRH!</div>)
1835.19 + (Note</ … Note: In the following paragraph, the man is called "Joseph Haywood". This is a reminisce of a fellow student in boyhood, Jos. Haywood, at a school where one Ephraim Johnson was the teacher. It is probably fictional. Haywood loved to spout Greek and Latin and inspired his fellow students to apply Greek and Latin phrases to their schoolboy games. I've searched both names and can't find anything suitable in NY.David Block, 6/1/2021: An "article extolling fellow student at an unnamed school."lock, 6/1/2021: An "article extolling fellow student at an unnamed school.")
Velocipedes Club of Wauseon + (Defiance Democrat, July 27, 1867; Wauseon New Republican, June 24, 1869)
Potomac Club of Washington v National Club of Washington on 5 May 1860 + (Evening Star, May 7, 1860 has the Potomac scoring 35 runs, not 37.)
1867.6 + (Note: for a … Note: for a 1916 account of the history of the "hit," see the supplemental text below.For a short history of batting measures, see Colin Dew-Becker, “Foundations of Batting Analysis,” p 1 – 9:<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> Lf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> )
Forest City Club of Ithaca v Mechanic Club of Groton on 5 September 1866 + (Note: The lo … Note: The location of this game is not specified.Note: Tom Shieber of the Baseball Hall of Fame writes: "[T]his gilded [trophy] ball unquestionably features a figure-eight seam pattern. Of course, there’s no guarantee that a trophy ball is the actual ball used in the game it commemorates. Conceivably, a trophy ball might be damaged/lost/disposed/etc. and later replaced with a replacement trophy ball. Thus, this ball might commemorate the 9/5/1866 game, but actually have been made and gilded many years later. If I am not mistaken, I recall having run into this scenario once before (though details escape me), but I would say this is a rare occurrence at best. Anyway, I thought I had better mention it".e occurrence at best. Anyway, I thought I had better mention it".)
1858.19 + (Porter's Spirit of the Times reported on July 17, 1858 that the Louisville BBC had been organized on June 10, 1858.)
Agallian Club of Middletown + (The Agal … The Agallian Base Ball Club was the first formally organized baseball team at Wesleyan University. It was formed in the autumn of 1864 and played its first matches against other teams the following spring. Baseball had been played informally at Wesleyan back to at least 1860. Baseball letters were given (often at a considerably later date) to Wesleyan athletes in baseball beginning with the 1861-62 season. The name Agallian was given by professor of Greek James Van Benschoten as a derivation of the name Agalles, who was said to have invented the first game of ball-playing in ancient Greece (cf. College Argus, June 11, 1868). The club played its first match against the Charter Oak Base Ball Club of Hartford in the spring of 1865, losing 22-12. Its first intercollegiate game, which was also Wesleyan’s first intercollegiate athletic contest, was against Yale on September 30, 1865, with Yale winning 39-13. One of club’s founders, Charles L. Bonnell, class of 1868, served as captain for his entire playing career. The first practices and home games took place on the Washington Street green in Middletown and on a nearby vacant plot of land on Washington Street. Later photos exist of games being played on the Wesleyan campus on what is now Andrus Field, which at the time was essentially an undrained swamp or wetlands. The Agallian club was not a formally sponsored university team but a club composed of members of several Wesleyan classes. A later organization, the University Base Ball Club, founded in 1869, seems to have had a more formal endorsement from the administration. The Agallian B.B.C. ceased to function after 1871, when baseball began to be eclipsed by the popularity of rowing as a collegiate sport. Aside from informal contests between class teams, Wesleyan was not to have an organized baseball program again until 1888.https://archives.wesleyan.edu/repositories/sca/resources/wesleyan_university_agallian_base_ball_club_recordeyan.edu/repositories/sca/resources/wesleyan_university_agallian_base_ball_club_record)
1845.4 + (Hoboken leans on the early use of Elysian Fields to call the town the "Birthplace of Baseball." It wasn't, but in June 2015 John Zinn wrote a thoughtful appreciation of Hoboken's role in the establishment of the game. See <a href="http://amanlypastime.blogspot.com/,">http://amanlypastime.blogspot.com/,</a> essay of June 15, 2015, "Proving What Is So." For a short history of batting measures, see Colin Dew-Becker, “Foundations of Batting Analysis,” p 1 – 9: <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> e/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> )
1869.5 + (For a short history of batting measures, see Colin Dew-Becker, “Foundations of Batting Analysis,” p 1 – 9:<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> ">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> )
1868.2 + (For a short history of batting measures, see Colin Dew-Becker, “Foundations of Batting Analysis,” p 1 – 9:<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> ">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> )
1869.6 + (For a short history of batting measures, see Colin Dew-Becker, “Foundations of Batting Analysis,” p 1 – 9:<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> ">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> )
1859.69 + (For a short history of batting measures, see Colin Dew-Becker, “Foundations of Batting Analysis,” p 1 – 9:<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> ">https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0btLf16riTacFVEUV9CUi1UQ3c/</a> )
1864.49 + (Of special interest here is co-author George S. Hilliard, whose background may explain why he regarded base-ball and bat and ball as the same game. Hilliard (1808 – 1879) was born in Machias on the coast of Maine, where the term “the bat and ball” was used to describe a specific baseball-like game (see B. Turner, “The Bat and Ball,” Base Ball (Spring 2011). Starting in 1828, Hilliard was an instructor at the Round Hill School in Northampton, MA, where baseball-like games were part of the physical education curriculum (see, entry [[1823.6]]; also see B. Turner, “Cogswell’s Bat,” Base Ball (Spring 2010)). pan> (Spring 2010)). )
1810s.9 + (Using stones for bases fits Carver’s 1834 description of “base or goal ball.” Elwyn also specifies that an inning was “one out, side out,” a feature of the Massachusetts game later codified in 1858. And, of course, that old New England favorite, “soaking.”lt;/p>)
1729.1 + (Brian Turner notes that this find "predates by 33 years the 1762 ban on bat-and-ball (along with foot-ball, cricket, and throwing snow-balls and stones in the streets of Salem -- see entry [[1762.2]]). It also predates by two decades a reference in a 1750s French & Indian war diary kept by Benjamin Glazier of Ipswich." (See entry [[1758.1]]) Gilman was from a leading family of New Hampshire, mainly centered in Exeter, a bit inland from Portsmouth, where Elwyn gave a description of 1810's "bat & ball," in which he certainly seems to name a specific game. (See entry [[1810s.9]]). Seccomb, also spelled Seccombe, was born and lived in Medford, Mass., and later in life wound up in Nova Scotia -- not because he was a Loyalist, but for other reasons.Brian notes that "By “Batchelors,” Gilman probably means students pursuing a bachelor’s degree, hence the categorization of this entry under "Youth." For over two centuries, 14 was the age at which boys entered Harvard." (Email of 9/1/2014.) s New Roman; font-size: medium;"> )
Cavalry Base Ball + (Note: Protoball is not familiar enough with 1860s humor to determine exactly how authentic this report is. Bare ball-shooting guns sound pretty iffy. But 1867 was the start of Base Ball Fever, and we guess someone might have tried mounted forms of the game. To see what may be a somewhat similar game, try the droll <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcNWfcdEJ6E">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcNWfcdEJ6E</a>f="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcNWfcdEJ6E">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcNWfcdEJ6E</a>)
Portland Base Ball Club v Tri-Mountain Club of Boston on 28 June 1859 + (Tri-Mountains, 21 runs: C. C,. Dimond, 1b, 5 hands lost (outs), 0 runs; G. Arnold, Jr., 3b, 4 outs, 2 runs; I. H. Ware, 2b, 4 outs, 1 run; B. F. Guild, P, 4 outs, 1 run; F. N Scott, cf, 3 outs, 3 runs; J. W. Fletcher, lf, 2 outs, 4 runs; M. E. Chandler, rf, 1 out, 5 runs; H. F. Gill, ss, 3 outs, 3 runs; E. G. Saltzman, c, 1 out, 2 runs.Portland, 14 runs: G. H. Abbott, c, 2 outs, 2 runs; G. W. Woodbury, 1b, 5 outs, 1 run; S. Chadwick, Jr, cf, 1 out, 3 runs; J. W. Blanchard [??], lf, 3 outs, 1 run; J. C. M Furbisk, p, 3 outs, 2 runs; J. H. Knight, 3b, 3 outs, 2 runs; H. D. Evans, 2b, 5 outs, 1 run; E. P . Ten Broeck, rf, 2 outs, 1 run; H. Waters, ss, 3 outs, 1 run.Note; according to the reported line score, Portland batted last, and led 12-9 after six innings, but was outscored 12-2 in the final 3 innings. gs. )
1866.17 + ("Baseball didn't take … "Baseball didn't take root in Richmond until 1866, and the pioneer appears to have been Alexander Babcock, a New Yorker who played for Atlantic of Brooklyn in the 1850s, but went south and fought for the Confederacy, settling in Richmond after the war. He founded the Richmond Club, probably the first there, and then the Pastimes, which was a sort of City All-Stars and touring team." -- Bill Hicklin, 10/5/2020ing team." -- Bill Hicklin, 10/5/2020)
Pastime Club of Richmond + ("Baseball didn't take … "Baseball didn't take root in Richmond until 1866, and the pioneer appears to have been Alexander Babcock, a New Yorker who played for Atlantic of Brooklyn in the 1850s, but went south and fought for the Confederacy, settling in Richmond after the war. He founded the Richmond Club, probably the first there, and then the Pastimes, which was a sort of City All-Stars and touring team." -- Bill Hicklin, 10/5/2020ing team." -- Bill Hicklin, 10/5/2020)
1788.3 + ("Baste-ball" is one o … "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.An earlier (1616) translator used the term "stool-ball," a game well known in England, for the ballplaying scene. Block explains: "Stool-ball by then [1780s] was fading in popularity. Instead, girls and young women of he towns and villages of southern England were embracing the game of baseball." (Pastime Lost, page 56.) /span> page 56.) )
1852.17 + ("David Block's book & … "David Block's book Pastimes Lost cites Dickens mentioning games of ball in his letters" reported Bruce Allardice, 3/24/2021. Dickens did mention rounders in an 1849 letter to an acquaintance during a holiday at the Isle of Wight: "I . . . have had a great game of rounders every afternoon." (Block, pp. 212 and 271.)Block also notes another Dickens reference to people "playing at ball," but the site was apparently known as a racket ground, may not have have involved a baserunning game. e site was apparently known as a racket ground, may not have have involved a baserunning game. )
1870.13 + ("Is the Atlantic Club … "Is the Atlantic Club about to be gutted? Spoiler: Yes. With no reserve system or multi-year contracts, every offseason was a potential cage match. The Atlantics historically have been successful at doing unto others, but this year they will be done unto. Indeed, it will be so thorough that they will sit 1871 out, as a professional club. They will return to the professional ranks in 1872, but will never really recover. The predicted destinations aren't quite right. Ferguson and Start will go to the Mutuals. The vague bit about Hall going "southwest" is right. "The Olympics of Washington will make a run for it. Mostly this will involve the old Red Stocking players Harry Wright doesn't take with him to Boston. Taking George Hall from the Atlantics will be part of this. It won't work. The Olympics will go 15-15: the very definition of mediocre. Chapman will stick with the Atlantics initially, them jump to the Eckfords. So it goes."from Richard Hershberger, 150 Years Ago Today, 11/13/2020 Facebook Posting.In June 1870, the Atlantics had broken the famous winning streak of the visiting Cincinnati Red Stockings, 8-7. In 1872 the club was to become professional again, and join the National Association. The Atlantic website cited above shows a later Atlantic lineage to the Brooklyn Dodgers, formed in 1911."Strictly speaking the social club spun off from the baseball club December 16, 1865, the two operating in tandem until the baseball side disbanded. The Hall of Fame library has the program from the club's centennial celebration in 1965. The club later was a bit confused about the connection with the baseball side. It knew it had one, but it always dated itself from 1865." -- Richard Hershberger, email of 11/13/2020. m 1865." -- Richard Hershberger, email of 11/13/2020. )
Independent Club of Cairo v Paducah Club of Paducah on 21 October 1866 + ("Local legend suggest … "Local legend suggests baseball in Paducah is as old as the War of the Rebellion, having been brought there by Union soldiers from the northeast as they marched through Paducah on their way down to Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the summer of 1863." BRJ, Dec. 2021, p. 77, with source as a 2015 radio interview with a local historian. The game allegedly was played at Fort Anderson. [ba]allegedly was played at Fort Anderson. [ba])
1870.10 + ("Note also how the be … "Note also how the betting line is featured prominently in the account. The baseball press routinely decried the influence of gambling on baseball, while carefully reporting the odds. Consistency was not a priority here. "The crowd of three thousand seems a bit low. It is respectable for this era, but a really big game would draw a lot more. The Philadelphians claimed that that the A's held the championship, with this loss passing it to the Mutuals. No one outside Philadelphia really believed the A's held the championship, or more would have turned out today."-- Richard Hershberger, 9/15/2020d out today." -- Richard Hershberger, 9/15/2020)
1848.20 + ("This is actually quite interesting, as any notice from the press is very rare at that time." --Richard Hershberger, 4/12/2021. )
1868.7 + ( </p& … From Richard Hershberger, 2/12/2022: "150 years ago in baseball: a discussion of the record for longest throw. This would pop up from time to time for years to come." [Face Book '150 Years Ago" posting.] . . . " The modern record is held by Glen Gorbous, at the significantly longer 445 feet, 10 inches. That was in 1957. I'm sure it could be beaten today, but I want it to be your (favorite) team's outfielder trying this, not mine."https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4756338367753519&set=a.1364749713579085&type=3 As accessed 2/12/2022. Source is cited as a letter from Harry Wright from 1868. The ball is described as a regulation base ball. The location of the feat given as "our ground."e ball is described as a regulation base ball. The location of the feat given as "our ground.")
1871.19 + ( </p& … From Richard Hershberger, Facebook posting of 11/25/2021:"150 years ago in baseball: Wrapping up the affairs of the Chicago Club. It was gutted by the Great Chicago Fire and stumbled through the close of the season. Continuing as the city was rebuilding clearly was not in the cards. Say what you will about Chicago businessmen, they do appreciate the formalities. Rather than simply walking away they shut it down properly. Here we have the formal dissolution. This relates to the trivia question, what is the oldest baseball club still in existence? If we don't count colleges, and if we insist that the club still play baseball, then the candidates are the Braves (by way of Milwaukee) or the Cubs. The Braves were founded in 1871 as the Boston Base Ball Association. The Chicago Club we see shutting down here was a year older. If we can tie the modern Cubs to it, then that is our answer. The problem is that we see here the original organization formally dissolving. We will next spring see the formation of the organization that will, in 1874, field the professional team that came to be known as the Cubs. The only facts available to argue for continuity between the two is that some individuals were stockholders of both. This is very weak tea. It certainly isn't the standard we apply to other clubs. If we did, it would remove the Cubs' claim, as this standard would also connect the Phillies to the original Athletics, who were founded in 1859. But this would be absurd special pleading. So sorry, Cubs. You aren't the oldest club. You are, however, the oldest still in your original city. That isn't as sexy a first, but it is not nothing." The Great Chicago Fire occurred October 8-10, 1871. 17,000 structures were destroyed, and 300 people were killed.t;/p> The Great Chicago Fire occurred October 8-10, 1871. 17,000 structures were destroyed, and 300 people were killed.)
1872.2 + ( </p& … Richard Hershberger' FB commentary, 3/12/2022:"150 years ago in baseball: A discussion of professional ball players. It is not complimentary. It would take decades for this attitude to disappear entirely. Note in particular the assumption that of course a professional will throw a game if you pay him enough." <div><div class="bvz0fpym c1et5uql q9uorilb sf5mxxl7"><div class="k4urcfbm sf5mxxl7 l9j0dhe7 pq6dq46d"><div class="k4urcfbm hpfvmrgz g5gj957u buofh1pr mg4g778l"><div class="b3i9ofy5 e72ty7fz qlfml3jp inkptoze qmr60zad rq0escxv oo9gr5id q9uorilb kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x d2edcug0 jm1wdb64 l9j0dhe7 l3itjdph qv66sw1b"><div class="tw6a2znq sj5x9vvc d1544ag0 cxgpxx05"><div class="ecm0bbzt e5nlhep0 a8c37x1j"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql"><div dir="auto">Richard Hershberger, subsequent email to Protoball, 3/12/2022: "Titusville adapted this from the NY Times of March 8. Some other papers also picked it up. T t is hard to say just how widespread this] the attitude was, but it certainly [was] in the air. In Zane Grey's [1906]novel The Shortstop, when the protagonist tells his mother he has decided upon a career as a professional baseball player, she bursts into tears at that ruination of her son."</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="q9uorilb sf5mxxl7 pgctjfs5"><div class="no6464jc b5wmifdl nv5ty6hh"><div class="oajrlxb2 gs1a9yip mtkw9kbi tlpljxtp qensuy8j ppp5ayq2 rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 mg4g778l pfnyh3mw p7hjln8o tgvbjcpo hpfvmrgz i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of du4w35lb n00je7tq arfg74bv qs9ysxi8 k77z8yql btwxx1t3 abiwlrkh p8dawk7l lzcic4wl dwo3fsh8 g5ia77u1 goun2846 ccm00jje s44p3ltw mk2mc5f4 rt8b4zig n8ej3o3l agehan2d sk4xxmp2 pq6dq46d kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso l9j0dhe7 pzggbiyp pkj7ub1o bqnlxs5p kkg9azqs c24pa1uk ln9iyx3p fe6kdd0r ar1oviwq l10q8mi9 sq40qgkc s8quxz6p pdjglbur"><div class="i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s rnr61an3 s45kfl79 emlxlaya bkmhp75w spb7xbtv" data-visualcompletion="ignore"> </div></div></div></div></div> lt;div class="i09qtzwb n7fi1qx3 b5wmifdl hzruof5a pmk7jnqg j9ispegn kr520xx4 c5ndavph art1omkt ot9fgl3s rnr61an3 s45kfl79 emlxlaya bkmhp75w spb7xbtv" data-visualcompletion="ignore"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> )
1871.17 + ( </p& … Richard Hershberger, FB Posting, April 9. 2021:"150 years ago in baseball: a bit of historical revisionism via homerism by the Philadelphia sporting press. Thank goodness that no longer plagues us! For the record, the 1870 Mutuals went 68-17-3 while the Athletics went 65-11-1. Presumably the claim to a better record was based on winning percentage, rather than absolute number of games won. This criterion was not at all established at the time. The problem with claiming the moral, if not nominal, championship this way is that the Cincinnati Club went 67-6-1. Those records include both professional and amateur games. Perhaps the writer was thinking of just professional games? The Athletics went 26-11-1, while the Cincinnatis went 27-6-1. So while there is an argument to be made that the A's had a better record than the Mutuals, this is not at all the same as the A's having the best record. So it goes." han the Mutuals, this is not at all the same as the A's having the best record. So it goes." )
1255.1 + ( </p& … Ron Gabriel also has supplied a quality color photocopy of this plate, which was the subject of his presentation at the 1974 SABR conventionFrom Pam Bakker, email of 1/4/2022:"Cantigas de Santa Maria" (written in Galician-Portuguese) or "Canticles (songs) of Holy Mary" by Alfonso X of Castile El Sabio (1221-1284) is a collection of 420 poems with musical notation in chant-style, used by troubadours. It has fanciful extra biblical stories of miracles performed by Mary and hymns of veneration. She is often presented doing ordinary things, intended to elevate her while showing her engaged in life. It was very popular in the early Christian world. The book has illustrations, one of which appears to portray a woman swinging at a ball with a bat." at a ball with a bat." )
1860.36 + ( written for </spa … written for and recited at a Christmas Ball thrown by the Mercantile BBC of Philadelphia. In "Cant-Oh! III" the various players are mentioned. Earliest known rference to a player using a glove. . Earliest known rference to a player using a glove. )
Honey Run Town Ball Club of Germantown v Marion Town Ball Club of Germantown on 24 November 1859undefined + ((<em& … (Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times: “A grand match of town ball came off in this town …. Each Club consisted of twenty players. In spite of the cold north-west wind which swept through the fields, there were about fifteen hundred persons present. The National Cornet Band was engaged, which enlivened the spectators with their soul-stirring and national music. The game commenced at two o’clock and ended at five. … This is the closest game on record. … The greatest excitement prevailed after the result was heard. Stephen Coulter, the old warrior and President of the Honey Run, was lifted from the ground and borne by the excited crowd to the platform, where he delivered a few words in behalf of those present. The Honey Run now stand champions of Philadelphia County in playing town ball.”))
850c.1 + ((wikipedia) Nausicaä … (wikipedia) Nausicaä is young and very pretty; Odysseus says that she resembles a goddess, particularly <a title="Artemis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis">Artemis</a>. According to <a title="Aristotle" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle">Aristotle</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Dictys of Crete" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictys_of_Crete">Dictys of Crete</a>, Nausicaä later married <a title="Telemachus" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telemachus">Telemachus</a>, the son of Odysseus, and had a son named Ptoliporthus.Telemachus</a>, the son of Odysseus, and had a son named Ptoliporthus.)
1867.13 + (1867 would be a water … 1867 would be a watershed year for baseball finances. At the beginning of the season ten cents was still the standard admission. Midway through the season some clubs would experiment with twenty-five cent admissions. It turned out that the public was willing to pay this, and this changed everything. At ten cents the receipts paid for expenses, but only the top draws like the Atlantics and the Athletics could turn a significant profit. At twenty-five cents this opened up a revenue stream to many more clubs, and the fraternity found itself awash with cash (at least compared to previously). A similar thing would happen a century or so later with television money. The effect in the 1860s was to lock in professionalism. By 1868 there were openly professional picked nine games being played, and the following year they dropped the pretense entirely.ly.)
1872.1 + ( </spa … Richard Hershberger posted the following, 3/10/2022:150 years ago in baseball: the Rules and Regulations adopted by the Forest City Club of Cleveland for its players. It rather jumps out that they felt it necessary to specify that players weren't allowed to throw games for money, with the penalty of being "expelled in disgrace." But the topic for today's sermon is the role of the captain. This touches on a persistent modern misunderstanding of the early professional era. Look at the list of the captain's responsibilities and this looks similar to the modern field manager. Look up the 1872 Forest City club and you will find two "managers" listed: Scott Hastings, going 6-14 and Deacon White going 0-2. (The team was, it turns out, not good, and won't last the season.) They actually were the captains. The "manager" in this era was a different role. The details varied, but the manager typically was in charge of the business side of things: supervised the gate on game day, made travel arrangements on the road, and so on. Sometimes the manager was in charge of hiring and firing players, making him more like the modern general manager. The captain always was a player. The manager usually was not, but there were a few exceptions such as Harry Wright. Here in 1872 not all teams had a full time manager, the officers running things directly. Later this summer when the Forest City team goes on a trip, a report identifies the "manager" for that trip, meaning the guy who will corral the players get them from city to city. Within a few years the job will have grown to a full time position, nearly always held by someone hired specifically for that job. The problem is that the modern listings of managers are a mess for the 19th century. We have this modern concept of what is a "manager"--Earl Weaver or Billy Martin and so on--and we try to impose this model on the past. So some researcher reads a report with the captain doing stuff we expect of a modern manager, and lists that guy as the manager. Or a researcher sees some other guy called the "manager" and lists him. This eventually got distilled down to a standard list, with the two roles jumbled together in an incoherent mess. The moral is that if we want to understand what was going on, we have to set aside modern understandings of how these things work. standard list, with the two roles jumbled together in an incoherent mess. The moral is that if we want to understand what was going on, we have to set aside modern understandings of how these things work.)
Mansfield Base Ball Club + (Basebal … Baseball--The interest in this exciting game continues unabated in our city. We have now two regularly organized clubs, the "Mansfield," and the "Exercise." In our last issue, we gave the officers of the former. Here are the officers of the "Exercise:" President--F.P. Gass; Vice-President--J.H. Roberts; Secretary--George Snyder; Treasurer--James Cobean; Directors--William Dougherty, Charles Fay and A. Emminger. Both clubs are practicing regularly and are showing a laudable spirit of rivalry in preparing for the match game, to be played on the first Wednesday of September. Mansfield Herald, Aug. 15, 1866.We have already noticed the formation of two clubs in our city, and there being a natural spirit of rivalry between them. The clubs met last Wednesday with the Mansfields defeating the Excercise 45 to 31. Same Sept. 12, 1866Another match game of Base Ball took place between the first nines of the "Mansfield" and "Exercise" Clubs, on Friday, resulting in a draw game, the score being 17 to 17. As the result was a tie in the case, it is likely one more game will be had between the Clubs, to decide their superiority, before the cold weather puts a stop to the ball playing season. "Exercise" line-up: Cobean, Roberts, Winterstein, Summers, Rowland, Emminger, Dougherty, Race, Snyder. "Mansfield" line-up: Parsons, McMann, Hade, Rowland, Strong, Clugston, Littler, Thomas, Leiter. Same, Oct. 3, 1866 On last Friday afternoon, the anxiously looked for contest between the Lenape Base Ball Club of Delaware and the Mansfield Club took place on the Mansfield grounds in a large field adjoining Hedges' Grove on East Market Street. A large crowd estimated at not less than 2,000. The Mansfield Club beat the favored Lenape team by a count of 76 to 28. The batting of Messrs. R.H. Rowland and W. Dougherty was excellent, and the science displayed by L.A. Strong and James D. Bell, in catching showed they were not novices to it. Mansfield Herald, June 12, 1867 W. Dougherty was excellent, and the science displayed by L.A. Strong and James D. Bell, in catching showed they were not novices to it. Mansfield Herald, June 12, 1867)
1842.12 + (Bob Tholkes notes: "I … Bob Tholkes notes: "I have been preaching for some time now that "base ball" and "round ball" and "town ball" were regional dialectal synonyms for the same game. For the most part there is a clear division between "base ball" territory and "town ball" territory, with 'town ball' being used in Pennsylvania, the Ohio River watershed, and the South. "I have come across what seems to be an unblemished early use of "base ball" in Virginia...It is perfectly obvious that 'base ball' is an older term than 'town ball'. Presumably "base ball" was the term used throughout anglophone North America in colonial times, and "town ball" arose in some place (my guess is Pennsylvania, but I can't begin to prove it) and spread west and south. So this Virginia example could be a survival of the older term, or it could be a random later borrowing from the north.""Reverend Duval was born in 1822 outside of Richmond, and the family moved into town when he was a small child. In 1842 he entered the Virginia Theological Seminary, a major Episcopal seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. There he kept a diary. The entry above is for October 3, 1842. (per 19cbb post by Richard Hershberger, July 27, 2011)."Alexandria VA is immediately outside the District of Columbia on the Potomac River.lt;/span> Alexandria VA is immediately outside the District of Columbia on the Potomac River.)
Omega Club of Andover v Olympic Cricket Club of Andover on 23 May 1860 + (Charles Phelps Taft ( … Charles Phelps Taft (class of 1860) sat for one term in Congress and helped his brother, William Howard Taft, win the U. S. Presidency. That said, he was best known in baseball circles as majority owner of the Chicago Cubs from 1914 until he sold the team to William Wrigley in 1916. Baseball was a passion Taft discovered as a student at Andover, as he wrote to his father in 1860: "We have gotten up a first rate Base Ball Club and play every evening after prayers. There is considerably more fun in it than there is in cricket…Yesterday afternoon we had quite a nice game of Base Ball between the two clubs or rather the first eleven (sic) of each club. Somehow or other I was chosen from our club. It must have been by mistake. When we quit playing the other side was 44 to our 55. The game is 100. It is going to be continued next Saturday." https://athletics.andover.edu/teams/bbbv/alumnis.andover.edu/teams/bbbv/alumni)
1850c.54 + (Daniel.Lucius (Doc) A … Daniel.Lucius (Doc) Adams (see entry for 1840), was a member and officer of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York and the National Association of Base Ball Players from 1845- 1862. Under his chairmanship, the NABBP Rules Committee standardized the now-familiar 90-foot basepaths and 9-inning games.iliar 90-foot basepaths and 9-inning games.)
1860c.27 + (Farnham was born in 1849. This account seems to imply that some minimum number of crossings from base to base was required to avoid an out.)
1845.27 + (From John Thorn, emai … From John Thorn, email of 2/16/2023: "According to David Ball, 'The item is a letter from a correspondent in that city [Philadelphia], and the context is some sort of political reform movement intended to clean up popular amusements.'" This isn't the first attestation of the term "town ball" but it's very early.Protoball Note: As of February 2023, Protoball entries show about 100 references to town ball, including about 70 chronology items and 30 other refs in game accounts, club accounts, and news clippings. Some report local finds, but many and others reflect clarifying commentary by PBall data contributors. Very few mentions are found before 1835.About 50 of these 100 refs are shown on PBall search maps. They show wide distribution across the US, but none are reported in the Greater New York area. (The two New Jersey mentions are not in northernmost NJ).As far as we know, these collected town ball references have not been studied rigorously as of early 2023. w, these collected town ball references have not been studied rigorously as of early 2023. )
1872.10 + (From Richard Hershber … From Richard Hershberger, 150 years ago today in baseball: "Baltimore at Philadelphia where they beat the A's 12-8. . . I am excerpting the box score because it is an interesting format. Notice how strike outs are only indirectly indicated. The reporter, Al Wright, is also the A's official scorer, so this is not merely some journalistic idiosyncrasy. Scoring is not yet regulated on the league level. Individual clubs and scorers are still experimenting."Steve Colbert comments: "I have seen this format a couple of times while digging through box scores in the 1870 and 1871 seasons. When reviewing some of the play-by-play's, apparently missed 3rd strikes were recorded only as errors and not logged as strike outs anywhere that I can tell." t I can tell." )
1872.6 + (From Richard Hershber … From Richard Hershberger, 150 years ago in baseball, May 19, 2022."The umpire question. Umpire selection in the early days was very informal. Sometimes arrangements would be made ahead of time, but even for important matches it was not unknown for the two captains to pick a guy out from the crowd. It would usually be someone they both knew, so it wasn't totally random, but if he had not shown up, they would have picked someone else. Here in 1872 this system is wearing thin. This is the professional era and the stakes are higher. In today's excerpt, we see a radical suggestion: pay the guy. This will start happening soon. It will help, but won't solve the problem entirely. There still is the matter of finding someone both captains agree upon. The next decade or so will see endless overly elaborate schemes to come up with an equitable system. The underlying problem is that even once everyone agrees the umpire needs to be paid, no one wants to pay enough for this to be a full-time job. Employing part-timers means they are using local guys, with all this entails. The bickering will be endless. Or at least it will be until they finally bite the bullet and go with a full-time umpire corps employed by the league. That won't be until the 1880s. Here in 1872, the NA doesn't even have a league structure to run an umpire corps, much less the operating funds. The article here suggests $10 per game. This won't be enough to persuade capable men to put up with grief for two hours. The going rate will settle in at $15. That is roughly equivalent to $300 to $400 in today's money."h grief for two hours. The going rate will settle in at $15. That is roughly equivalent to $300 to $400 in today's money.")
Bittle-Battle + (From https://erenow.n … From https://erenow.net/common/fourbritishfolkwaysinamerica1989/27.php"Another rule-bound version of an English folk sport was called town ball, the Massachusetts game or the New England game. It was played with a bat, a ball and four bases on a field sixty feet square, by eight to twenty players, each of whom kept his own individual tally. The New England game was also descended from a family of English traditional games, of which perhaps the nearest equivalent was called bittle-battle. Its rules were remarkably similar to modern baseball. Bittle-battle was played with four bases (each about a foot square) 48 feet apart. The pitcher stood 24 feet from home base, and each batter was out if the ball was caught, or if it touched a base before the batter reached it. The game of bittle-battle was played in southeastern England, particularly in Kent. It was brought to Massachusetts in the early seventeenth century, and became so common that by the eighteenth century it bore the name of the region."Bell-Irving, "Mayfield: The Story of an Old Wealden Village" (1903), p. 16, says the following: "Stoolball, an old Sussex game, . . . is played by girls, and is similar to cricket, the chief difference being that a round bat is held up against a wicket board one foot square, on a post between four and five feet in height. Tradition says it was originally played by milkmaids, holding up their stools for wickets, hence its name. Another name for the game was 'bittle-battle' (bittle, a wooden milk bowl, bat, a piece of wood)." [ba]ttle' (bittle, a wooden milk bowl, bat, a piece of wood)." [ba])
Madison Square Park + (In other words, the N … In other words, the New York Club’s grounds lay outside today’s Madison Square but within the pre-1844 park; the Parade, as Madison Square was called prior to its formal dedication as a public park in 1847, was originally a twenty-acre tract bounded by Third and Seventh avenues and Twenty-third and Thirty-fourth streets. The “roadside resort” was named the Madison Cottage but was also known as Thompson’s for its proprietor. (Our game blog, Dec. 20, 2021)ec. 20, 2021))
Goal Ball + (Note: For searches, "gool," "gould," and "gool ball" have sometimes given relevant results.)
Lenape Club of Delaware + (On last Friday aftern … On last Friday afternoon, the anxiously looked for contest between the Lenape Base Ball Club of Delaware and the Mansfield Club took place on the Mansfield grounds in a large field adjoining Hedges' Grove on East Market Street. A large crowd estimated at not less than 2,000. The Mansfield Club beat the favored Lenape team by a count of 76 to 28. The batting of Messrs. R.H. Rowland and W. Dougherty was excellent, and the science displayed by L.A. Strong and James D. Bell, in catching showed they were not novices to it. Mansfield Herald, June 12, 1867ices to it. Mansfield Herald, June 12, 1867)
1845.32 + (Richard Hershberger, … Richard Hershberger, 2/3/2021"I don't believe I have seen this before: An advertisement in the NY Atlas October 5, 1845, for the upcoming baseball game between New York and Brooklyn players. It is of particular interest as it lists both the first and last names of the Brooklyn players.""I take the two games as being, on the one side, a function of the New York BBC, and on the other side an unofficial function of some members of the Union Star CC. One of the accounts carefully distinguishes between the New York Club and Brooklyn players."Tom Gilbert, 2/3/2021:"Some known cricketers in there." John Thorn, 2/3/20211:<a>https://protoball.org/1845.32</a> <a>Protoball Chronology #1845.32</a> NY Atlas Advises: THE OLD GAME OF BASE REVIVED Salience Prominent City/State/Country: <a title="Brooklyn, NY">Brooklyn</a>, <a title="NY">NY</a>, <a title="United States">United States</a> Game <a title="Chronology:Base">Base</a> Age of Players <a title="Chronology:Adult">Adult</a> Text <div>"THE OLD GAME OF BASE REVIVED–There will be a game of Base come off on MONDAY, October</div><div>5th, between eight New York players and eight of Brooklyn, on the U.S.C [Union Star] Club ground. The game will commence at 11 o’clock, weather permitting; if not, the first fair day. The following are the Brooklyn players:</div><div> </div><div>John Hunt,</div><div>Theodore Foman</div><div>Edward Hardy</div><div>John Waley</div><div>John Hyne</div><div>Stephen Swift</div><div>William Sharp </div><div> Samuel Myers. " </div> SourcesNY Atlas, October 5, 1845CommentRichard Hershberger, 2/3/2021"I don't believe I have seen this before: An advertisement in the NY Atlas October 5, 1845, for the upcoming baseball game between New York and Brooklyn players. It is of particular interest as it lists both the first and last names of the Brooklyn players.""I take the two games as being, on the one side, a function of the New York BBC, and on the other side an unofficial function of some members of the Union Star CC. One of the accounts carefully distinguishes between the New York Club and Brooklyn players."Tom Gilbert, 2/3/2021:"Some known cricketers in there."John Thorn, 2/3/2021:"Location of the match:<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.covehurst.net/ddyte/brooklyn/ancient.html">http://www.covehurst.net/ddyte/brooklyn/ancient.html</a>" Submitted by <a title="Richard Hershberger">Richard Hershberger</a> Submission Note 19CBB Posting, 2/3/2021 carefully distinguishes between the New York Club and Brooklyn players." Tom Gilbert, 2/3/2021: "Some known cricketers in there." John Thorn, 2/3/2021: "Location of the match: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.covehurst.net/ddyte/brooklyn/ancient.html">http://www.covehurst.net/ddyte/brooklyn/ancient.html</a>" Submitted by <a title="Richard Hershberger">Richard Hershberger</a> Submission Note 19CBB Posting, 2/3/2021 )
1872.9 + (Richard Hershberger, … Richard Hershberger, 8/19/2022:150 years ago today in baseball: "Boston at Cleveland, winning 12-7. This is the last gasp of the Cleveland team, but what interests me is this tidbit about Harry Wright's batting strategy, not swinging until the umpire calls a strike. This will later become a common approach. This is the earliest mention of it I know, making Harry a forward thinker in yet another area of baseball."For Richard's 2014 summary of the called rules, see https://protoball.org/Called_Pitches 4 summary of the called rules, see https://protoball.org/Called_Pitches )
1872.11 + (Richard Hershberger, … Richard Hershberger, 150 years ago today in baseball: The Manhattan Cricket Club beats the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club 26-17. To be absolutely clear, they were playing baseball. Cricket and baseball clubs playing one another in one or both games was an established practice in this era. Generally the baseball team won at baseball and the cricket team won at cricket. When a team won at the other's game it usually was a case of ridiculously great disparity of athleticism. Imagine a modern MLB team, given a reasonable time to learn the rudiments, playing a rec league amateur cricket team. Or, taking it the other direction, an India Premier League team playing an American rec league baseball team.This provides the explanation for the Knickerbockers' loss: They were really, really Not Good. Indeed, they never had been, except for a few years in the mid-1850s when their greater experience sufficed to make them respectable. In their defense, they weren't trying to be good. They were trying to combine exercise and socializing. They were generally successful at this. But on the rare occasions they played an outside game, the results could be ugly. ut on the rare occasions they played an outside game, the results could be ugly. )
Massachusetts Game + (See the article on the Massachusetts game in the Origins Committee Newsletter, September, 2021.)
1768.2 + (Still, it's fairly si … Still, it's fairly significant in that it becomes, by far, the earliest known appearance of baseball in a dictionary. The next earliest one we know of was almost 80 years later, in James Orchard Halliwell's 1847 "Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words." It is quite interesting that "baseball" appears as one whole word, not the two-word "base ball," or hyphenated "base-ball" that were customary in the era. Also of note is the dictionary's indication that the word "base" was an alternate name for baseball. "A Society of Gentlemen" was the pseudonym under which the Encyclopaedia Britannica was first published, also in 1768.nder which the Encyclopaedia Britannica was first published, also in 1768.)
Akron BBC + (The Akron Base Ball C … The Akron Base Ball Club will play a match game of base ball, with Mansfield Club, at 3 o'clock, P.M., on the farm of Peter Bell, on West Fourth Street. Mansfield Herald, July 10, 1867The game of base ball between the Akron and Mansfield Clubs, took place on the farm of Peter Bell, near this place, on last Wednesday and was witnessed by a large crowd. The game resulted in the success of the Akron Club by a score of 63 to 34. Much dissatisfaction was expressed at the conduct of the Umpire who first superintended the game. Same July 17, 1867 he Umpire who first superintended the game. Same July 17, 1867 )
Irish Rounders + (The GAA version of ro … The GAA version of rounders is very similar to <a title="Softball" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball">softball</a>, the main difference being that the game is played with baseball-sized bats, balls and field. However, baseball-style gloves are not allowed. The main differences between <a title="Baseball" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball">baseball</a> and the English version of the game are that the rounders bat is much shorter and is usually swung one-handed; misses or strikes are not called, so there are no walks or strike-outs; each batter receives only one good ball and must run whether they hit it or not. Other differences include the posts for marking the bases, which should be wooden, and are preferably encased in plastic sheaths, the layout of the pitch, especially the location of the last base; and the bowler's arm motion, which is an underarm pendulum action, as in softball. (from Wikipedia arrticle on Irish rounders)endulum action, as in softball. (from Wikipedia arrticle on Irish rounders))
1859.49 + (The first “match” gam … The first “match” game in New Orleans between two different clubs was played August 12, 1859 between the Empire and Louisiana Base Ball Clubs, won by Empire [Times-Picayune, August 13, 1859]. [ba] Another pair of clubs followed closely. The Southern and Magnolia clubs played in early October. [John Husman, "Ohio's First Baseball Game," July 16, 2004, page 4 (no source given).]l Game," July 16, 2004, page 4 (no source given).])
1829.4 + (The game played was w … The game played was wicket. See the Ilion Citizen, March 13, 1903:One Saturday afternoon, in the fall of 1829 while a party of academics were playing a game of wicket ball on the "green," Philo Petrie, a student, was hit by a bat and almost instantly fell dead. Ozias Nellis was at the wicket, defending it, and in his playing raised his bat to strike the fall; as it came he struck but missed the ball, and momentum of the blow swung Nellis and the bat around, raising the bat as it went, and hit Petrie, who was standing near, on the side of his head. Petrie suddenly clapped both hands to his head, and in a moment fell headlong to the ground. No blame was laid on Nellis; the blow was accidental, but fatal.d. No blame was laid on Nellis; the blow was accidental, but fatal.)
Rocky Mountain Club of Virginia City v Rocky Mountain Club of Virginia City in 1866 + (The < … The Montana Post (Virginia City) June 2, 1866, reports the game between the two nines of the "Rocky Mountain Base Ball Club", won by the first nine by "thirty-three points" (121 to 88). F. G. Heidt is captain of the first nine. A roster is given. This game was played "near the new burying-ground"--presumably Boot Hill, just north of town (at Jefferson and Main Sts.) or the "New" Cemetery just northeast of town.. [ba]Sts.) or the "New" Cemetery just northeast of town.. [ba])
Village Base Ball Club of Philadelphia + (The New York Clipper, Nov. 27, 1869 mentions the following clubs attending the PA state baseball convention: James Page, Village, Olive, Ours, City Item, Experts, all of Philadelphia.)
1864.39 + (The < … The United States Sanitary Commission was a private relief agency created by federal legislation on June 18, 1861, to support sick and wounded soldiers of the U.S. Army during the <a title="American Civil War" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War">American Civil War</a>. It operated across the North, raised an estimated $25 million in Civil War era revenue and in-kind contributionsestimated $25 million in Civil War era revenue and in-kind contributions)
Active Base Ball Club of New York v Onalaska Club of New York on 4 June 1859 + (Tholkes RIM says 5/25.)
Club of Tiraspol + (Today Tiraspol is the capital of Transnistria, a breakaway state in Moldova, where it is the third largest city. Transnistria is not recognized as a county by the U.N.)
Olympic Club of Boston + ([from a biographical … [from a biographical sketch of George Arnold:] In the Spring of 1851 he came to this city and began work with the firm of James Munroe & Col, booksellers. The years following, he, with the late Mr. Albert S. Flye and a few young men, used to meet on the Common as early as five o’clock, a.m., to play ball; here we may trace the origin of what was afterwards known as the “Olympic Ball Club of Boston,” and no doubt the first Club organized in New England. It was formed in the Summer of 1854. Mr. Arnold took an active part in organizing the same. [New England Base Ballist, Aug. 27, 1868--see Hershberger clippings]8--see Hershberger clippings])
Excelsior Base Ball Club of Pana + (<strong id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413030158325_6955" style="font: 700 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">"Baseball Pioneers, 1850-1870, The Clubs And Players Who Spread the Sport Nationwide" edited by Peter Morris,, William J. Ryczek, Jan Finkel, Leonard Levin Publisher: McFarland and Company Jefferson, North Carolina 2012<br style="font: 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"/><strong id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413030158325_6966" style="font: 700 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Chapter 6, Page 203<br style="font: 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"/><span style="font: 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; float: none; display: inline !important; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"> <br style="font: 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"/><strong id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413030158325_6967" style="font: 700 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">"...Even more importantly, for every player and club that proved itself on the national stage, there were dozens who became local legends. In Pana, Illinois for example, "the first baseball club was named the Excelsiors. J.C. McQuigg, still a leading attorney of Pana, was the star catcher and batter of the club. He was known as the Babe Ruth of Central Illinois, and won the state championship by knocking the ball out of the state fairgrounds at Decatur, Illinois, for a home run and brought in three men with him, winning the game and the silver cup."<br style="font: 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"/><em id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413030158325_5584" style="font: italic 13px/normal 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; color: #000000; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: #ffffff; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">Jay McAfee note: J.C. McQuigg is James C. McQuigg, son of John McQuigg Sr. & Sarah McAfee of Wayne County, Ohio. James was a Civil War Veteran and was severely wounded at the battle of Chickasaw Bluffs, Dec. 29, 1862. is James C. McQuigg, son of John McQuigg Sr. & Sarah McAfee of Wayne County, Ohio. James was a Civil War Veteran and was severely wounded at the battle of Chickasaw Bluffs, Dec. 29, 1862.)
Eagle Base Ball Club of New York + ( )
1816c.11 + ( < … "Northanger Abbey was published posthumously in 1818, and while most scholars agree the first draft was written in the 1798-99 time period, there is no evidence that Austen's early draft included the baseball reference. It was submitted for publication in 1803 under the name “Susan,” but never went to press. The text was revised between 1816 and 1817, but did not get published until after Austen’s death that summer." (from David Block, 9/16/2020). ock, 9/16/2020). )
Schlagball + (A. Notes from Bill … A. Notes from Bill Hicklin"Schlagball is the German name for its variant of longball, which is still played in schools, and on a club basis in the northern coastal region. It is substantially the same as Gutsmuth's "German Ballgame;" it was touted by German nationalists in the 19th century as just that, the German National Pastime on a par with baseball in America and cricket in Britain. Rules are to be found in almost every German sports manual of the 19th and early 20th century, its popularity peaking in the 1920s before it yielded to the explosive growth of soccer. The last national Schlagball championship was played in 1954. Also played in Austria under the name Kaiserball or 'Imperial Ball.'"Bill Hicklin, submission to Protoball, 2015.------B -- Dakota play. from Terry Bohn" . . . the Dakota Territory was primarily settled by German immigrants (who played baseball). The capital city of Bismarck, North Dakota changed its name from Edwinton to Bismarck in 1873 in hopes the Chancellor would be flattered and help fund the Northern Pacific Railroad. It didn't work."Terry Bohn, 19CBB posting, 11/19/2017. Query: is there evidence that schlagball was played by German immigrants to the US?----C. -- FYI, Protoball's Brother-in-law's grandfather once taught schlagball at a German school. Maybe he can turn up details on schlagball's rules of play? - C. -- FYI, Protoball's Brother-in-law's grandfather once taught schlagball at a German school. Maybe he can turn up details on schlagball's rules of play? )
Detroit Club Grounds + (August 8, 1859</ … August 8, 1859First Game Between Opposing ClubsA form of class warfare was played out on the grounds of the Lewis Cass farm, roughly in the vicinity of Grand River and Cass. The Detroits, organized in 1858, were a group of well-heeled citizens who, bored with cricket, decided to give baseball a try. A second team of clerks and office workers was organized in 1859. Because of their long work hours, they practiced at sunrise and called themselves the Early Risers. In first of several games involving the two teams, the Detroits routed the Early Risers, 59-21. (per vintagedetroit.com)volving the two teams, the Detroits routed the Early Risers, 59-21. (per vintagedetroit.com))
1770c.3 + (Caution:Caution: dating this reference requires some assumptions. Waterhouse was born in 1754, and thus, if this recollection is authentic, he speaks of a penchant for ballplaying [and smoking] he held in his teens. He was born at Newport, RI and remained there until 1780.e was born at Newport, RI and remained there until 1780.)
1778.4 + (Caveat:</strong& … Caveat: It is unknown whether this was a ball game, rather than prisoner's base, a form of tag played by two teams, and resembling the game "Capture the Flag."Note: "Long Bullets" evidently involved a competition to throw a ball down a road, seeing who could send the ball furthest along with a given number of throws. Another reference to long bullets is found at <a>http://protoball.org/1830s.20</a>. t;http://protoball.org/1830s.20</a>. )
1847.7 + (Note -- Actually, an earlier account of California ballplaying was recorded a month before this, in San Diego. See [[1847.15]]. )
1857.3 + (Note" add info on the significance of this club?)
Resolute Club of Boston v Aurora Club of Chelsea on 13 May 1871 + (Note: </strong&g … Note: The Clipper printed this correction two weeks later:"The Aurora Club of Chelsea, Mass, is composed of White and not colored men as was inadvertently stated in the late issue."Note: The article does not specify where these clubs played this match.Can we confirm that the Resolute Club comprised African American players?played this match. Can we confirm that the Resolute Club comprised African American players?)
1440c.1 + (Note: This drawing is listed as "contemporary" on the premise that it was meant to depict ballplaying in the 1400s.)
Pythian Club of Philadelphia v Mutual Club of Washington on 12 August 1871 + (Note: This match between two African American clubs was later described as the US colored championship match, and, is reported as being played the same day as the account was printed. This may be a typo.)
1751.1 + (Note: This match is also reported in item #1751.3)
1751.3 + (Note: This match is also reported in item#1751.1)
1821.8 + (Note: This entry was formerly listed for 1844 from prior sources. The location of the village play in not given.)
1837.8 + (Note: A dollar fine for "pitching dollars?")
1850.6 + (Note: Is the author hinting that boys commonly bet on their ball-games? Isn't this a rare mention of barn-ball?)
1805.4 + (Note: … Note: So, folks . . . was this a baserunning ball game, some version of prisoner's base (a team tag game resembling our childhood game Capture the Flag) with scoring, or what?John Thorn [email of 2/27/2008] has supplied a facsimile of the Post report, and also found meeting announcements for the Diagoras in the Daily Advertiser for 4/11 and 4/12/1805.David Block (see full text in Supplemental Text, below) offers his 2017 thoughts on this entry: Email from David Block, 2/19/2017:"Gents,Just a quick note to follow up on John's blog post from last week about the 1805 "bace" game. My opinion on whether that game was baseball or prisoner's base has gone back and forth over the years. As of now I tend to lean 60-40 to baseball. Other than the example from Chapman that John cited, I've never come across a use of the term bace to signify either game. Even if I had it wouldn't mean much as the word "base" has been used freely over the years for both of them. The mention of a score in the 1805 article is significant. Rarely are scores indicated in any of the reports of prisoner's base (prison base, prison bars, etc.) that I've come across. Usually they just indicate one side or the other as winner. There are a couple of exceptions. I know of one English example from 1737 where a newspaper reported on a match of prison-bars between eleven men from the city of Chester against a like number from the town of Flint in Wales. "The Cheshire gentlemen got 11, and the Flintshire gentlemen 2," it noted. I've also seen another English report from 1801, also of prison-bars, where one side was said to have "produced a majority of five prisoners." Still, George's example is American, where I suspect that, even at that early date, baseball was probably the more popular game of the two.Regarding "baste," I have seen at least two dozen examples of the term "baste-ball" used in England in the 18th and 19th centuries. It's clear from context that this was an alternate spelling of base-ball, along with bass-ball. I don't doubt the same was true for the few instances of baste-ball's use in America."My opinion on whether that game was baseball or prisoner's base has gone back and forth over the years. As of now I tend to lean 60-40 to baseball. Other than the example from Chapman that John cited, I've never come across a use of the term bace to signify either game. Even if I had it wouldn't mean much as the word "base" has been used freely over the years for both of them. The mention of a score in the 1805 article is significant. Rarely are scores indicated in any of the reports of prisoner's base (prison base, prison bars, etc.) that I've come across. Usually they just indicate one side or the other as winner."Best to all, David"John Thorn email of Feb., 25, 2024: "Hi, George. I found this thesis invaluable for my understanding of early ball play in New York, and thus for EDEN. Do you have it? Here's a Dropbox link [omitted] in case you don't. Once upon a time we had wondered about the location of the Gymnastic Ground, near Tyler's. I found this pretty compelling (before this pleasure ground was Tyler's, it was Brannon's):Some idea of the garden during Brannon's tenure can be gotten from scattered sources. In 1842, for a suit in the Court of Chancery involving the ownership of the Church Farm, a group of elderly men and women gave depositions describing this part of the city as they recalled it in the eighteenth century. Several testified that the garden was enclosed by a fence; one testified that Brannon maintained a ball alley; and another owned that between 1789 and 1793, during his days as a student at Columbia College (then located on Church Street between Barclay and Murray), he and "the collegians were in the habit of frequenting . . . Brannon's Garden." [“Chancery Reports (Sandford), 4:716, 724, & 730.]I also have bound volumes of these chancery reports, which to my knowledge have not been digitized; I suppose I could check!Also, I append an item possibly missed by all of us, from the New-York Herald (New York, New York) May 4, 1805Note that the Columbia College clubs' game of bace is here rendered as basse. The mention of "hands in" fully persuades me that this is a game of bat and ball."the game report first appeared in the New-York Evening Post of May 1, and next in The Herald of May 4.David Block agrees he mention of "hands in" fully persuades me that this is a game of bat and ball." the game report first appeared in the New-York Evening Post of May 1, and next in The Herald of May 4. David Block agrees )
1818.4 + (Note: … Note: The original source of the 1818 reference may have been lost. Bob reports that Dean Sullivan thesis cited Harold Peterson's The Man Who Invented Baseball (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1973), page 24. However, Peterson gives no source. A dead end?), page 24. However, Peterson gives no source. A dead end?)
1700c.2 + (Note: This book is in the form of a chronology. Barber gives no source for the wicket report.)
1850s.50 + (Note: … Note: This describes a scrub form of tutball/rounders. It suggests that all hitting was forward, thus in effect using a foul line, as would make sense with a single fielder.The claim that tutball and stoolball used the same rules is surprising; stoolball is fairly uniformly described as having but two bases or stools, and using a bat.y described as having but two bases or stools, and using a bat.)
1844.6 + (Note: Understanding the author's intent here is complicated by the fact that he was Canadian, Sam Slick was an American character, and the novel is set in Britain.)
1494c.1 + (Note: We need better sources for the Columbus story.)
1824.6 + (Note: see item #[[1829c.1]] below for Holmes' Harvard ballplaying.)
1788.2 + (Note: "Nines seems an unusual name for a ball game; do we find it elsewhere? Could he have been denoting nine-pins or nine-holes? John Thorn, in 2/3/2008, says he inclines to nine-pins as the game alluded to.)
1864.58 + (Note: … Note: A few days earlier, Richard had noticed the use of "battery" in a July 26 game report: see Supplementary Text, below.The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, page 86, citing the Chadwick Scrapbooks, had the first use of "battery" as 1868 (third edition). first use of "battery" as 1868 (third edition). )
1733.1 + (Note: A bat had been described in Willughby's c.1672 account of hornebillets. See [[1672c.2]].)
1841.15 + (Note: … Note: Melville is willing to identify the sport as the one that was played mostly in the CT-central and MA area . . . but it is conceivable that the writer intended to denote cricket instead? From Bruce Allardise, December 2021: The original article is in the New Orleans Times Picayune, May 31, 1841, which references a reminisce in a {April 1841} Cleveland OH newspaper article. [bsa]eminisce in a {April 1841} Cleveland OH newspaper article. [bsa])
1550c.2 + (Note: it would be interesting to see the original reference, and to know how 1550 was chosen as the reported year of play. Note: Derrick would have been about 10 years old in 1550.)
1816.1 + (Note: those streets intersect a half block from the Hall of Fame, right?)
1744.2 + (Note: … Note: we may want reassurance that the "Base-ball" poem appeared in the 1744 version. According to Thomas L. Altherr, "A Place Leavel Enough to Play Ball," reprinted in David Block, Baseball Before We Knew It, the 1767 London edition also has poems titled "Stoolball" [p. 88] and Trap-Ball.[p. 91]. According Zoernik in the Encyclopedia of World Sports [p.329], rounders is also referred to [we need to confirm this, as Rounders does not appear in the 1760 edition or the one from 1790.]. There was an American pirated edition in 1760, as per Henderson [ref #107]; David Block dates the American edition in 1762. He also notes that a 1767 revision features engravings for the four games.ion features engravings for the four games.)
1850s.1 + (Note: the dates and circumstances and locations of these cases are unclear in Millen. One refers to plugging.)
1550c.1 + (Note: the inconsistencies among the preceding cricket entries in Protoball (see [[1478.1]]) need to be resolved . . . . or at least addressed)
1761.1 + (Note: Princeton was known as the College of New Jersey until 1896.)
1787.1 + (Note: Princeton was known as the College of New Jersey until 1896.)
Ogden Club grounds + (Ogden Park</stro … Ogden Park, also known as Ogden Skating Park, was a recreational facility on the near north side of <a title="Chicago" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago">Chicago</a> around the 1860s and 1870s. It was home to the Ogden Skating Club. It was on a piece of land east of where Ontario Street (at that time) T-ed into Michigan Avenue. Today's Ontario Street continues several blocks eastward, through the site of that old park.The first newspaper references to the park and the skating club appear in local newspapers in 1861, where its location was termed "the foot of Ontario Street". City directories for 1867 and 1869-70 give the location of "Ogden Skating Park" as "Ontario, corner Seneca." Seneca Street was one block east of St. Clair Street and two blocks east of Pine Street, which later became part of the extended Michigan Avenue. Seneca ran between Ontario Street and Illinois Street. It was erased as the land was developed. References to the park appear to cease after 1870. It was, of course, inside the burn zone of the <a title="Great Chicago Fire" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chicago_Fire">Great Chicago Fire</a> in the fall of 1871.With no skating possible in the summer, baseball games were played at the park. Most of them were between local amateur ball clubs, but there were occasional professional games. On July 31, 1869, the park was the neutral site for a match between the <a title="Cincinnati Red Stockings" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Red_Stockings">Cincinnati Red Stockings</a> and the <a title="Rockford Forest Citys" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockford_Forest_Citys">Rockford Forest Citys</a>. The Reds won 53-32. The game was close until Cincinnati score 19 in the sixth inning and 10 in the seventh.[Chicago Tribune, August 1, 1869, p.4] Several players on the teams, including Rockford pitcher <a title="Albert Spalding" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Spalding">Albert Spalding</a>, would later become stars for Chicago.During 1870 the park was rented to the professional, then-independent baseball club, the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Chicago White Stockings (1870–89)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_White_Stockings_(1870%E2%80%9389)">Chicago White Stockings</a>, as a practice field and for a number of regulation games, usually against local or lesser-known opponents, or sometimes even college teams.Most of the ball club's "legitimate" games (as the Chicago Tribune termed them), against national professional teams (many of which would turn up in the <a title="National Association of Professional Base Ball Players" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_of_Professional_Base_Ball_Players">National Association</a> the following year) were held at the <a title="Dexter Park (Chicago)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter_Park_(Chicago)">Dexter Park</a> race track near the stockyards.Overall, the White Stockings played about half their games at each venue, during a home season that ranged from late May to mid-November. [wikipedia] Stockings played about half their games at each venue, during a home season that ranged from late May to mid-November. [wikipedia])
F. Sanford + (A "Sandford" was listed as third … A "Sandford" was listed as third baseman in a July 1866, game. See http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038519/1866-08-01/ed-1/seq-3/.Listed as secretary at club's founding, but may have been replaced by Henry F. Roll later in the year. See <a href="http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038521/1866-12-01/ed-1/seq-5.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038521/1866-12-01/ed-1/seq-5.pdf</a>rica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038521/1866-12-01/ed-1/seq-5.pdf</a>)
Lightfoot Club of Lamar House, Knoxville + (A "colored" club.)
In Sacramento in 1854 + (A "game of ball" was played on 2nd street above the Columbia Hotel." Sacramento Transcript, April 1, 1851. The ball game is not specified.)
Daybreak Club of Jackson + (A 1937 newspaper article claimed that a baseball game was played in Jackson on July 4, 1845. No source for this is given. See Morris, "Baseball Fever," citing the Jackson Citizen Patriot, Sept. 19. 1937)
Whacks + (A 2017 web search for <whacks london street game> returns only the Gomme source.)
Ontario Club of Oswego + (A BBC is mentioned in the Oswego Palladium, July 29, 1859, along with 2 cricket clubs and a wicket club.)
White Stockings Club of Sycamore + (A Blackhawks Club existed in 1872. See Sycamore True Republican, Jan. 20, 1906)
Chelsea Club of New York + (A Chelsea Jr. club mentioned in the New York Clipper, July 27, 1867)
1st Nine v 2d Nine on 29 November 1873 + (A December 19 challenge notice describes the "FBBClub of Co. H 6th U. S. Cavalry.)
In Providence in 1828 + (A Dick Hefferline appears on the 1820 census for Providence. The reference is undoubtedly prior to 1828.)
Grant Base Ball Club of Philadelphia + (A Grant club is said to have existed in 1865. See Philadelphia City Item, Oct. 7, 1865, Tholkes RIM. See Protoball 19C clippings. Aka U.S. Grant)
Hancock Club of Boston + (A Hancock club of Boston played the MA game and was established in 1857. See Lovett, James D’Wolf; Old Boston Boys and the Games They Played; Little, Brown & Company; 1908, cited in Kittel Protoball article on the MA game.)
Club of Amman + (A Palestine national baseball/sof … A Palestine national baseball/softball federation was formed in 2017, according to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WSBC) website, headquartered in Ramallah. The city and area were once part of Jordan. The area is now governed by the Palestinian National Authority. by the Palestinian National Authority.)
Fox River Base Ball Club of McHenry + (A Puzzlers BBC was formed in 1876 in McHenry. McHenry Plaindealer, Aug. 30, 1876)
Marble City Club of Lemont + (A South Lemon Reapers club was defeated 49-11 by the Lockport Sleepers in 1874. See Will County Courier, Aug. 19, 1874)
Mt. Vernon Base Ball Club of Morgan Park + (A bb game was played in "Prospect … A bb game was played in "Prospect Park" on July 4, 1875. See Chicago Tribune, June 27, 1875. Is this the Prospect Park that is now located in Morgan Park? Or a separate community? There was a PP in what is now Clarendon Hills, and another near Bloomingdale.rendon Hills, and another near Bloomingdale.)
Lowell Club of Boston v Medford on 16 October 1861 + (A brief account of this game, and a photo of the ball used in the game, is in the Boston Globe, Dec. 25, 1910.)
Olympic Club of St. Louis + (A club of Washington University students? See St. Louis Post Dispatch, Nov. 17, 1968)
Pesapallo + (A diagram of the game can be found at https://sites.psu.edu/ballgamesoftheworld/ball-and-bat-games/ Pesapallo was a demonstration sport at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. [ba])
Union grounds, Cincinnati + (A drawing of the Union grounds is in the Our Game blog, April 8, 2019)
Playground Ball + (A full explanation of Playground … A full explanation of Playground Ball can be found in the Pensacola News Journal, May 5, 1908. The game was designed to be playable in limited spaces. 10 players a side. The batter can run to either first or third. 5 inning games. A tally for each time a batter gets on base safely. Each side of the diamond 35 feet long. Pitcher 30 feet away from the batter. Bats are mere sticks no more than 2 inches in diameter. [ba]mere sticks no more than 2 inches in diameter. [ba])
Washington Club of Brooklyn + (A junior club? See list of 1858 Brooklyn junior clubs at Chronologies 1858.47.)
Massapoag Club of Sharon v Olympic Club of Boston on 29 June 1857 + (A lengthy article on this game is in the Boston Globe, March 27, 1888)
1838.12 + (A more detailed newspaper account … A more detailed newspaper account says that Fisher Ames' 12-year-old son, who was playing "ball" with some other boys, threw a ball at Moor, who then attacked the boy. The father rushed over and split Moor's skull with a "club."Fisher Ames (1800-85) beat the murder rap. The son was probably Charles Ira Ames. [ba]Bill Humber furnished the following account, from a local doctor: "Hazleton Moore.... was drunk and joined in the game of ball in front of the store. Something Ames said or did provoked him and instead of throwing the ball to him he threw it at him, when Ames rushed towards him and struck him with the club in the head. He ... died the next day. The inquest... resulted in the acquittal of Ames on my evidence, that the blow need not have been fatal had M's skull not been extraordinarily thin."Another account, from 1890: "It was in 1837 that Hazleton Moore was killed. I was there at the time. Ames was a very passionate man, and his first blow might be excused on that ground, but he struck him twice, the second blow when he was lying insensible on the ground. The Americans.... bribed Moore's wife to say away, and her absence at the trial helped to get Ames off. She acted badly."say away, and her absence at the trial helped to get Ames off. She acted badly.")
1862.11 + (A note identifies this section as having been written in 1862, along with one that prohibits shaking carpets on public lands, including streets, lanes, alleys, etc.)
1860.20 + (A political cartoon of the day sh … A political cartoon of the day showed Lincoln playing ball with other candidates. It can be viewed at <a href="http://www.scvbb.org/images/image7/">http://www.scvbb.org/images/image7/</a>. Thanks to Kyle DeCicco-Carey for the link.t; Thanks to Kyle DeCicco-Carey for the link.)
1830s.16 + (A previous Protoball entry, liste … A previous Protoball entry, listed as #1840s.16: "He [Abraham Lincoln in the 1840s] joined with gusto in outdoor sports foot-races, jumping and hopping contests, town ball, wrestling . . . " Source: a limited online version of the 1997 book edited by Douglas L Wilson and Rodney O. Davis, Herndon's Informants (U of Illinois Press, 1997 or 1998). Posted to 19CBB on 12/11/2007 by Richard Hershberger. Richard notes that the index to the book promises several other references to Lincoln's ballplaying but [Jan. 2008] reports that the ones he has found are unspecific.. Note: can we chase this book down and collect those references?Earlier versions of this find were submitted by Richard Hershberger (2007) and John Thorn (2004). tted by Richard Hershberger (2007) and John Thorn (2004). )
Rounders - Britain + (A relatively complete description … A relatively complete description of "roundstakes", or "rounders," as played in Eastern Massachusetts in about 1870, is found at [[roundstakes]]. The account is shown in that item's "Supplemental Text."--An aside: Plugging in Rounders? About baserunning, Gomme (page 145) writes in 1898: "As soon as (the batter)has struck the ball, he runs from the base to the first boundary stick, then to the second, and so on. His opponents in the meantime secure the ball and endeavor to hit him with it as he is running." Protoball has found scant evidence that rounders included retiring baserunners by hitting them with the thrown ball. On May 7 2022, however, John Thorn posted this excerpt from Wickets in the West by R. A. Fitzgerald, published in 1873 and covering the 1872 cricket tour of the US:"To sum it up, (base ball) is an improvement on our old schoolboys' game of rounders, without, however, the most attractive part to the English schoolboy -- the 'corking'. We can see still, and we are not sure that we cannot still feel, the quiver of the fat boy's nether parts, as the ball, well-directed, buried itself in his flesh." Putting baserunners out via a thrown ball, recalled as "corking" in this English account, has been called "plugging," "soaking," "burning," etc., in America. In about 1810, Block notes, the French game [[Poisoned Ball]] used the tactic, and the German [[Giftball]] (Poison ball) seems to have, as well. --son ball) seems to have, as well. --)
1859.1 + (A research note by Jim Overmyer o … A research note by Jim Overmyer on why the game occurred in Pittsfield appears as Supplemental Text below. For a stern critique of the student time spent away from studying, see The Congregationalist [Boston], September 2, 1859, cited at https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/amherst-and-williams-play-the-first-intercollegiate-game-of-baseball-1859-b1c0255f6338, posted January 15, 2018. 255f6338, posted January 15, 2018. )
Excelsior Club of Baltimore v Potomac Club of Washington in 1859 + (A search of online newspapers shows no record of any 1859 game.)
Athlete Jr Base Ball Club of Philadelphia2 + (A separate Jr club from the one organized on June 3, 1866 located in the Twentieth Ward.)
1848.10 + (A team size of 12 and three-game match are consistent with some Mass game contests.)
21st Century Townball + (A video of the game is at: A video of the game is at: <a href="http://ds.uhs.csufresno.edu/video/websiteMedia/townball16.mp4">http://ds.uhs.csufresno.edu/video/websiteMedia/townball16.mp4</a> [loads slowly 9/8/2107]--Some particularly interesting variants from baseball include [note that key cricket characteristics are retained]: [] No foul balls [and no foul territory][] Plugging of runners is allowed[] Basepath distance progresses from from 42' to 110'feet sequentially[] Batters defend a "zone" as cricket batters defend a wicket[] Optional running except for third strike.[] No set batting order -- can vary inning to inning et [] Optional running except for third strike. [] No set batting order -- can vary inning to inning )
Waggles + (A web search for "waggles england" in 2017 returns only the 1898 Gomme citation of the game.)
D. Eagan + (AKA D. Eagan)
Hit the Bat + (AKA Roll-the-Bat, Cherry, Rollabat. Cf. Sullivan, "Roll-the-Bat," Southwest Folklore 4 (1980) pp. 84-86; Cohen, The Games We Played (2001), p. 77)
Symmes2 + (AKA Symms)
1860.45 + (About 20% of the games covered in … About 20% of the games covered in available 1860 newspaper accounts of base ball in Syracuse depict "old-fashioned base ball" as played by a set of five area clubs. The common format for these games was a best-two-of-three match of games played to 25 "tallies" [not runs]. A purse of $25 was not uncommon. Teams exceeded nine players. However, no account laid out the details of the playing rules, or how they differed from those of the National Association. An 1859 article suggested that the game was the same as "Massachusetts "Base Ball," giving the only firm clue as to its rules. ng the only firm clue as to its rules. )
Barn Ball (House Ball) + (Abraham Lincoln is said to have played barn ball with enthusiasm in Springfield c. 1858. Nicholas Young remembered playing barn ball in the Mohawk Valley in the 1850s.)
In St. Louis in 1860 + (According to "Baseball Pioneers" the Morning Star BBC played town ball for several years prior to 1860. )
Morning Star Club of St. Louis + (According to Jeff Kittel in "Baseball Pioneers" the Morning Star BBC played town ball for several years prior to 1860. )
Star Club of Newark2 + (According to Newark Daily Advertiser of 8/21/1866, the players were members of the Young Men's Catholic Association. This is a different club from the 1861 Star Club of Newark)
1781s.4 + (According to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913, "lazzarone" referred to "the homeless idlers of Naples who live by chance work or begging." )
Judge's Spring + (According to http://nashvillehistory.blogspot.com/2014_05_01_archive.html, Judge's Spring (or McNairy's Spring), was located at approximately 7th Ave. and Jackson St. in Nashville.)
Brilliant Stars Club of Elizabeth + (According to the New Brunswick Daily Fredonian of 9/17/1869 - this was a "colored" club)
1860.42 + (According to the WSOT article, the Excelsior lineup included Creighton as pitching and third batter, Brainerd at 2B, and Leggett as catcher. Mr. Welling of the Knickerbockers served as umpire.)
Banana Ball + (According to this article, "banana ball" debuted in 2021: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/introducing-banana-ball-the-savannah-bananas-attempt-to-change-baseball/)
1854.13 + (Actually, Mr. Calthrop may have come along about 95 years too late to make that claim: see #[[1760s.1]] above.)
1827.2 + (Adams' use of a frame-within-a-fr … Adams' use of a frame-within-a-frame device is interesting to baseball history buffs, but the authenticity of the recollected game is hard to judge in a work of fiction. Mumford's lot was in fact an early Rochester ballplaying venue, and Thurlow Weed (see entry #[[1825c.1]]) wrote of club play in that period. Priscilla Astifan has been looking into Adams' expertise on early Rochester baseball. See #[[1828c.3]] for another reference to Adams' interest in baseball about a decade before the modern game evolved in New York City.re the modern game evolved in New York City.)
Club of Hamburg, Germany + (Additional sources for same report, with some detail. The Maine club involved reported as the Gorham Base Ball Club.)
1855.16 + (Adelman bases his analysis on the … Adelman bases his analysis on the premise that base ball's predecessor games were played mainly be juveniles. This premise can be questioned. Even discounting play by university youths up to 1845, adult play in the military and elsewhere was hardly rare before the Gothams and Knickerbockers formed in New York around 1840, as many entries in this chronology indicate. dicate. )
1853c.15 + (Adelman does not mention that until 1854 there were few other known clubs for the KBBC to challenge to match games. )
1862.9 + (Admission had occasionally also been charged for "benefit" games for charities or to honor prominent players.)
Pythian Club of Philadelphia v Mutual Club of Washington on 18 June 1871 + (African American Clubs)
Club of Columbus + (African American ball club.)
Club of Madison + (African American ball clubs.)
Unique Club of Brooklyn v Excelsior Club of Philadelphia on 3 October 1867 + (African American base ball.)
Young Americas Club of Manhattan v Golden Stars Club of Manhattan in September 1871 + (African American base ball.)
Club of Smyrna + (African American club.)
Colored Union Club of Williamsburg + (African American club.)
Pythian Club of Philadelphia v Mutual Club of Washington on 2 September 1871 + (African American club.)
In Albany in 1882 + (African American clubs.)
Unexpected Club of Rochester + (African-American team. Frederick Douglass' son Charles played for them.)
Bachelors Club of Albany + (African-American team)
Star Club of Los Angeles + (African-American. First inter-racial game in Los Angeles?)
1859.65 + (After the Eckford Club contradict … After the Eckford Club contradicted the claim that several players were resigning and moving to other clubs, the Clipper issued a retraction on December 3: "...we are pleased to learn that it is not correct, for we do not approve of these changes at all." e do not approve of these changes at all." )
Hamilton Club of Brooklyn + (Aka Hamilton Club of Bedford?)
Spencer Club of Boston + (Aka King Philip BBC?)
Melpomene Base Ball Club of New Orleans + (Aka Melpomenia)
Randall Club of Philadelphia + (Aka S. J. Randall Club. Named for a politician.)
Irwin Club of Philadelphia + (Aka William B. Irwin club. Men of a fire company.)
In New Bedford in 1868 + (Almost forgotten for 30 years!)
Softball Cricket + (Also played on the Isle of Man, the West Indies and the U.S.)
Manchester Mirror printers v Other Manchester printers on 6 April 1858 + (Also see The Peterborough Transcript, April 14, 1858 [ba])
Cassidy + (Also spelled "Cassady" and "Cassiday.")
Castrin + (Also spelled "Castrine")
1811.1 + (Altherr explains that Kingston Academy is British. This book appears to be a reprint of the 1805 London publication above at [[1805.3]].)
Sunrise Club of Paterson v Amateur Club of Paterson on 4 July 1866 + (Amateur Club was formerly the Empire Club)
Club of Saltillo + (American soldiers may have played … American soldiers may have played baseball in Saltillo in 1847. On January 30, 1847, Adolph Engelmann, an Illinois volunteer, reported: “During the past week we had much horse racing and the drill ground was fairly often in use for ball games.” [cited in Our Game blog]ames.” [cited in Our Game blog])
Excelsior Club of Baltimore + (An 1866 club called itself the Ex … An 1866 club called itself the Excelsior of West Baltimore. Baltimore American, Aug. 10, 1866.An Excelsior BBC played the Peabody for the city junior championship in 1867. Baltimore American, July 30, 1867.The Baltimore Daily Exchange, July 13, 1859, reports that in the past week the Excelsior BBC was formed, with W. D. Shurtz as president.This club may have been preceded in Baltimore by the "Urche" club. See McKenna, "Baltimore Baseball: The Beginning, 1858- 1872" the "Urche" club. See McKenna, "Baltimore Baseball: The Beginning, 1858- 1872")
Wright's Grove + (An 1868 image fsrom the CHS is in protopix. It was called Timothy Wright's Grove in the 1850s, after the co-owner of the Chicago Tribune.)
Alamo Plaza + (An 1869 game was played at the Arsenal Grounds. See San Antonio Express, Oct. 17, 1965)
Williams Hall + (An 1888 photo of Williams Hall and College Hall is in the MSU archives. See https://onthebanks.msu.edu/Object/162-565-2041/78-williams-hall-and-college-hall-circa-1888/)
In New Haven in 1843 + (An Etna Wicket Club of New Haven mentioned in NY Clipper, Nov. 21, 1857)
Peabody Club of Baltimore + (An Excelsior BBC played the Peabody for the city junior championship in 1867. Baltimore American, July 30, 1867.)
Irving Club of Williamsburg + (An Irving Jr. Club is mentioned in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 16, 1867)
Ivanhoe Club of Brooklyn + (An Ivanhoe (jr) Club of Bedford (Brooklyn) is mentioned in the New York Dispatch, July 8, 1866)
In Indianapolis in 1859 + (An ad for organizing a cricket club in the Indianapolis Star, July 26, 1864)
Club of Houston + (An article in PSOT April 27, 1861 says this club was formed on the 4th.)
Union Club of St. Louis + (An article on early St. Louis bas … An article on early St. Louis baseball in "The Sporting News" Nov. 2, 1895 says the Union Club defeated the Empire BBC 15-14 in Dec., 1859, hen lost to the Empire 15-14 on New Years Day, 1860. The two clubs played four times 1860-61, the Union winning two 53-15 and 30-17, and losing two 9-21 and 20-24. [ba]d 30-17, and losing two 9-21 and 20-24. [ba])
Cyclone Club of St. Louis + (An article on early St. Louis baseball in "The Sporting News" Nov. 2, 1895 says the Cyclones lost an early game to the Morning Star BBC 21-36.)
Star Club of Bloomfield + (An extensive article on the Stars can be found in Samuel Pierson, "Thumbing the Pages of Baseball History in Bloomfield" (1939). They played at "The Green, on a diamond situated just north of Monroe Place." [ba])
1821.7 + (An interesting aspect of this dra … An interesting aspect of this drawing is that there appear to be four defensive players and only two offensive players . . . unless the two seated gentlemen in topcoats have left them on while waiting to bat. One might speculate that the wicketkeepers are permanently on defense and the other pairs alternate between offense and defense when outs are made. Another possibility is that all players rotate after each out, as was later seen in scrub forms of base ball.Also note the relative lack of open area beyond the wickets. Perhaps, as in single-wicket cricket, running was permitted only for balls hit forward from the wicket. wicket. )
Hornie-Holes (also Kittie-Cat) + (An obscure poem reportedly recite … An obscure poem reportedly recited during this game seems to suggest it was played in Scotland. See Alice Bertha Gomme, The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (London, D. Nutt, 1894), page unspecified. t; (London, D. Nutt, 1894), page unspecified. )
1858.7 + (An oddity: in a July intramural c … An oddity: in a July intramural contest, batter Bickham claimed 58 runs of his team's 190 total, while the second most productive batsman mate scored 30, and 5 of his 10 teammates scored fewer than 6 runs each. One wonders what rule, or what typo, would lead to that result.le, or what typo, would lead to that result.)
Aipuni + (Andrews' 1865 "Dictionary pf the … Andrews' 1865 "Dictionary pf the Hawaiian Language" p. 279 contains the following:"Ki-ni-ho-lo. s. kini and holo, to run. the name of a particular game of ball, similar to base ball."Other sources say the more common name for a ball game is kinipopo. [ba]r sources say the more common name for a ball game is kinipopo. [ba])
1851.2 + (Angus Macfarlane's research shows … Angus Macfarlane's research shows that many New Yorkers were in San Francisco in early 1851, and in fact several formed a "Knickerbocker Association." Furthermore he discovered that several key members of the eastern Knickerbocker Base Ball Club -- including de Witt, Turk, Cartwright, Wheaton, Ebbetts, and Tucker -- were in town. "[I]n various manners and at various times they crossed each other's paths." Angus suggests that they may have been involved in the 1851 games, so it is possible that they were played by Knickerbocker rules . . . at a time when in New York most games were still intramural affairs within the one or two base ball clubs playing here.>)
1851.8 + (Another game in Sacramento was covered in April of 1854. John Thorn suggests that "the above 'game of ball' may be inferred to be baseball (I think).")
Soak Ball + (Anson also mentions: "I longed .... to be playing soak ball, bull pen or two old cat..." during this time (schoolboy days--he was born in 1852 and raised in Marshalltown, IA).)
Alert Club of Washington v Unique Club of Chicago in September 1871 + (Any indication as to why the second game report for this African American club cites a score for 8 innings?)
Targette + (Any new evidence on the nature and extent of targette play?)
1855.19 + (Articles published later in the & … Articles published later in the New York Clipper, the Spirit of the Times, the New-York Daily Times, and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle announced the first appearance in print of 18 new clubs in the Greater NYC region during 1855.> announced the first appearance in print of 18 new clubs in the Greater NYC region during 1855.)
1853.7 + (As a way of teaching nature [each … As a way of teaching nature [each chapter introduces several birds, insects, and "wild plants"] this book follows a group of boys and girls of unspecified age [post-pubescent, we guess] through a calendar year. The bass-ball/rounders reference above is one of the few times we run across both terms in a contemporary writing. So, now: Is the author denoting are there two distinct games with different rules, or just two distinct names for the same game? The syntax here leaves that distinction muddy, as it could be the former answer if the children played bass-ball and rounders separately that [June] day. Richard's take on the bass-ball/rounders ambiguity: "It is possible that there were two games the party played . . . but the likelier interpretation is that this was one game, with both names given to ensure clarity." David Block [email of 2/27/2008] agrees with Richard. Richard also says "It is possible that as the English dialect moved from "base ball" to "rounders," English society concurrently moved from the game being played primarily played by boys and only sometimes being played by girls. I am not qualified to say."being played by girls. I am not qualified to say.")
Rockford Club of Rockford + (As listed in the Box score of the … As listed in the Box score of the Chicago game (Trib, 8-24-70), the Rockford nine consisted of:Armstrong, Graham, Williams, Winn, Wright, Abraham, Pender, Kingman and Thomas.Rockford had 83 "colored" residents in 1870, per the census.lt;p>Rockford had 83 "colored" residents in 1870, per the census.)
1828.17 + (As of 2018, we do not know the lo … As of 2018, we do not know the location, game type, or rules for this game.It is interesting that the man identified his position as short stop, perhaps indicating that predecessor baserunning games in New England had already developed skill positions' decades before the Knickerbocker club formed. efore the Knickerbocker club formed. )
In Wellington on 17 November 1888 + (As of 2021, we know of two earlie … As of 2021, we know of two earlier game reports of games in NZ.See [[https://protoball.org/Marton_Base_Ball_Club]] (1881 game).See [[https://protoball.org/Hicks-Sawyer_Minstrel_Co._side_1_v_Hicks-Sawyer_Minstrel_Co._side_2_in_November_1888]] (unsourced 1888 game).Lyttleton is a nearby port city. The Hicks-Sawyer "negro" minstrel troupe toured New Zealand and Australia 1888-89. This troupe had its own baseball club, which played numerous games against the local clubs. Cf. Sydney Referee, Aug. 30, 1888; Melbourne Age, Feb. 23, 1889; Adelaide South Australian Register, April 8, 1889; Broken Hill Barrier Miner, April 20, 22, 1889. [ba];South Australian Register, April 8, 1889; Broken Hill Barrier Miner, April 20, 22, 1889. [ba])
London Base Ball Club v Club of Delaware Township on 12 September 1856 + (As of April 2021 this game is also listed under "predecessor games." The Delaware is a club of Delaware Township, 10 km west of London,)
1874.2 + (As of February 2017, data on earl … As of February 2017, data on early ballplaying in the Chattanooga area are sparse. They include five accounts of soldierly play during the Civil War and brief mentions of area base ball clubs after the warProtoball believes "shinny" to be a game resembling field hockey and ice hockey, and not a baserunning game.Protoball has only two other reports of the game of "baste" in a Princeton student's diary in 1786 and in a biography of Benjamin Harrison on his teenage activities in the Cincinnati area. A good guess is that baste was a variant spelling of "base," a base ball precursor.The Cleveland Banner is a newspaper in Cleveland TN. Banner is a newspaper in Cleveland TN. )
1840s.31 + (As of Jan 2013, this is one of th … As of Jan 2013, this is one of three uses of "gool" instead of "goal" in ballplaying entries, all in the 1850s and found in western MA and ME. [To confirm/update, do an Enhanced Search for "gool".] One of these, at [[1850s.33]] uses "gool" as the name of the game. See also Supplemental Text, below.;Supplemental Text, below.)
1738.1 + (As of January 2023, this appears to be one of Protoball's ten earliest reports of ballplaying in the United States, and the third to appear in what is now New York City. It may be the first know legal action taken against ballplaying.)
Bete-Ombro + (As of January 2023, this is all we know about Bete-ombro. The second rule, above, would seem to distinguish it from cricket.)
1858.73 + (As of July 2022, Protoball lists over 260 base ball clubs from that era. Bruce Allardice adds, 7/30/2022: "the [Boston Post's] 25 number seems to come from the number of clubs that attended the 1858 convention.")
Bace + (As of June 2019, Protoball has only 3 references to “base,” one in the 1300s and two in 1805.)
1813.3 + (As of June 2022, Protoball is not aware of accounts of ballplaying in Hawthorne's works. For a reference to his note on 1862 ballplaying near Alexandria VA, see [[1862.47]]. )
1867.22 + (As of March 2021, this appears to … As of March 2021, this appears to be the earliest reference to a right -- in the form of special tickets -- to exclusive seating being bestowed to reporters. Peter Morris discusses press coverage arrangements in Morris, A Game of Inches (Ivan Dee, 2006), section 14.5.3, pp 403 ff. He cites two Henry Chadwick sources of press areas in June and August 1867 at the Brooklyn Union Grounds and then the Capitoline and Irvington grounds. then the Capitoline and Irvington grounds. )
Magnolia Ball Club of New York + (As of September 2014, we have no … As of September 2014, we have no evidence as to the playing rules this club employed. Thus, we don't yet know whether the game played resembled the Knickerbocker game, codified in 1845, or not. The depiction of stakes for bases, if accurate, might suggest to some that the game was related to what in 1858 was described as the Massachusetts game -- however, the Mass game then used overhand deliveries to batsmen. ;p> )
Slaball + (As of September 2017, we find no other mention of a game by this name in English-language web searches.)
Strike-Out + (As of Spring 2022, we are seeking … As of Spring 2022, we are seeking additional information on local "strike-zone-on-wall" games.One sees strike zones displayed on school-yard and other walls in many geographical areas.What names were used for such games in different areas? Did any involve actual base-running?Are such games known outside the US? Did most use standard tennis balls? such games known outside the US? Did most use standard tennis balls?)
1868.8 + (As of mid 2023, the Protoball Chr … As of mid 2023, the Protoball Chronology includes about 40 entries alluding to Rochester NY from 1825 to 1868. Nearly half have been generously contributed by crack Rochester digger Priscilla Astifan. Most of the games reported appear to be base ball-like games, but 8 refer to cricket, wicket and trap ball. Ten entries refer to soldierly play during the Civil War.Priscilla reported on 5/18/2023: "I haven't yet found any notice in the available newspapers of the game being played or not. But at least the intention was interesting." the intention was interesting." )
Eckford Club of Brooklyn v Eckford Club of Brooklyn on 15 April 1862 + (As per the newspaper report, each side featured 10 players and five first nine players, per side. Sprague pitched for "Wood's Side." )
1830c.30 + (Ashtabula (1850 population: 821 s … Ashtabula (1850 population: 821 souls) is about 55 miles NE of Cleveland OH and a few miles from Lake Erie. The town of Jefferson OH is about 8 miles inland [S] of Ashtabula."The Sentinel" is presumably the Ashtabula Sentinel. ;is presumably the Ashtabula Sentinel. )
Brown Square + (Astifan, "Baseball in the 19th Ce … Astifan, "Baseball in the 19th Century" says Brown Square was the site of Rochester's first match game.Other early games were played at Jones Square, Franklin Square, and the Babbitt Tract.The 1860 Rochester map shows Jones Square bounded by Jones Avenue on the south, bounded by Schuyler on the east, about where the modern Jones Square is.Franklin Square in 1860 was on the east side of the river, bounded by Andrews on the south, Bowery on the north, and bisected by Chatham (north/south running street)."Mumford's meadow" was the site of a (predecessor?) baseball game c. 1825. See chronologies. The site of this meadow is shown in the linked-to pdf.eball game c. 1825. See chronologies. The site of this meadow is shown in the linked-to pdf.)
Gazelles Club of Evanston + (At a guess, this club played their home games on the campus, what would be known as "Oak Grove" or "University Grove" near the modern-day college library.)
In Burma in 1909 + (At a guess, this is the original … At a guess, this is the original of the note in Spalding's The National Game about American oil workers playing baseball in Burma. The Spalding phot collection, NYPL, has a photo of what may be this team, said to be employees of the Rangoon Oil Co., in "Yenamgyat, Upper Burmah." This location is probably Yenangyaung. This location is probably Yenangyaung. )
In Rochester in 1841 + (At or near Rochester)
1861.25 + (At the time the 40th was stationed at Camp Sedgwick, near Fairfax, VA.)
White Stockings Club of Chicago + (Attached image is that of Colonel Norman Gassette (1839-91), first club president, a prominent Chicago lawyer and politician. Club vice president was Willard F. Wentworth (1838-1910), a former city treasurer.)
University Base Ball Club of Chapel Hill + (Augustus W. Graham, son of former … Augustus W. Graham, son of former senator Graham, wrote his father on Sept. 10, 1867 from Chapel Hill that his university club defeated the Crescent of Raleigh "last Saturday" 54-36, for the championship of the state. See the Papers of William A. Graham, vol. 7 See the Papers of William A. Graham, vol. 7)
Club of Austin + (Austin had 4,051 residents in 1890.)
Eckford Club of Brooklyn v Harlem Club of New York on 20 August 1859 + (Balls Pitched Pidgeon (Eckford): 44-28-28-24-51-15-10-30-65 - 295 Thompson (Harlem): 19-31-25-17-23-36-41-44-14 - 250 (E. Miklich))
Rough and Ready Club of Brooklyn v Baltic Club of Brooklyn on 15 September 1858 + (Baltic of New York? [ba])
Oakland Club of South River + (Baltimore American, Aug. 4, 1869)
1855.37 + (Barre MA (1855 pop. about 3000) is about 60 miles W of Boston. Hardwick, Hubbardstown, Oakham, New Braintree and Petersham are 8-10 miles from Barre. Poor Dana MA was disincorporated in 1938.)
1859.50 + (Barre MA (1860 pop. about 3000) is about 60 miles W of Boston and about 8 miles NE of Hardwick MA.)
Club of Barton v Club of Burlington on 9 August 1861 + (Barton is the name of the township Hamilton is in. See Club of Barton entry. [ba])
In Clinton Circa 1859 + (Baseball was played at Hamilton in 1860.)
Newark Club of Newark v Olympic Club of Newark on 13 July 1855 + (Based on current research, this a … Based on current research, this appears to be the first game played between two New Jersey clubs by New York rules. The two teams played previously on June 13th, but based on the available information, they didn't use New York rules. For this game, the short article and rough box score show nine players on a side and a 31-10 score. The total of 31 runs is in excess of the Knickerbocker's 21, but it may be that the Newark Club batted first and went beyond 21 before the side was retired. In addition a New York Clipper article, date unknown, said that the Newark Club won with "ten runs to spare" and there could also be a number of explanations why the game went on after the Newark Club scored 21 runs. The next potential game by New York rules between New Jersey clubs was the Newark Club's 27 - 19 win over the Newark Juniors on 9/5/1855. Here again there were nine players on a team and the score is closer to what we might expect by Knickerbocker rules.rbocker rules.)
Franklin Club of Detroit v Franklin Club of Detroit on 15 August 1857 + (Beaubien Farm was a cricket club grounds. A game reported in the Detroit Free Press Aug. 23, 1857 is of two 10 on 10 intersquad games, with the scores 21-11 and 21-19. )
Enterprise Club of Bedford + (Bedford was and is a neighborhood of Brooklyn)
1862.12 + (Beecher is here lauding exercise that is both vigorous and inexpensive.)
Pastimes Club of Richmond v Picked nine on 30 July 1867 + (Benefit game for the Masonic Educational Committee Fund. $115 surplus over expenses donated on 19 August.)
Everett Club of Hackensack + (Bergen County Democrat and New Jersey State Register, 7/6/1866)
Quickstep Club of Bergen + (Bergen merged into Jersey City in 1870.)
1856.25 + (Berkshire MA is about 5 miles NE of Pittsfield and about 10 miles E of New York state border. This may have been a wicket match. One wonders why a Friday match would have been held.)
1849.10 + (Beth Hise [email of 3/3/2008] rep … Beth Hise [email of 3/3/2008] reports that the wearing of colored ribbons was a much older tradition.Note: One may ask if something got lost in the relay of this story to Wisconsin. We know of no wicket in England, and neither wicket or cricket used nine-player teams.et in England, and neither wicket or cricket used nine-player teams.)
1859.73 + (Bill Hicklin, 10/5/20 points out … Bill Hicklin, 10/5/20 points out that "Militia regiments in that period, especially in major East Coast cities and in the South, were as much social clubs as anything, organized mostly to hold balls and banquets. Compare the New York volunteer fire companies of the 1840s. A 'Road Trip to New York' would have been right up their alley."Protoball had asked: Was it common for southern soldiers to travel to the north in 1859? Bruce Allardice: "This was not common. The cost was too great. The Richmond Grays were individually wealthy and could afford it. Drill competition between companies in various cities was common in 1859."From Bruce Allardice, 10/5/20: "The unit was a famous unit of the Virginia volunteer militia, its members being among Richmond's 'elite.'. Captain Elliott became a Confederate army Lt. Colonel. The unit served in the war as part [Company A] of the 1st Virginia Infantry CSA." Bill Hicklin, 10/5/20, adds that it fought "right through to Appomattox."Why the soldiers headed to a cemetery? Tom Gilbert pointed out, 10/5-6/20, that Green-wood Cemetery was even then a popular visitor attraction. "Green-wood cemetery in Brooklyn not only welcomed tourists but solicited them. The cemetery was designed with the goal of attracting the public. It imported the grave of Dewitt Clinton for that purpose. All of this predated the famous baseball grave monuments of course."From Richard Hershberger, 10/4/2020: "Richmond is rich with abortive early connections with baseball. In actual practice, baseball took off in Richmond in the summer of 1866, right on schedule for its location, regardless of prior contact with the game."Note: When base ball got to Richmond it really swept in: as of October 2020, Protoball shows no clubs prior to 1866, but 24 clubs prior to 1867. Some other Chronology entries touching on early base ball in Richmond include [[1857.36]], [[1861.1]], [[1863.99]], and [[1866.17]]. [[1866.17]]. )
1871.20 + (Bill Hicklin, 3/9/2016: … Bill Hicklin, 3/9/2016:"It's one of the commonplaces of the old origins debate that led to the Mills Commission that Henry Chadwick was foremost among those arguing that baseball evolved directly from rounders, and indeed he said so many times. In opposition stood those patriotic Americans such as Ward who claimed an indigenous heritage from the Old Cat games."med an indigenous heritage from the Old Cat games.")
Charter Oak Club of Jersey City + (Black Club)
Keystone Club of Jersey City + (Black Club)
Liberty Club of Jersey City + (Black Club)
Lincoln Club of Jersey City + (Black Club)
Oneida Club of Jersey City2 + (Black Club)
Oriental Club of Bergen + (Black Club)
Bachelor Club of Newark + (Black club)
1861c.3 + (Blair, whose grandfather was Lincoln's Postmaster General, lived in Silver Spring, MD, just outside Washington. Blair was born in 1858 or 1859.)
1809.1 + (Block adds: "Other games besides … Block adds: "Other games besides baseball, of course, could have borne the label Ball on that occasion, but none seem obvious. Cricket, football, trap-ball, stool-ball, golf, and various games in the hockey family ,including bandy, hurling, and shinty, all had a presence in the British Isles in that era, but there is no reason the passing multitude in London that day would have considered any of them a "novelty." nsidered any of them a "novelty." )
1850c.12 + (Block notes that the graphic is lifted by the same publisher's 1850 book, Frank and the Cottage).)
1755.3 + (Block points out that this diary … Block points out that this diary entry is (as of 2008) among the first four appearances of the term "base ball," [see #1744.2 and #1748.1 above, and #1755.4 below]. It shows adult and mixed-gender play, and indicates that "at this time, baseball was more of a social phenomenon than a sporting one. . . . played for social entertainment rather than serious entertainment." [Ibid, page 9.]William Bray is well known as a diarist and local historian in Surrey. His diary, in manuscript, came to light in England during the 2008 filming of Ms Sam Marchiano's award-winning documentary, "Base Ball Discovered." (As of late 2020, ITunes lists this documentary at https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/base-ball-discovered/id385353782. Its charge is $10. Another route is <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/base-ball-discovered-c7145607">https://www.mlb.com/video/base-ball-discovered-c7145607</a>)As of 2019 the diary was missing again -- Block tells the sad story in Pastime Lost (U Nebraska Press, 2019), p. 37. p. 37. )
1749.2 + (Block points out that this very e … Block points out that this very early reference to base-ball indicates that the game was played by adults -- the Prince was 38 years old in 1749, further weakening the view that English base-ball was played mainly by juveniles in its early history.The location of the game was Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. Comparing the 1749 game with modern baseball, Block estimates that the bass-ball was likely played on a smaller scale, with a much softer ball, with batted ball propelled the players' hands, not with a bat, and that runners could be put out by being "plugged" (hit with a thrown ball) between bases. ith a thrown ball) between bases. )
Havana Base Ball Club + (Bob Tholkes found an item in the Washington (DC) Evening Star, Sept.10, 1867: "The Havana base ball club challenged and played its first match with the Matanzas club on Sunday last, but with no result. Another game is to come off there to-day.")
Matanzas Base Ball Club + (Bob Tholkes found an item in the Washington (DC) Evening Star, Sept.10, 1867: "The Havana base ball club challenged and played its first match with the Matanzas club on Sunday last, but with no result. Another game is to come off there to-day.")
In Alexandria in 1842 + (Bob Tholkes wonders: Is "town ball" the southern name for "base ball?")
1869.13 + (Bob Tholkes' thorough 2016 paper … Bob Tholkes' thorough 2016 paper [cited above] throws welcome light on the nature of elite base ball in period immediately following the Civil War, a period also associated with the rise of "Base Ball Fever" during which local clubs, representing individual companies, affinity groups, etc., formed clubs, some of which playing at sunrise [as early as five o'clock AM], prior to the work day. day. )
1867.25 + (Bob Tholkes, 5/6/2021: "Bob Tholkes, 5/6/2021: "Didn't know there was a funeral announcement."Richard Hershberger, 5/6/2021: "I don't know of any report of the association meeting or otherwise showing any sign of life after the war."In a 5/9/2021 search, Protoball doesn't find one after 1866 either.Note: Protoball has an 1868 clipping of a throwback game (28 innings, score 24-23) played by Mass rules. See https://protoball.org/Clipping:The_Mohawk_Club_reverts_to_amateur. 3) played by Mass rules. See https://protoball.org/Clipping:The_Mohawk_Club_reverts_to_amateur. )
1860.38 + (Box score provided; it is consistent with the National Association rules. Assuming that "Alleghany" is an alternative spelling for "Allegheny," this game occurred in a town absorbed into Pittsburgh PA in 1907.)
Charter Oak Club of Jersey City2 + (Box scores confirm this is a white club.)
Active Club of Brooklyn + (Box scores of the Active Jr. against the Washington Market BBC (undated) can be found in National Chronicle, April 17, 1869 )
1621.1 + (Bradford explained that the issue … Bradford explained that the issue was not that ball-playing was sinful, but that playing openly while others worked was not good for morale.Note: From scrutinizing early reports of stoolball, Protoball does not find convincing evidence that it was a base-running game by the 1600s.nvincing evidence that it was a base-running game by the 1600s.)
1762.2 + (Brian Turner, 8/31/2014, notes that the wording of this order could be taken to mean that the game itself was seen as a form of cricket, and was not a distinct game. )
1851.10 + (British sailors played rounders on the ice in Melville Bay, Greenland, Aug. 20, 1857. See Lloyd, "The Voyage of the Fox in the Arctic Seas")
Savannah Base Ball Club + (Bruce Allardice adds this note on … Bruce Allardice adds this note on the social makeup of the Savannah BBC [19CBB posting of 2/5/2016]: "George G. Kimball was born in 1843 in ME, died 1923, attended Bowdoin (ME) College. Journalist.William Forrestal May (1845-1920) was born in CT.“Flanders”–only Flanders in 1870 Savannah a mulatto.Edwin L. Beard was born in NY c. 1840.Peter S. Neidlinger (1853-97) a clerk who was born in Savannah of German immigrants.Peter Schaefer (1841-1902) was born in Germany.Charles Rossignol (born c 1850) was born in GA, as was William Nungezer Nichols (1852-1930)Frank Wagner Dasher (1852-88) was born in GA, of NY parents.From the above, it’s pretty clear that the team was not highly gentrified but was at least half transplants."rents. From the above, it’s pretty clear that the team was not highly gentrified but was at least half transplants.")
Clipping:Traditional Easter Ballplaying . . . Where Fast Day Play was Born? + (Bruce Allardice notes that "town corporation" was a British term for what we would call a city council. )
Clipping:An interracial game + (Brunson, "Black Baseball" says this Albion Club organized in 1868, but presents no cite prior to 1872. [ba])
1850s.49 + (Buckland is about 45 miles north … Buckland is about 45 miles north of Portland.The ages of players is not clear.As of Jan 2013, this is one of three uses of "gool" instead of "goal" in ballplaying entries, all in the 1850s and found in western MA and ME. [To confirm/update, do an enhanced search for "gool".] One of these [[1850s.33]] uses "gool" as the name of the game.1850s.33]] uses "gool" as the name of the game.)
In Buffalo in 1856 + (Buffalo Evening Post, April 4, 1851 ran an ad about a meeting to form a cricket club. Same July 15, 1856 mentions a proposed Albion Cricket Club. Same club as the Amateur?)
1844.18 + (By "plebeian," the writer presumably meant "not upper-class.")
1860.83 + (By 1860, most Massachusetts Rules games were being played to 75 runs, instead of the 100 specified in the rules adopted in 1858. A match for the state championship was abandoned, unfinished, after four days' play.)
Hansong YMCA Team Club of Seoul + (By 1920 there was a Korea baseball championship. See www.projectcobb.org.uk)
Lawrence Base Ball Club of Cambridge + (Cambridge had 26,060 residents in 1860.)
1864.18 + (Camp Sedgwick was in northern VA. FORT Sedgwick was near Petersburg, and not built after the Battle of the Wilderness. [ba])
1861.19 + (Camp Seminary was located near Fairfax Seminary in Alexandria VA, near Washington DC. One may infer that the 2nd NJ remained at winter quarters in Alexandria VA at this time, providing protection to Washington. )
Sacramento Base Ball Club v Union Club of Sacramento on 22 February 1860 + (Can we determine Spalding's sources for this account? Is the game account clear that New York rules were used?)
Mechanics Ball Club of Waltham + (Can we determine if this game was played by Mass game rules?)
Red Rover Base Ball Club of San Francisco + (Can we discover more about this club's foundation, history, and fate? )
1857.30 + (Cannot confirm this source. The rules described appeared in the New York Clipper, October 10, 1857.)
1844.16 + (Canton, NY is about 15 miles SE o … Canton, NY is about 15 miles SE of Ogdensburg NY. Its population in 2000 was a bit over 10,000.Ogdensburg [1853 population "about 6500"] is about 60 miles [NE] down the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario. It is about 60 miles south of Ottawa, about 120 miles north of Syracuse, and about 125 miles SW (upriver) of Montreal.miles SW (upriver) of Montreal.)
Whitney + (Catcher)
Flour City Club of Rochester v Niagara Club of Buffalo on 3 September 1858 + (Caution: Protoball has them playing in Buffalo that day, with a different score.)
Bonafon + (Center Field. Also spelled "Bonaf … Center Field. Also spelled "Bonaffon" and "Bonnaffon" in other sources. The Nashville City Directory lists "FV Bonnaffin" as a clerk for the quartermaster at a railroad depot. In 1867, "F.V. Bonnaffon" was stationed under the Nashville quartermaster in Kentucky.der the Nashville quartermaster in Kentucky.)
Marion Club of Brooklyn + (Cf Marion Base Ball Club of South Brooklyn. [ba])
1860.6 + (Chadwick emigrated from western E … Chadwick emigrated from western England, and is reported to have been familiar with rounders there.His claim that American base ball had evolved from English rounders was long refuted by fans of the American game.In 1871 Chadwick identified Two-Old-Cat as the parent of American base ball. See [[1871.20]] [1871.20]] )
Was Baseball Really Invented in Maine? + (Chapter 1 deals with baseball in Maine from statehood well into the 20th century and he does tie some of the early stories to newspaper documentation.)
When Towns Had Teams + (Chapters 1 and 2 deal with early Maine baseball.)
Chatham Club of Chatham + (Chatham was known as "Chatham Four Corners" until 1869.)
Chicopee Club of Groton v Riverside Base Ball Club of Nashua on 19 June 1869 + (Chicopee of Groton (Senior club) Riverside of Nashua (Junior club))
1859.6 + (Chris Hauser, in an email on 9/26/2007, estimates that this notice appeared in the New York Anglo-African, and was referenced in Leslie Heaphy's Negro League Baseball.)
1840.16 + (Chron serial#1840.16 was formerly assigned to stories of Abe Lincoln's ballplaying as a young man; see #[[1830s.16]] for that item.)
1859.19 + (Cilley himself does not attribute the 1859 injuries to plugging.)
1857.17 + (Clark then cites "a well-traveled … Clark then cites "a well-traveled myth in the American baseball community . . . that the first baseball played in Australia was by Americans on the gold fields of Ballarat in 1857 . . . . No documentation has ever been produced for a Ballarat gold fields game [also page 5]." a Ballarat gold fields game [also page 5].")
In Clarksburg Circa 1850 + (Clarksburg had 895 residents in 1860.)
1823c.9 + (Clay's book, which seems to make no other reference to ball-playing, was accessed 11/15/2008 via a Google Books search for <life of cassius>.)
Club of Fox Lake, WI v Club of Courtland on 4 June 1859 + (Club is of Fox Lake, WI not IL)
Excelsior Club of Ridgewood + (Club was formed about 7/1/1865)
Riverside Club of Nashua + (Club was organized October 1867, and reorganized March 11, 1868.)
In Apia on 16 October 1917 + (Collins, "Sea-tracks of the Speejacks" (1923) p. 48 has a photo of Americans and Samoans playing baseball in Pago Pago. Pago Pago is in American Samoa.)
Keystone Club of Newark + (Colored - African-American Club, played in 1866, 1867 and 1868)
Arlington Club of New Brunswick + (Colored Club)
Hamilton Club of Newark + (Colored or African-American Club, played matches in 1865 and 1866)
Robert Morris BBC of Philadelphia + (Composed of the members of the Robert Morris Hose Company. This department was founded on March 14, 1831 and was located on Lombard Street above 8th Street.)
1861.47 + (Contents of the 1860 Beadles publ … Contents of the 1860 Beadles publication include:[] a description of the game of rounders[] the 1845 Knickerbocker Rules (14 sections on field rules)[] A listing of 22 clubs formed 1845-1857[] The 1858 establishment of the NABBP[] The NABBP Rules of 1860 (38 sections)[] The 1858 Rules of the Massachusetts Game (21 Sections)[]Rules for the Formation of a ClubThe 1861 edition is reported to include player averages (runs per game)> []Rules for the Formation of a Club The 1861 edition is reported to include player averages (runs per game))
Clipping:A late example of the Massachusetts game + (Copied from another posting)
1778.7 + (Corlear's Hook was a noted ship landing place along the East River. Today there's a Corlears Hook Park on the site.)
Quickstep Club of Paterson v Active Club of Newark on 24 June 1864 + (Correcting score from Daily Register of 6/25)
Oina + (Corrections and addition to this … Corrections and addition to this account are encouraged. If readers know of Romanian speakers willing to help, some central questions include:[] What are the major playing rules?[] Does the game remain widely popular?[] What is know of the origins and history of the sport?lt;/p> [] What is know of the origins and history of the sport?)
1855.21 + (Craig Waff reported that, as far as he could tell, this was the first game in which the size of the assembled crowd was reported.)
1867.9 + (Creation of phantom jobs for ballplayers was a commonplace in baseball's amateur era.)
Pottsville Cricket Club in July 1858 + (Cricket Club in Pottsville 1858-66, and perhaps earlier. A "Ball Club" is mentioned in the same newspaper in 1843, but this might refer to "foot ball" (soccer).)
In Hanover in 1793 + (Cricket said to have been played at Dartmouth in the 1830s. See https://www.dreamcricket.com/articles/history-of-american-cricket/history-of-american-cricket-part-ii--1800-to-1850/)
In Worcester in 1860 + (Cricket said to have been played at Holy Cross College in Worcester prior to the Civil War. See Dream Cricket website.)
1870.6 + (Critics of the game had long insisted that low-scoring games were indicated play of higher quality.)

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