Gothams Club of New York
| Nick Name | Gothams, New York Ball Club and Washington Ball Club |
|---|---|
| Earliest Known Date | 1837 (Foundation Date) |
| Last Known Game | |
| Location | New York, Manhattan, NY, United States |
| Modern Address | |
| NABBP Status | |
| Nine Class | |
| Tags | |
| Description | Perhaps the most convoluted of all tales surrounding the beginning of organized baseball may best be exemplified by the Gotham Club of New York, whose own genesis can be linked directly to William Rufus Wheaton. In an 1887 interview, Wheaton told an interviewer that he wrote down the rules for play for the club in 1837. According to John Thorn, "At some point in the early 1840s the Gotham club was renamed the New York Ball Club, retaining most if not all of its Gotham members. The New Yorks then spun off the Knickerbockers, as Wheaton relates in the 1887 interview. The Gotham, meanwhile, continued to play ball among themselves from 1845 to 1849, just as the Knickerbocker and Eagle clubs appear to have done. In 1850 those Gotham and New York members who had not attached to the Knickerbockers in Hoboken reconstituted themselves as, yet again, the Washingtons, playing at the Red House Grounds (“a most comfortable ‘asylum for distressed husbands,’” offered Spirit of the Times) at Second Avenue and 105th Street in New York. In 1851 this Washington Base Ball Club challenged the Knickerbockers to match games that have been preserved in the historical record. In 1852 the club reverted to its old name of Gothams, 'consolidating with' the Washingtons." This club is the same as the one that played against the Knickerbockers on June 19, 1846, although at the time they were going by the name New York Club. |
| Sources | Morris, Peter, et. al., Editors (2013) Base Ball Founders; the Clubs, Players and Cities of the Northeast that Established the Game. Jefferson, NC, McFarland, pg. 51. Thorn, John (2011) Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game. Simon and Schuster. |
| Source Image | [[Image:|left|thumb]] |
| Has Source On Hand | No |
| Comment | Despite the conflicting views as to the pedigree of the team, for the time being all players who appeared with either the 1837 or 1853 incarnations of the Gothams, as well as the 1851-1852 Washingtons, appear on this page. The 19thcbaseball website says this club played two games against the Knickerbockers in 1852. No score is given. Edit with form to add a comment |
| Query | Edit with form to add a query |
| Found by | |
| Submission Note | |
| Entered by | Ralph Carhart |
| First in Location | |
| First in Location Note | |
| Entry Origin | Sabrpedia |
| Entry Origin Url | |
| Local-Origin Study Groups | |
| Has Supplemental Text |
Win/Loss Records As Far As We Now Know
Warning: Users should not rely on a team's won-loss record as a reflection of its "standing" among all base ball clubs. Team schedules were not balanced, and a good record against mostly weak opponents does not signify a leading club.
| Year | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1845 | 4 Played | 3 Won | 0 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1846 | 1 Played | 1 Won | 0 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1851 | 2 Played | 0 Won | 2 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1853 | 3 Played | 0 Won | 3 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1854 | 5 Played | 1 Won | 3 Lost | 1 Tied |
| 1855 | 7 Played | 5 Won | 1 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1856 | 8 Played | 5 Won | 1 Lost | 1 Tied |
| 1857 | 8 Played | 4 Won | 2 Lost | 1 Tied |
| 1858 | 8 Played | 1 Won | 7 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1859 | 7 Played | 3 Won | 4 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1860 | 13 Played | 8 Won | 1 Lost | 4 Tied |
| 1865 | 2 Played | 2 Won | 0 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1866 | 1 Played | 1 Won | 0 Lost | 0 Tied |
Ballgames
Players
Playing Fields
| Field | Years | Edit Association with Club |
|---|---|---|
| Red House | 1849 | |
| Elysian Fields | ||
| Madison Square Park | 1837 |
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