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They've challenged each other to a game of base ball, and a committee is working out the arrangements. 20 versus 20.

(Detroit Base Ball Club intra-club game)

A detailed article on Savannah cricket is Timothy Lockley, "The Manly Game: Cricket and Masculinity in Savannah, Georgia, in 1859," International Journal of the History of Sport, 20 (Sept. 2003), 77-99. Future Confederate general Moxley Sorrel, and Col. Francis Bartow, were two of the cricketeers. The article notes that Savannah had a short-lived cricket club in 1801.

The article also refers to informal baseball playing in Savannah, citing the Savannah Republican, Sept. 24, 1859: "although baseball was being played in Savannah in 1859, no club [was formed]'

(PSOT: “The nine innings were played in about two hours, and it was a well-contested game throughout, and ended with the best of feelings, three cheers and a tiger all around.”)

The Austin Southern Intelligencer, February 23, 1859, reported “a real old fashioned game of base or town ball” being played in Austin, on the prairie north of the Capitol. The teams made up mostly of government and store clerks, with fifteen men on a side. From the context, it appears the game played was probably town-ball or some predecessor game, as the writer of the article said the game reminded him of the ball game he played as a youth, and that there were 15 men on a side.

The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Feb. 10, 1859, reports on the celebration the day before (Feb. 9th) of King Kamehameha IV's birthday: "After the parade, the entire [Fire] Department, with the Chief Engineer, Alexander J. Cartwright, Esq., at the head, marched to the pic-nic ground, makai of the Stone Church, where, after a few appetizing games of ball, they sat down to a sumptuous repast..."

"Makai" is a Hawaiian term for "towards the ocean". The "Stone Church" is undoubtedly the old "Church of the Ali'i" or royal chapel, now Kawaiaha'o Church, where King Lunalilo us buried, 957 Punchbowl Street. Even today the grounds on the ocean side of that church are a park.  Every year, on the king's birthday, the Fire Department would lead a parade in Honolulu and settle down at the church park for a picnic. 

And yes, this is baseball "founder" Alexander Cartwright. It is likely, but not certain, that the game played was base-ball and not some predecessor game such as wicket, which was known in the Islands.

The memoirs of Hawaiian pioneer William Castle (cited in Nucciarone, "Alexander Cartwright" p. 198) says that before he (Castle) introduced the new baseball game to Hawaii in 1866, the bat-ball games played there were "two o-cat" and "three o-cat".

Same issue has another article on a ball game: "Dull Times [for Business] ...on Tuesday at high noon, an impromptu game of 'bat and ball' was got up on Queen Street, directly opposite the store of T. Spencer, Esq., which for  short time was prosecuted quite vigorously, much to the amusement of the bystanders. Clerks and Merchants caught the infection, and the sport was only stopped by some strong arm sending the ball overboard."

Queen Street is right in downtown and near the Stone Church. Thomas Spencer was a Ship's Chandler (supplier) and Commission Merchant. He and Cartwright were vice-presidents of the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce.

Liepa, "Baseball Mania Strikes Iowa," Iowa Heritage (2006), citing the Washington Press of March 1859, says that ballplaying in that town grew so dangerous that the city fathers urged that the game not be played in town anymore.

(return game of last year’s match)

(BDE: “The game was played according to the new Convention rules of 1859, under one of which it was observed that the Neosho put out three hands of their opponents with one ball, by catching the ball ‘on the fly’ and then passing it to two bases in immediate succession so as at the same time to put out both men who were returning to those bases.”)

(BDE: “A match of base ball between two rival clubs of Flatbush, that created more than usual interest in consequence of the disparity in the ages of the two clubs … The ‘Meitowoks’ being all young men, and the Eagles only lads of from twelve to sixteen years of age, but who seem to vie in courage with the proud bird whose name they bear.”)

(Porter’s Spirit of the Times: “The first match of the season …  Both are juvenile clubs, and were organized last year.  The Washington held the victor’s wreath last year, and have never been beaten.”)

The (Madison) Wisconsin State Journal, April 23, 1859 reports on a base ball game in Baraboo recently between the marrieds and the bachelors, 10 a side.

The (Madison) Wisconsin State Journal, June 30, 1859, reports that last Saturday a Beloit Club played an Illinois club, the prize being supper. Beloit won.

No details of the game, or of the teams (if any) are given.

(New York Sunday Mercury: “Our juvenile correspondent adds, that ‘The Neptunians are a gay set of fellows, and are ready for challenges any hour of the day [Sundays excepted].’ He also informs us that ‘the Croton was the challenging club in the late game,’ and that “they had a ball worth about 121/2 cents, and wanted it paid for because one of the Neptunes busted it.’ The Crotons ought to be willing to stand the ‘bust,’ under the circumstances.”)

(PSOT: “The former [Excelsior Club] gained considerable notoriety, last season, by the success they met with in the majority of their matches, and the latter [Charter Oak] club bids fair to do the same, if they can manage to obtain a similar result in their future contests to the one they did in this. It is, however, but fair to state that the Excelsiors did not present their strength on this occasion, but nevertheless, there were a sufficient number of their best players present to make the result highly creditable to the skills of their opponents. It is too early in the season to comment on the play on either side, as both sides showed the want of practice necessary to lead to victory; but we cannot refrain from alluding to the careful play throughout of the Charter Oaks, which, combined with some very loose play on the part of their competitors, contributed materially to the favorable result of the match.”)

(Massachusetts game rules; game called at 7:15 PM after 57 innings, when the Bay State Club “acknowledged themselves beaten.”)

Washington 2 (xxx) 17

Niagara 1 (xxx) 13

(5 innings)

(PSOT: “The opening game for the season … attracted quite a large number of spectators.)

(PSOT: “The game was called at one o’clock and thirty minutes, the time appointed, when the Vernons not having enough upon the ground, the Neptunes waited forty minutes after time. The Vernons, before this, offered to surrender their ball (they being the challenging club), which the Neptunes would not accept, as they had come to play. The Vernons having choice of innings, took the last one; and the Neptunes, at the bat, got ‘skunked’ the first innings. It beginning to rain on the third inning, the playing was not as good as might be. The catching of the Vernon was as good as the batting of the Neptune, which was excellent. If they have a clear day for the return, we expect to see some good playing by these clubs, as they are well matched. But there is one thing; pitcher of the Neptune, don’t pitch your balls so wild next time.”)

Flour City 2 (?) 36

Live Oak 2 (?) 27

From Protoball Entry #1859.41 – First Game in Canada Played by New York Rules?

"YOUNG CANADA vs. YOUNG AMERICA. – These two base ball clubs of Canada (the former of Toronto, the latter of Hamilton) played the first game of base ball that has ever taken place there, we believe, under the rules of the N. Y. Base Ball Association, on Tuesday, 24th ult., at Hamilton." The New York Clipper (printed date omitted; "May 1859" entered in hand, page omitted.) Facsimile from the Mears Collection provided by Craig Waff, September 2008. Young Canada prevailed, 68-41. Note: Are there any earlier claims for the first Knicks-style game in Canada?

"In 1959 the Hamilton Young American and the Toronto Young Canadian baseball clubs competed in Canada's first intercommunity baseball game using the New York rules."

D. Flaherty and F. Manning, The Beaver Bites Back? American Popular Culture in Canada (McGill-Queens Press, 1993), page 155.

(NYT: “Nearly five thousand people witnessed the game.”)

(PSOT: “…the first [match] they have ever played together. The play on both sides was not of a character to merit special notice, but was not bad. The New Utrecht Club deserved the success they obtained over their more experienced opponents, and the day’s play was much enjoyed.”)

Kalamazoo won the two games played that day, to 50, by 8 and 12 runs. Cites the Kalamazoo Telegraph, June 3, 1859. Morris, "Base Ball Fever"

Letter sent to the St. Paul Daily News, Wednesday, July 1, 1859:

To the Editor of the Times:

I take pleasure in responding to your request by giving you a rough report of the game of base ball played by the St. Paul Olympic Club, this afternoon. I only regret that I am unable to give up a fuller and more detailed report; but the game, not being a matched one, the runs made on each running [inning ?], were not recorded, so I simply give you the sum total of the scoring on each side. The club plays every Tuesday and Saturday, at four o'clock p.m. on Fort Street, beyond the Bell Tower. It holds its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday June 7th at 7 1/2 p.m., in Irvine's Stone Block, when persons may present their names for enrollment as members.

The following is a rough sketch of the game.

• Players:
  • D.W. Cornwell (cpt.), A.G. Langford, A.H. Green, R.B. Galusha, J.M. Treadwell, A.N. Jung, T.J. Connor, N.B. Farrell,...Sewell----9 scored 27.
  • W.B. McGeorge (cpt.), N.P. Langford, ...Brewster, George W. Hamilton, G.S. March, Thomas Van Etten, ...Gardner, G.S. Hazleton, J. Gardner...9 scored 16.

Truely yours, Olympic

St. Paul, May 28, 1859

Base Ball Reports---We know there are a great many of our readers who take an interest in the game of base ball, and we purpose from time to time to furnish a full report of every base ball match that will be played by the "Olympic Club," now thoroughly organized, in this city. To do this we shall have to rely mostly upon the courtesy of the secretaries or scorers, who have cheerfully promised to furnish us with a regular report. It will hardly be possible for us to be present on these occasions, except on the playing of first class matches. We understand that the St. Paul and Stillwater clubs will, before long, meet to play a match game. The occasion will no doubt prove a gratifying one to all who take an interest in this best of physical and intellectual pastimes. We should like to chronicle the formation of a cricket club in this city. The following is the report of the last game played, Langford's party coming out two ahead:

"Game of Base Ball played by the "Olympic Club," May 31.

The Chicago Tribune, July 25, 1859, reports that St. John's Church of Chicago will travel by train to Crystal Lake to have a picnic, with "a large party from Woodstock expected." The picnic will feature "the manly games of cricket and base ball."

The Rockford Weekly Register-Gazette, June 11, 1859, reports that "last Friday" a game of base ball was played in that town, for a prize of ice cream. Ten players to a side, and "the game was to fifty tallies."

(6 innings)

The New York Clipper, July 2, 1859, reports on a June 4th game at Fox Lake, WI between the Fox Lake and Courtland teams.

The game was 10 players a side, to 100 "points." When the score was 99-99, a Fox Lake player hit a drive so far the umpire couldn't see where it landed. A Courtland player claimed to have caught it on the first bound. After some dispute, the "judge" called the game a 99-99 draw.

The article gives a box score, and notes that several games have been played in that area recently. See also Fox Lake Gazette, May 26, June 9, 1859. The game was played in Randolph, just west of Fox Lake.

Fox Lake is in Dodge County. Courtland is in Columbia County, near modern Beaver Dam.

Irving 2 (xxx) 23

Alert 1 (xxx) 5

(Champion Base Ball Club intra-club game)

(10 innings)

(Porter’s Spirit of the Times: “The sympathies of the crowd were with the juniors [who rallied for 16 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game] throughout each successful run, being greeted with loud applause. …  the return match is looked for with great interest by the circle of ball players in this vicinity, which, though small, is none the less enthusiastic.”)

(return match)

This game appears in the Protoball Games Tabulation [NYS Capital Area table] compiled by Craig Waff. It was reported in Porter's Spirit June 18, 1859. The juniors of the Champion Club had scored 16 runs in the 9th inning to tie the seniors to force extra innings.

(Champion BBC intra-club game)

(10 innings)

(Porter’s Spirit of the Times: “The sympathies of the crowd were with the juniors [who rallied for 16 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie the game] throughout each successful run, being greeted with loud applause. …  the return match is looked for with great interest by the circle of ball players in this vicinity, which, though small, is none the less enthusiastic.”) [CW]

Franklin 1 (xxx)

Vernon 2 (xxx)

(scheduled)

(Porter’s Spirit of the Times: “Several hundred persons were on the ground, and witnessed the game, …”)

(Chicago Press and Tribune: “There were some five hundred spectators, not a few of whom were ladies.”)

(Porter’s Spirit of the Times: “The Excelsior is the pioneer ball club of this city; it was organized a year ago this spring.  We have now four clubs that play under the New York rules, and one or two now in process of organization.  The Excelsior club won two matches with the Union club last year, and have so far been not only Excelsior in name, but the Excelsior club of this city.”)

(21 HL; 7 innings?)

(8 innings)

(home-and-home game)

(Porter’s Spirit of the Times: “The trial at base-ball … was witnessed by a large number of spectators.  It was the most exciting game of the season.”)

(5 innings)

2nd nines

The Chicago Tribune, June 15, 1859 reports that next Saturday (June 18) there will be a match game of base ball at Danby between the Downer's Grove and the Danby clubs.

(6 innings)

(5 innings)

The Newburghs were organized "as early as 1856," and had "as particular rivals the Highlands, of (nearby) New Windsor." It seems likely that such games were played shortly after 1856, but a local source lists the first recorded game in June 1859, when a second Newburgh club, the Hudson Rivers, played its first game against the Highlands.

J. Nutt, compiler, Newburgh: Her Institutions, Industries and Leading Citizens (Ritchie and Hull, Newburgh, 1891), page 328.

Putnam (Brooklyn) 24 [or 28]

Eagle (NY) 8