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"A suite of physical changes -- such as the lowering and widening of the shoulders, and expansion of the waist, and a twisting of the humerus -- make humans especially good at throwing  . . . it wasn't until the appearance of Homo erectus, about 2 million years ago" that this combination of alterations came together.

Note: Chimpanzees can only throw like a dartboard-contestant or a straight-arm cricket bowler.

Stone-tipped spears only appeared about a half a million years ago.  "That means that for about 1.5 million years, when people hunted, they basically had nothing more lethal to throw than a pointed wooden stick . . . . If you want to kill something with that, you have to be able to throw that pretty hard, and you have to be accurate.  Imagine how important it must have been to our ancestors to throw hard and fast."

Gilgamesh was a celebrated Sumerian king who probably reigned 2800-2500 BCE.  His legend appears in several later poems.  

In one, he drops a mikku and a pukku, used in a ceremony or game, into the underworld.

One scholar, Andrew George, suggests that the objects were a ball and a mallet.  George translates the game played as something like a polo game where humans are ridden instead of horses.

When the two objects are lost, Gilgamesh is said in this interpretation to weep;

'O my ball!  O my mallet!

O my ball, which I have not enjoyed to the full!

O my mallet, with which I have not had my fill of play!'

In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo - later St. Augustine - recalls his youth in Northern Africa, where his father served as a Roman official. "I was disobedient, not because I chose something better than [my parents and elders] chose for me, but simply from the love of games. For I liked to score a fine win at sport or to have my ears tickled by the make-believe of the stage." [Book One, chapter 10] In Book One, chapter 9, Augustine had explained that "we enjoyed playing games and were punished for them by men who played games themselves. However, grown up games are known as 'business. . . . Was the master who beat me himself very different from me? If he were worsted by a colleague in some petty argument, he would be convulsed in anger and envy, much more so than I was when a playmate beat me at a game of ball."

"Now winter was coming on, and the brothers said that people ought to start playing games and finding something amusing to do.  They did so for a time, but then people started saying unpleasant things about each other, and they fell out with each other, and the games came to an end. The people in the two houses stopped going to see each other, and that was how things were for a great deal of the winter.

"With a relaxation of attitudes towards sports at the Restoration cricket began to emerge from its position of relative obscurity with the printed word beginning to define it, along with other folk games, as an element of the national culture. Edward Chamberlyne's Anglia Notitia, a handbook on the social and political conditions of England, lists cricket for the first time in the eighteenth edition of 1694. 'The natives will endure long and hard labour; insomuch, that after 12 hours of hard work, they will go in the evening to foot-ball, stool-ball, cricket, prison-base, wrestling, cudgel-playing, and some such vehement exercise, for their recreation.'"

Source: Bateman, Anthony, "More Mighty than the Bat, the Pen . . . ;' Culture, Hegemony, and the Literaturisaton of Cricket," Sport in History, v. 23, 1 (Summer 2003), page 30.

Upon further examination, Protoball notes that Anglia Notitia actually has two ongoing areas of special interest. The first is the text above in part 1, chapter V, which had evolved through earlier editions - the 1676 edition - if not earlier ones - had already mentioned stow-ball [changed to "stoolball" as of 1694 or earlier], according to Hazlitt's Faith and Folklore. Cricket historian Diana Rait Kerr agrees that cricket was first added in the 18^th edition of 1694.

Another section of Anglia Notitia catalogued English recreations. Text for this section - part 3, chapter VII - is accessible online for the 1702, 1704, 1707, and later editions. These recreations were listed in three parts: for royalty, for nobles and gentry, and for "Citizens and Peasants." Royal sports included tennis, pell mell and billiards. The gentry's sports included tennis, bowling, and billiards. And then: "The Citizens and Peafants have Hand-ball, Stow-ball, Nine-Pins, Shovel-board [and] Goffe," said the 20^th edition [1702]. In the 22^nd edition [1707], cricket had been inserted as something that commoners also played. We find no reference to club ball, stick ball, trap ball, or other games suggested as precursors of baseball. The full title of Chamberlayne is Anglia Notitia, or the Present State of England: With Divers Remarks on the Ancient State Thereof. Chamberlayne's first edition apparently appeared in 1669; the 37^th was issued in 1748. Another Chamberlayne excerpt is found at entry #1704.2 below.

John Thorn supplied crucial input for this entry. Note: It would be interesting to see whether earlier and later editions of Chamberlayne cite other games of interest.

Held as a POW in Plymouth, England, Newburyport MA sailor Charles Herbert wrote on April 2, 1777: "Warm, and something pleasant, and the yard begins to dry again, so that we can return to our former sports; these are ball and quoits . . . "

"And that no other person was present in said area, except a boy who, they say was playing with a Ball From the testimony some of the persons in the kitchen it appeared that the company there assembled were very noisy That some game at Ball was played That some of the company called on the Boy to keep tally; which Boy was seen by the same person, repeated by running after the Ball, with a penknife & stick in his hand, on which stick notches were cut That a Person who tarried at home at Dr. Appleton's was alarmed by an unusual noise about three o'clock, & on looking out the window, saw in the opening between Hollis & Stoughton, four or five persons, two of whom were stripped of their coats, running about, sometimes stooping down & apparently throwing something . . ."

"Three times is Out at wicket, next year if Something is not done I will retire to the Green Mountains."

 The last page of a US-printed reader encourages the reader to come to Thomas' book store, where "they may be suited with Something ore valuable than Cakes, prettier than Tops, handsomer than Kites, more pleasurable than Bat and Ball, more entertaining than either Scating or Sliding, and durable as marbles."

" [Five of us] were playing ball on the common before breakfast: and the ball fell into a hole where one of the booth's stakes had been driven the day before . . . putting the hand down something jingled and we found several dollars in silver . . .  We were small boys then all of us, and I was the youngest."     -- Jonathan Mason

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, then a student at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, writes: "This has been a very sickly term in college. However, within the last week, the government seeing that something must be done to induce the students to exercise, recommended a game of ball now and then; which communicated such an impulse to our limbs and joints, that there is nothing now heard of, in our leisure hours, but ball, ball, ball. . . .  [S]ince, there has been a thorough-going reformation from inactivity and turpitude."

From John Thorne, July 28, 2015:

"This just in from Ben Zimmer, a Facebook friend who writes for the Wall 
Street Journal. Important, I think.

'You might be interested in another early baseball example -- it's from the Jersey Journal from Jersey City (where I live!), written in 1871 but recalling a protoball club of the 1830s:'


"While here let me say to the Champion Base Ball Club, for their information, that in eighteen hundred and thirty-six and seven we had a base ball club that could not be beaten. It was composed of such men as Jerry O'Meara, Peter Bentley, J.C. Morgan, Jos. G. Edge, &c.  I acted as the spare pitcher to the first nine.  In those days the game was played by throwing the ball at the man running the bases, and whoever was hit was out. if he could not jump to the base from where he was hit. I would rather get hit by any member of the club than by Bentley, for he was a south-paw or left-hander, and he used to strike and throw an unmerciful ball."

"While here let me say to the Champion Base Ball Club, for their information, that in eighteen hundred and thirty-six and seven we had a base ball club that could not be beaten.  It was composed of such men as Jerry O'Meara, Peter Bentley, J. C. Morgan, Jos. G. Edge, &c.  I acted as a spare pitcher for the first nine.  In those days the game was played by throwing the ball at the man running the bases, and whoever got hit was out, if he could not jump to the bases from where he was hit.  I would rather get hit by any other member of the club than by Bentley, for he was a south-paw or left-hander, and he used to strike and throw an unmerciful ball.  The ball ground was a portion of the time Nevins and Townsend's block, in front of St. Matthew's Church .  .  .  . "

"'Do you refer to the young men on the lawn, Mr. Effington? . . . Why, sir, I believe they have always played ball in that precise locality.'

He called out in a wheedling tone to their ringleader, a notorious street brawler. 'A fine time for sport, Dickey; don't you think there would be more room in the broad street than on this crowded lawn, where you lose our ball so often in the shrubbery?'

'This place will do, on a pinch,' bawled Dickey, 'though it might be better. If it weren't for the plagued house, we couldn't ask for a better ball-ground. . . '

'Well, Dickey . . . , there is no accounting for tastes, but in my opinion, the street would be a much better place to play ball in than this lawn . . . There are so many fences hereabouts . . . It's true the village trustees say there shall be no ball-playing in the street [see item #1816.1 above - LM], but I conclude you don't much mind what they say or threaten.'"

Thus James Fenimore Cooper, in his novel Home As Found, describes the return of the Effingham family to Templeton and their ancestral home in Cooperstown, NY. The passage is thought to be based on a similar incident in Cooper's life in 1834 or 1835. In an unidentified photocopy held in the HOF's "Origins of Baseball" file, the author of A City on the Rise, at page 11, observes that "Cooper was the first writer to connect the game with the national character, and to recognize its vital place in American life." Another source calls this "the first literary ball game:"

http://external.oneonta.edu/cooper/cooperstown/baseball.html. Caveat: In a 1/24/2008 posting to 19BCC, Richard Hershberger writes: I believe the consensus on the Cooper reference is that it likely was something more hockey-like than baseball-like."

James Fenimore Cooper, Home as Found [W.A. Townsend and Co., New York 1860] Chapter 11. The 1838 first edition was published by Lea and Blanchard in Philadelphia - data submitted by John Thorn, 7/11/2004.

"P. H. Moor, a stage-driver, was killed in Lower Canada on the 29^th ult. by Fisher Ames by a blow given with a bat in a passion, during a game of ball play. He was taken up." (Newark Daily Advertiser (NJ), pg. 2, September 8, 1838.)

"Sports in Honolulu. One evidence of the increasing civilization in this place, and not the least gratifying, is to see the ardor with which the native youth of both sexes engage in the same old games which used to warm our blood not long since. There's good old bat and ball, just the same as when was ran from the school house to the 'Common' to exercise our skill that way; and then there is something which looks much like 'quorum,' and 'tag' too . . . ."

"The Ball Players of Bloomfield and vicinity, respectfully invite the Pall Players of the city of Hartford to . . . play at Wicket Ball, the best in nine games for Dinner and Trimmings. The Rules to be as follows: [1] The ball to be rolled and to strike the once or more before it reaches the wicket. [2] The ball to be fairly caught flying or at the first bound. [3] The striker may defend his wicket with his bat as he may choose. [4] One shamble shall be out. [5] Each party may choose one judge or talisman."

An 1842 reference indicates that rounders was played at an international agricultural school near Bern.

"During a general game, in which some of the masters join (rounders I think the English boys called it) I have observed . . . "

"A matched, political game of bass Ball came off in this village on Friday last.  Twelve Whigs on one side, and twelve Loco Focos on the other.  Rules of the game, one knock and catch out, each one out for himself, each side one inns.  The Whigs counted 81 and the Locos 10.  The game passed off very pleasantly, and our political opponents, we must say, bore the defeat admirably."

Note: The Whigs were a major political party in this era, and the Loco Focos were then a splinter group within the opposing Democratic Party.

A painting by Asher Durand [1796 - 1886] painting An Old Man's Reminiscences may include a visual recollection of a game played long before. Thomas Altherr ["A Place Leavel Enough to Play Ball," reprinted in David Block, Baseball Before We Knew It] describes the scene: "a silver-haired man is seated in the left side of he painting and he watches a group of pupils at play in front of a school, just having been let out for the day or for recess. Although this painting is massive, the details, without computer resolution, are a bit fuzzy. But it appears that there is a ballgame of some sort occurring. One lad seems to be hurling something and other boys are arranged around him in a pattern suspiciously like those of baseball-type games." Tom surmises that the old man is likely reflecting on his past.

Asher Durand, An Old Man's Reminiscences (1845), Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany NY. Per Thomas L. Altherr, "Chucking the Old Apple: Recent Discoveries of Pre-1840 North American Ball Games," Base Ball, Volume 2, number 1 (Spring 2008), page 40. For a credit-card-sized image - even the schoolhouse is iffy - go to

http://www.albanyinstitute.org/collections/Hudson/durand.htm, as accessed 11/17/2008. Dick McBane [email iof 2/6/09] added some helpful details of Durand's life, but much remains unclear. Query: Can we learn more about Durand's - a member of the Hudson River School of landscape artists, originally hailing from New Jersey - own background and youth?

[A] "FIELD SPORTS--The Knickerbocker Base Ball Club commence playing for the season, on Tuesday next, at the Elysian Fields, Hoboken."

[B] "The weather was most unfavorable for the sport promised a base ball game between the members of the Knickerbocker Club . . ."

"FAST.  This time-hallowed, if not time-honored occasion, was observed in the usual way.  The ministers preached to pews exhibiting a beggarly emptiness, upon the sins of the nation -- a frightful subject enough, heaven knows.  The b-hoys smoked cigars, kicked football, payed [sic] round ball, long ball, an [sic] old cat, and went generally into the outward observances peculiar to the occasion."

"BAT AND BALL AMONG THE LADIES. Nine married ladies beat nine single ones at a game of wicket in England recently. The gamesters were all dressed in white - the married party with blue trimmings and the others in pink."

"[T]hey committed a radical error in abolishing all the Papal holidays, or in not substituting something therefore. We have Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July, and Fast-Day when the young men play ball. We need three times as many festivals."

"The 'Knickerbocker Antiquated Base Ball Club' played a match on  Wednesday afternoon on the South Park, in the presence of a large number of spectators.  W. H. Whittemore's side scored 86 to 69 scored by Jos. Trawin's side.  The game was for  an oyster dinner, which the defeated party provided."

In 1880 the Brooklyn Eagle and New York Times carried long articles that include a description of the game of wicket, described as a Connecticut game not seen in Brooklyn for about 25 years:

[A] "Instead of eleven on a side, as in cricket, there are thirty, and instead of wickets used by cricketers their wickets consist of two pieces of white wood about an inch square and six feet long, placed upon two blocks three inches from the ground. The ball also differs from that used in cricket or base ball, it being almost twice the size, although it only weighs nine ounces. The bat also differs from that used in cricket and base ball, it being more on the order of a lacrosse bat, although of an entirely different shape, and made of hard, white wood. The space between the wickets is called the alley, and is seventy-five feet in length and ten feet in width. Wicket also differs from cricket in the bowling, which can be done from either wicket, at the option of the bowlers, and there is a centre line, on the order of the ace line in racket and hand ball, which is called the bowler's mark, and if a ball is bowled which fails to strike the ground before it reaches this line it is considered a dead ball, or no bowl, and no play can be made from it, even if the ball does not suit the batsman. The alley is something on the order of the space cut out for and occupied by the pitcher and catcher of a base ball club, the turf being removed and the ground rolled very hard for the accommodation of the bowlers."

[B] "The game of wicket, a popular out-door sport in Connecticut, where it originated half a century ago, was played for the first time in this vicinity yesterday.  Wicket resembles cricket in some respect, but it lacks the characteristics which mark the latter as a particularly scientific pastime.  In wicket each full team numbers 30 players instead of 111, as in cricket.  The wickets of the Connecticut game are also different, , being about 5 feet wide and only 3 inches above the ground, and having a bar of white wood resting on two little blocks.  The space between wickets measures 75 feet by 10 feet, and is termed the 'alley'. . . .  [No scorebook is use to record batting or fielding.]  The bat sued is 38 inches long, and bears a strong resemblance to a Fiji war-club, the material being well-seasoned willow.  The Ball, although much larger than a cricket ball, is just as light and no quite so hard. . . . If a delivered ball fails to hit the ground before the [midway] mark it is called a 'no ball' and no runs for it are counted.  The game was originated in the neighborhood of Bristol.

"Yesterday's match was played between the Bristol Wicket Club, the champions of Connecticut, and the Ansonia Company, of Brooklyn, on he grounds of the Brooklyn Athletic Club."

Bristol won the two-inning match 162-127.

A Newark club defeated the [Jersey City] club in July 1855 at the club's grounds in Newark. “The first match in New Jersey … some very spirited play on the part of the Newark club, …”)

"There seems to be some doubt as to when the first baseball club was organized in Chicago, but it has been stated that a club called the Unions played town ball there in 1856. . . . we have a record of town ball being played at Alton IL on Saturday, June 19, 1858."  

"The Tri-Mountain Base Ball Club has been organized... This Club has decided to play the "New York Game," which consists in pitching instead of throwing the ball." 

See also item 1857.5

"The Great Base Ball Match of 1858, which was a best 2 out of 3 games series, embodies four landmark events that are pivotal to the game's history"

1. It was organized base ball's very first all-star game.

2. It was the first base ball game in the New York metropolitan area to be played on an enclosed ground.

3. It marked the first time that spectators paid for the privilege of attending a base ball game -- a fee of 10 cents gave admission to the grounds.

4. The game played on September 10, 1858 is at present [2005] the earliest known instance of an umpire calling strike on a batter."  The New York Game had adopted the called strike for the 1858 season. It is first known to have been employed (many umpires refused to do so) at a New York vs. Brooklyn all-star game at Fashion Race Course on Long Island. The umpire was D.L. (Doc) Adams of the Knickerbockers, who also chaired the National Association of Base Ball Players Rules Committee.  But see Warning, below.

These games are believed to have been the first the newspapers subjected to complete play-by-play accounts, in the New York Sunday Mercury, July 25, 1858.

The New York side won the series, 2 games to 1.  But Brooklyn was poised to become base ball's leading city.

"This, then, is what cricket and boating, battledore and archery, shinney and skating, fishing, hunting, shooting, and baseball mean, namely that there is a joyous spontaneity in human beings; and thus Nature, by means of the sporting world, by means of a great number of very imperfect, undignified, and sometimes quite disreputable mouthpieces, is perpetually striving to say something deserving of far nobler and clearer utterance; something which statesmen, lawgivers, preachers, and educators would do well to lay to heart."   

December 1861 (Texas?): "There is nothing unusual transpiring in Camp. The boys are passing the time playing Town-Ball."

January 1862 (Texas?): "All rocking along finely, Boys playing Town-Ball"

March 1863 (USA prison camp, IL?): The Rebels have at last found something to employ both mind and body; as the parade ground has dried up considerably in the past few days, Town Ball is in full blast, and it is a blessing for the men."

March 1863 (USA prison camp, IL?): "Raining this morning, which will interfere with ball playing, but the manufacture of rings 'goes bravely on,' and I might say receives a fresh impetus by the failure of the 'Town-ball' business."

December 1861 (Texas?): “There is nothing unusual transpiring in Camp. The boys are passing the time playing Town-Ball.”

January 1862 (Texas?): “All rocking along finely, Boys playing Town-Ball”

March 1863 (USA prison camp, IL?): The Rebels have at last found something to employ both mind and body; as the parade ground has dried up considerably in the past few days, Town Ball is in full blast, and it is a blessing for the men.”

March 1863 (USA prison camp, IL?): “Raining this morning, which will interfere with ball playing, but the manufacture of rings ‘goes bravely on,’ and I might say receives a fresh impetus by the failure of the ‘Town-ball’ business.”

Source: W. W. Heartsill, Fourteen Hundred and 91 Days in the Confederate Army: A Journal Kept by W. W. Heartsill: Day-by-Day, of the W. P. Lane (Texas) Rangers, from April 19^th 1861 to May 20^th 1865. Submitted by Jeff Kittel, 5/12/09. Available online at The Ameridcan Civil War: Letters and Diaries Database, at http://solomon.cwld.alexanderstreet.com/. Heartsill joined Lane’s Texas Rangers early in the War at age 21. He was taken prisoner in Arkansas in early 1862, and exchanged for Union prisoners in April 1863. He then joined Bragg’s Army in Tennessee, and assigned to a unit put in charge of a Texas prison camp of Union soldiers. There are no references to ballplaying after 1863. Query: “manufacture of rings?”

[A]  “The Rochester Evening Express published a letter from a soldier dated March 31, 1863, saying the Union Troops near what is now Leeland Station in Stafford were amusing themselves by running races and ‘playing ball, the latter being the favorite amusement or our correspondent. ‘We played nearly all day yesterday, our gallant Colonel looking on with as much pleasure as though he had a hand in . . . . (Quite a number of spectators assembled on our parade ground to witness the expertness of our officers, as they were practicing a match-game with the commissioned officers of the veteran 13th.) I learn that the 108^th Regiment and the 14^th Brooklyn Regiment were to play a match game of ball to-day for a purse of $25. . . . It may appear that we should be engaged in something else beside playing base ball, but I tell you it is one of the best things in the world to keep up the spirits of the men, , and not only that, but it is of vast importance to their health, and necessary to the development of their muscle . . . . The old veteran Joe (Gen. Joseph Hooker) himself can be seen out on the field encouraging the boys on as earnest as if he were on the battlefield.”

[B] In a 2001 article, Allison Barash cites parts of this communiqué, and adds that the writer was “Captain Patrick H. “True Blue” Sullivan of the 140^th New York Volunteers, who had played for Rochester’s Lone Stars Club before the war and was obviously hopelessly addicted to the game, left many written statements of Civil War ballgames.” She does note give a source for this passage or the other writings.

A March 11, 1865 letter from Private Willis Watts of the 1st TX Infantry, Lee's army reports "We have pretty good huts to live in and are always very lively & merry when the weather permits we often Play Town Ball Cat Bull Pin or Something of that Sort."

The Union Club of Morrisania won the 1867 Championship, winning its second game of the series, 14-13, over the Atlantic Club. Charlie Pabor is the winning pitcher.  Akin at shortstop and Austin in center field make spectacular fielding plays.

Game played Oct. 10, 1867.

 "I have mentioned base-ball as one of our principal out-door games. We play cricket, but base-ball is to our lads what cricket is to yours. It is the English ball game “rounders,” but developed into something much more interesting and important. It is preferred to cricket, because the play is more varied and less formal; but nevertheless it has become a very formidable and solemn game."  Sydney Morning Herald, April 11, 1867, quoting the London Spectator

"Circumstances prevented any improvement in the organization of the [White Sox] nine until some weeks after their return from their disastrous [New York] tour; finally, however, the nine was re-organized . . . the muffin players' rubber ball was re-placed by a dead ball, and from the[n] . . .the Chicago club has been marked by a series of uninterrupted victories, the crowning triumph being the defeat of the strongest nine in the United States in two successive contests."

"THE REDSTOCKINGS AND THEIR RECENT DEFEATS -- Everybody in this vicinity is making the inquiry, 'What is the matter with the Reds?' Their recent defeats at Chicago and Rockford have surprised their friends here. . . [B]oth at Chicago and Rockford last week they were badly whipped.  Something must be wrong. It is not the lack of skill or generalship that is the cause.  We rather suspect that there is that same lack of harmony and acting in concert . . . which marked the play of the first Chicago nine. . . .  In  the game at Rockford on October 15, the Red Stockings received the worst defeat they have sustained since they first donned the red hose."

The Philly  Athletics released their 1872 income/expenses for about $26,000.  

Richard Hershberger comments below on another report of a delayed double steal, this one by the Boston club.  The Atlantics had evidently pulled one not long before.

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

[from a letter to the editor by “Home Run”] The field was clear, the rope was perfect around its entire extent, and every player could exhibit as perfect play as he was capable of. Why should such experienced and able players as the Excelsiors heed or pay any attention to the noisy demonstrations of the rabble? Porter's Spirit of the Times August 28, 1860

To the Editors of the Sunday Mercury:

In consequence of there being so much comment reflecting on us in regard to our late match with the Excelsior Club, and the Press so unanimous in adjudging all the odium consequent upon the abrupt termination of the game on the Atlantic Club and their friends, we think that, in simple justice to ourselves and them, we are bound to make a frank records of the affair, in the confident hope and anticipation that a discerning public will, now that the excitement has in a measure subsided, give our side of the story a fair and just hearing.

In the first place, we used every possible effort to have “a clear field and no favor,” and in this, as in the last game, we feel happy to say, that through the exertion of Mr. Folk, aided by his efficient body of police, we succeeded beyond the possibility of a doubt. What more can any club do? Can we restrain a burst of applause or indignation emanating from an assemblage of more than 15,000 excited spectators, whose feelings are enlisted as the game proceeds, by the efforts of this or that player or players?

He who has witnessed the natural excitement which is [illegible] miscellaneous assemblage, whether called together by a regatta, an important test of speed on the turf, or a match between noted base ball organizations, know [sic] full well that it is an utter impossibility to prevent a crowd from expressing their sentiments in a manner and audibly as they please.

Mr. Thorn, the umpire on this occasion, was calm, and expressed himself not at all annoyed by the exclamations of the spectators. The members of the Atlantic nine remarked to him at the most exciting period of the game, that they would sustain him in all his decisions, and urged the continuance of the play. Then let us ask what caused its abrupt termination?

Nothing, in our opinion, judging from the language made use of, but the ungovernable temper of a friend of ours on the other side, and who seems to be getting exceeding nervous of late; and, if the nine is to be called off the grounds on all occasions where the pressure is rather high, we think ball-playing will soon lose its most essential feature; this is, first, the presence of the ladies–which, of course, ought to be best guarantee for good behavior of the players, and the crowd in general. We thinks such conduct by first-class clubs, as a precedent, will lead to similar occasions by inferior clubs, and finally terminate in the ruin of the game as a national pastime; and how the press can uphold a club, or individual, in such an instance, and say they have the interest of the game at heart, is something the Atlantics cannot understand, as, after listening quietly to all that has been said, they still claim to know something of the game of base ball, and believe that such conduct cannot, and has not, been anything but detrimental to the game.

We wish the public to understand that we do not win our battles in the newspapers, but on the green turf, and we also are firm in the faith that the club is yet to be organized which can deprive us of our well-earned championship.

On the field, it has always been our pride and pleasure to preserve good order, and to render every accommodation and courtesy in our power to our friends of the press, the ladies, and to all evincing any interest in the noble old sport of base ball. In conclusion, we must say that no one was more surprised or disappointed at the termination of the game than ourselves. We were confident of victory, and we wish the public to remember that the “Old Atlantics” are used to fighting these exciting battles; and we would recommend those aspiring to the championship not to bee too hasty in leaving the field, as it is a “poor road to travel” and does not lead to that enviable and coveted position. F. K. Boughton

Secretary Atlantic Base Ball Club

Brooklyn, Aug. 31, 1860

New York Sunday Mercury September 2, 1860

The gentlemen for whom the benefit is gotten up, are well known to the Base Ball Fraternity,--the names of Pierce and Creighton, being names of players not to be forgotted [sic], the latter noted for his superior pitching. The large circle of friends of Mr. Pierce, conceived the idea and arranged the match for his benefit, but he generously desired Mr. Creighton to be included, and thus the two are to share the proceeds, and to judge from the large circle of their acquaintances the proceeds will amount to something handsome. We are requested to state that tickets for this match can be purchased at the store of Dick & Haynes, corner of Fulton avenue and St. Felix street, Brooklyn. Price 10 cents. Match to come off November 7th, on the St. George Cricket grounds, Hoboken. Brooklyn Eagle November 1, 1861

A contest between two picked nines from the leading Base Ball Clubs of Brooklyn, will take place to-day, Thursday, Nov. 7th, on the St. George's enclosed grounds at Hoboken. Brooklyn Eagle November 7, 1861

The assemblage amounted to about from two to three thousand persons, a fair proportion of whom were of the fair sex. Brooklyn Eagle November 8, 1861

Every Base Ball player in the country has heard of Chadwick, the Reporter. He is a lover of manly sports, and we doubt it there was ever a more upright and impartial chronicler. “Honor to who honor is due,” is his motto, and he does not hesitate to censure all who deserve it.-- Perhaps no man has done more to make Base Ball a National and successful game, and to support it by the best of principles. Such a man deserves a handsome compliment—his services deserve flattering recognition—a Gold Watch, or something of that sort, worth $250. Who'll move in this matter? We give notice that if the proposal is not carried out now, we'll move it at the next Base Ball Convention in New York.

[the Athletics hosted by the Mutuals:] The Mutual committee, who had charge of this excursion business, was composed of Messrs. A. B. Taylor, King, Shanly, Brennan, O’Niel, Gover and Tweed. Permission was obtained to take the stages through the [Central] Park, something never before allowed, and it was amusing to note the surprise of the Park policemen when they saw their old foes, the stages, encroaching on sanctified grounds.

[Atlantic vs. Eureka 8/31/63] On their arrival at the Eureka grounds, everything was found duly prepared in the way of arrangements for keeping the spectators from encroaching on the grounds set apart for the players; but no chalk lines were laid down for the Umpire to judge of foul balls correctly, something that should never be neglected at a ball match.

[Mutual vs. Eckford 10/6/1863] As long as swift pitching remains in vogue just so long may we expect to see dull, tedious and uninteresting games, where two or three of the nine are worked to excess, while the remainder have not half enough to do, and where opportunities for a display of skill in fielding are so rare as is good humor in such contests. There is one thing certain, and that is, if this custom of pitching swift balls at the striker instead of for him is to be the rule, both the strikers and catchers will have to pad themselves up like cricketers do. At present the striker is just as much engaged in efforts to avoid the balls pitched at him to intimidate him as he is to select those he can hit well, and between the two he has hard work to hit at all. We sincerely trust that at the next Convention something will be done to remedy the growing evil, and the rule in reference to the delivery of the ball so worded as to fore pitchers to pitch a ball solely for the striker. If this be done, we shall once more see lively and well played games, and contests in which more dependence fo success is placed on the skill of the fielders in general than on the swift balls of the pitcher.

[mixed sides of New York and Hoboken clubs:] At the close of the fourth inning, the objectionable action of T. Dalton, of the Henry Eckford, had nearly been the cause of a disturbance. After hitting a ball to short field, he ran very slowly to first base in order to insure his being put out, as it was getting dark, and it was necessary to hurry matters up in order to close the fifth inning, otherwise the New Yorkers would not have won the game.

The Hoboken party at one remonstrated against this course of conduct, unjustly including Dr. Bell in their censures; whereas Dalton was the only one to blame in the matter. The poor fielding of several of the Hoboken nine in the fourth inning led the New Yorkers to think that their opponents were “playing things on ‘em”, in order to delay the game; and we must confess their play had that appearance. Finally, however, the game was brought to a close; not, however, until another of the Henry Eckfords had followed a bad example by endeavoring to strike out in the fifth inning; something we never suspected a player of his standing in the community would have been tempted to be guilty of. His action, however, was nullified by that of the umpire, who very properly refused to call strikes, when he saw the styles of game the batsman was playing.

...In the first place, it is proposed to change the working of the rules that refers to pitching, so as to make the definition of a balk clear to the plainest understanding. It is also proposed that the same rule shall include the definition of a jerk, and we think it about time something is inserted in the rule in question whereby we might distinctly know what constitutes a jerk; for, if we mistake not, jerking the ball without touching the side of the body, has lately come into vogue to a very great extent.

Another thing required in the way of an amendment, is, the re-wording of those rules that refer to running the bases, so as to make every player touch all the bases in making his runs.

The bad habit of the general class of batsmen have got into of not standing on the line of the home bases when about to strike, requires to be remedied by the enforcement of some penalty, a good one proposed being that of calling all balls fair that touch the ground perpendicularly from the bat, when the striker has not one foot on the line of his base. By standing back of the base, every poor hit he makes, whereby the ball goes from the bat perpendicularly to the ground, saves him from being out at first base–as he would be otherwise likely to be, owing to the ball being called foul. But, if the rule is changed as above suggests, a hit of the kind will put him out, unless he stands fairly on the line of the base.

Is it also proposed to change the wording of Rule 37, so as to admit of an umpire considering balls struck at for the purpose of hastening the close of an inning as not fair strikes. The necessity of this change was made apparent in the last innings of the match between the Hoboken and New York clubs, played Oct. 23.

Rule 16 might also be improved by the insertion of words which would require the player returning to his base on a foul ball, to remain on the base until the ball was settled in the hands of the pitcher. This is practically agreed out how; but it should be plainly laid down as the actual rule.

Many of the best players in the community are of the opinion that changing outs from bound-catches to fly-balls only would greatly improve the fielding department of the game. We are of the opinion that it would not; but, nevertheless, we should like to see the rule in force for one season, in order to see how it would work. The few games that have been played have afforded no criterion as to whether the fly-game would be an improvement or not, and, therefore, we should like to see it adopted for next season. An effort to have the fly-game adopted at the next Convention will undoubtedly be made, and the friends of both styles of play would do well to muster in force on the occasion.

There is one alteration in the rules of the game that is likely to be proposed, which merits particular consideration at the hands of the Committee on Rules, and that is, a proposed amendment of Rule 5, by which every ball pitched over the head of the striker, or outside the line of the home base, shall be called a wide ball, and shall count against the side on the filed the same as runs made from the bat.

This is an important change, and one, we think that the present wild pitching in vogue fully calls for. It is about time that the style of pitching which aims to pitch the ball at the striker, and anywhere but where he can hit is, was done away with, and that fair balls were pitched, as in the early period the game. There are so many would-be Creightons in the various clubs, and pitchers generally appear to be so very anxious to excel more in speed than anything else, that true and legitimate pitching is something rarely to be seen. What should be the first desideratum in pitching, vis., accuracy of aim in delivery, is the last thing thought of; the only idea entertained being the one which makes speed alone the criterion of excellence. The proposed rule in reference to wide balls would undoubtedly lessen wild pitching, if it did not stop it altogether, and we hope to see it adopted at the next Convention. New York Sunday Mercury November 8, 1863

The Committee on Rules and Regulations have now under consideration a host of suggestions in regard to the wording of this and that rule, and the introduction of new ones, which they will bring to the notice of the convention embodied in their regular report. The most important improvement suggested is that of the introduction of wide balls, as in cricket, with a view to do away with the wild pitching in vogue. New York Clipper November 28, 1863

Many think that the rule in reference to pitching will greatly promote the attractiveness of the game, by giving more scope for a display of skill by the outer-fielders. At any rate, the pitching will be slower than it has been for the past three or four seasons, and more dependence will be placed upon good fielders than upon the speed of the pitcher for success in matches. The time will come when slow, twisting balls, pitched with skill and judgment, will supersede the rifle-shooter of would-be Creightons. The fast pitching system is “played out”. Spectators have become disgusted with waiting hour after hour to see three or four innings played, the pitcher and catcher tired from over-work, the batsman annoyed and irritated from waiting for good balls, the fieldsmen idle and cross for want of something to do, and all the “vim” and spirit of the game being lost, because “we want to show ‘em what a bully swift pitcher we’ve got”.

The new rule in regard to calling balls on a pitcher, too, is likely to lead to good results in every way. Hitherto, umpires have refrained from calling strikes on batsmen, who have refused to strike at good balls, because there has been nothing to offset the advantage thus given to the pitcher; there being no rule hitherto whereby the umpire could inflict a penalty on the pitcher as well as the batsman, for his unfair practices. This new rule remedies this evil, and now we shall, no doubt, see both batsmen and pitchers kept down to their legitimate work by the threat of imposing the penalties the rules now inflict upon both parties.

These new rules, in this respect, practically take the most effective part of swift pitching out of the hands of pitchers; for, to tell the truth, not a solitary instance of fair pitching, that was very swift, have we seen since Creighton died. Swift pitchers have apparently regarded it as the very acme of skill in swift pitching to intimidate the batsman as much as possible, and thereby so cloud his judgment as to induce him to bat at balls he cannot hit. It is the most difficult thing to impart a bias to the ball, and pitch it in swiftly with one and the same movement, and hence to offset the worst of the twist in swift pitching, the pitchers have reverted to the custom which brought about the rule to calling balls on them.

[a letter to the editor signed “Fair Play”] Knowing full well the interest you take in Base Ball maters, and your thorough knowledge of the rules of the game, I solicit your interpretation of the rule adopted by the National Convention in regard to members of Clubs belonging to the Convention playing; and claiming membership in more than one Club. My reasons for asking you are obvious. Tuesday, Oct. 17, I had occasion to be in Bedford, I there saw two promiment players of the “Enterprise B.B.C.,” namely, George Cook and B. Edwards, and L. Pike and Kenny of the Atlantics playing in a match between the Active B.B.C. And the Peconic B.B.C., both junior clubs. They all claim to be members of the Active, and make no concealment of it; so far they have played in not only every game the Actives have played this year, but when other junior clubs were deficient in making up a nine, neither of them declined when asked to play them...

Answer—The evil complained of has become too prevalent, and something should be done to put a stop to it. The Atlantic and Enterprise Clubs members are not the only men who do this, as it has become quite common. The “Unknown” Club of Harlem, play Pabor, Ketcham and Ten Eyck. The rule says: “No person shall participate in a match, unless he shall have been a member of that club, and of no other club, in or out of the convention for thirty days previous.” “Fair Play” has done a good thing in thus bringing this matter before the public, and these “revolvers,” should be made to adhere to either one club or the other.

[Atlantics vs. Athletics 11/6/1865] It would appear that the wintry winds of November have no more effect in deterring people from witnessing an exciting game of base ball than the sultry heat of a July sun, though yesterday was tolerably pleasant for the season for those engaged in active movements. For a crowd of spectators standing exposed to a cold northwest breeze it was anything but agreeable, and yet from twelve to fifteen thousand people, by actual count, faced the chilly breeze on the open field of the Capitoline Ball Grounds yesterday to witness the return match between the above named rival clubs of Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Any one visiting Brooklyn yesterday between the hours of twelve and two would have known that something unusual was on foot in the way of exciting events, by the rushing of crowds to the ferryboat to the Fulton avenue cars during those hours, and had the observer gone with the crowd and entered the grounds in question he would have witnessed s sight new even to the out-door-sport-loving masses of the metropolis. Never before, in the history of the game, had such a vast assemblage been seen at a match. The field is nearly a mile round, and on three sides of it the crowd stood eight and ten deep in a perfect mass. New York Herald November 7, 1865

tension between the Athletics and the Atlantics

[Atlantics vs. Athletics 10/30/1865] Nothing occurred to mar the harmony of the occasion, though, of course, there was but little of that kindly feeling exhibited which should mark all games of ball, the manner in which the game had been brought about very naturally preventing any special demonstrations of this kind. New York Leader November 11, 1865

They [the Excelsiors] held a special meeting last evening at the Clubhouse, No. 371 Fulton street, the President, Dr. Jones, in the chair, and considerable business was transacted. Twenty-four new members were elected, making in all about a hundred that have joined the club this season. Brooklyn Eagle May 3, 1866

The Excelsiors of this city already count over two hundred and fifty members while the Athletics of Philadelphia number something like a thousand. Brooklyn Eagle May 4, 1866

We visited these extensive grounds on Tuesday morning last, and were very much leased with the appearance of things. The new park is upon a lane leading off from the first tollgate upon the Germantown pike, and the Fourth and Eighth Street (yellow) cars take you to the ground for a single fare. The property has two fronts. The western one borders upon and Germantown and Norristown Railroad, and that company intend erecting a passenger station upon the premises for the convenience of their Germantown and Philadelphia patrons. The property has long been known as “Duke’s Garden,” and is admirably adapted for th uses for which it is being prepared.

The workmen are now busily employed in getting ready the ball-ground, which we have no hesitation is saying will be the finest in this country. The choice fruit and shade trees that adorned the property have been removed, and a beautiful space made clear for the players. The ground will be put in excellent order, and our clubs have a field to give their exhibitions of skill upon worthy of our great national game. Stands will be erected capable of seating comfortably ten thousand people, and Mr. Wm. Vanhook, under whose superintendence these improvements are going on, had ordered preserved a number of excellent shade trees, under which seats will be erected, and which will enhance the comfort of the spectator, and no way impair the view.

There will be a sixty foot wide drive around the grounds, which will be for the accommodation of those visiting the premises in carriages. We walked over the park with Mr. Vanhook–some eleven acres in extent, and were asked by him to locate the “reporter’s boudoir,” which, by the way, is to be something exclusive, and will not be open for the use of the “dead beat” tribe.

On behalf of the legitimate members of our fraternity, we beg leave to thank Mr. Vanhook and the gentlemen who are associated with him, for the thoughtfulness in remembering the wants of the press. The courtesy will not be forgotten as the season advances.

Among the improvements will be a spacious refectory, which will be conducted in a manner to make it popular with visitors. No liquors will be sold or allowed upon the premises. Players who have visited the new grounds are in ecstacies over its advantages and conveniences for baseball and cricket purposes, and the skating park will be in all respects equal to the best in the country. We should not omit to mention that the property has been inclosed, and the visitor will not be annoyed by the gratuitous slang of the mob who generally congregate on important matches, and whose phraseology does not grate pleasantly upon polite ears.

ATLANTIC VS. IRVINGTON.–About the neatest thing in the way of a “sell” ever got off on the champions was that which their President and the Club were the victims of yesterday ‘over in New Jersey.’ The particulars of the practical joke–one the champions don’t relish very well, by the way–are as follows: The other day a committee of country-looking from the Irvingtons called on Mr. Babcock to see if he would accept a challenge from a ‘country club’ in New Jersey. ‘Our club,’ said the committee, ‘are mostly country ball-players, and they simply want to play the Atlantics to learn some of their points. We will treat you well, and it will be a good practice-game, you know, to play us fellows. It will be a big thing for our club and our village to have the champions visit us.’ This talk touched the heart of ye President, and he said he would talk the matter over with the boys, and he did; and he consented to go over with a nine, and yesterday he went over, and what came off of it will be ascertained from our report. On the arrival of the champions at Irvington, they found a nine to confront them in which were Buckley and Lewis–two of the best players of the old Newark Club; the two Campbells, Crawford, Leonard and Bailey, of the old Pioneers–who defeated the Excelsiors so badly last season–and Swezie and Williams, two crack players of the Irvington Juniors, the champion junior club of New Jersey last year. All of these now compose the Irvington senior nine, and a pretty strong team they are.

Since this defeat the champions have been “chaffed” in Brooklyn until they are sore on the subject; and, as for Babcock, his “little game in New Jersey” will be buzzed in his ears until the snow falls. Philadelphia City Item June 23, 1866 [the first paragraph quoting the Brooklyn Union]

Now the Jerseymen of the Irvingtons, as it now appears, had simply been playing a nice little point. Their modest talk about “a country club” to President Babcock, was simply talk. They knew how good natured he was, and how he liked to encourage young clubs, &c., and so they put it to him strong about their being a new member [of the National Association] club, wanting practice, &c., and all that kind of thing, and so Babcock got the boys to take a trip into the country, and what came of it we will briefly tell. The Atlantics took the 1 P.M. train to Newark, with a party in which there were neither Charley Smith, Galvin or Ferguson. On their arrival at Newark they were met by some of the Irvingtons and escorted on a horse car to Irvington. On their arrival at the ground they found a large assemblage present, ropes for boundary lines, seats for ladies, and a large can of strawberry lemonade under the scorers’ desk, ready for them when they got warmed up. But there was nothing to cool them off in case the nine should give them a warming. In addition to these preparations, there was a remarkably strong nine present, which was something the champions were not looking for... New York Clipper June 23, 1866

This season has witnessed some queer doings in Base Ball circles and incidents entirely unexpected at the outset have happened. Clubs that at the opening of play promised to take a leading position have modestly retired, while others have stepped to the front and borne off the honors with apparent ease. So many changes have been made among players that it is now a difficult matter to know where to place some of them.

The Excelsiors at first gave good promise of following their motto and taking a position at the head of the list; but their nine is now broken up and they must content themselves with maintaining their old position and reputation as a club of gentlemen who play base ball from a love of the game itself and not for the sake of trophies or championships.

Since Pearce and Crane have gone back to their “first love” the Atlantics have now—or will as soon as they can play—a stronger nine than ever before and will probably distance all competitors, although the Athletics may give them something of a brush. Meanwhile the Unions of Morrisania, have fought their way gallantly to a foremost position and are prominent candidates for the honors of the championship. The Eckfords, though suffering severely from defections in their ranks, have not lost their pluck, but must give up their hopes of “flying the whip.” Brooklyn Eagle August 4, 1866

The Excelsior nine has been broken up by the defection of Pearce and Crane, who have gone back to their “first love,” the Atlantics. This move has taken many by surprise, and numerous conjectures have been hazarded as to its cause. It is better, perhaps, to state the fact simply, and trust the future for explanations.

Of course the Excelsiors must now resign all hopes–if they ever had any–of attaining the championship this season; but they can still remain what they always have been, a set of true gentlemen as well as good ball-players. They have never played merely for the sake of winning trophies, and will not “go into a decline” over the slight cloud that for the time overshadows the brightness of their future prospects. New York Dispatch August 5, 1866

OPEN BETTING AT BASEBALL-MATCHES.–We earnestly call upon every baseball-layer who has the interest of our game at heart to make an effort to put a stop to the custom of making open bets at ball-matches. Bets will be made; and when the investments of this kind are of trifling amounts, say for instance, not exceeding a five or ten dollar bill, no harm is done. But what we allude to, as a vital blow to the popularity and permanency of baseball, is the custom of making our leading contest [sic], especially those for the so-called championship, a means of making money by wagers of from fifty up to five hundred dollars; and of parties going about among the crowd at a baseball match with greenbacks in hand, calling out for bets, like the blacklegs at a hippodrome trotting-match. It is this betting business, in which hundreds of dollars are put up on single wagers, that has led to the purchase of players. What is to prevent a man who has a thousand dollars bet on the result of a match, from approaching a player of a match, and promising him a gift of a $100 bill, either to use his influence to “throw” a game, or to do something or other of a dishonorable character to win it. It has been done, as we all know; and arrangements have also been made to sell games for the purpose of winning bets, and that by parties who doubtless would never have been guilty, but for the temptation offered by the large sums invested. If all the reputable members of the fraternity will frown this open betting down, it will be put a step to; but just so long as it is countenanced, just so long may we expect disturbances.

We all know that at irregular intervals dangerous epidemics sweep over countries, affecting more or less all the people. The East tells us of thousands infected, and it requires no historical knowledge to see it in our own land. As with physical maladies, so also with moral contagions. Philosophers say that crime is infectious, and that one example of a mighty offense against law causes others. And it is a moral epidemic which is now raging in our land. Good, quiet people may smile, but there is a fever which is in the brains and affecting the minds of thousands of American citizens. Strange to say, this disease is principally limited to the male sex, and seldom attacks those who have attained the age of thirty.

The prevailing mania is known as “base-ball,” and never was there a Juggernaut with more devoted followers than this god of physical sport. There seems to be a reckless abandon exhibited by its devotees, which savors of the mad ecstasy which the Pythoness continually lived in. All of the leading players have had their fingers broken, and some have every finger broken twice. The loss of a tooth or an eye is received with such slight interest that we might suppose that the member had offended, and been “plucked out.” The number of these reckless devotees is legion. Every boy who has attained the mature age of six feels qualified to belong to a “club,” and all the adjectives in the language are applied as titles to the organizations. The “Invulnerables,” the “Invincibles,” or the “Inwhatable,” as Toodles has it, are all composed of young Americans whose lives have not witnessed a decade. Then, also, is mythology laid under contribution, and “Olympic” brought down to the level of a plain. The venerable gentleman who rushed out of his bath without making a toilet has a delicate compliment paid to his memory, and the “Eureka” appears on the base-ball board. “The youth who bore 'mid snow and ice” is not forgotten, and “Excelsior” is inscribed on the banner of another. As to all the American statesmen, the patriotism of the players compels some recognition of their merits, and “Washington,” “Franklin,” “Hamilton,” and all the signers and all the Presidents are remembered. The fact is, the organizers of new clubs are driven to desperation to secure names, and if the fever continues much longer, they must resort to the expedient of the unfortunate fathers who, having exhausted their vocabulary, devised the scheme of duplicating names. We will have the “Washington Washington” and the “Eureka Eureka.” But we are in hopes that before this dreadful pass is reached, the fever will have commenced to abate, and that ere long it will be reduced to control.

In 1854 the excitement over cricket first began to assume formidable dimensions, and in 1857 it was at its height. We all remember the way in which it took off small boys from school, and enlisted even men in its ranks as victims. It overdid the game. The excitement rose in an hour, and utter subsided; and instead of being a rational amount of healthy exercise, it was either a mania or none at all. Within two years after the visit of the English eleven, there was not found a dozen cricket clubs in the whole country.

Two years ago, base-ball commenced, and the course of the epidemic is the same as that of its predecessor. It is to-day being carried to such an excess, that unless there is something like reason in the exercise, the whole game will complete disappear. What was originally a healthy sport has grown to be a positive dissipation. We hear complaints from all our business men, because of the continual absence of young men in order that they may engage in the game. If it were once a week, it would be an excellent thing. It would give vigor to the frame, buoyancy to the spirits, and make the time lost to them compensated for by the addition activity. But when it is four times a week, and sometimes more, it becomes a decided nuisance. We admire the game of base-ball. We admire the results, if indulged in moderately, and it is because we want to see young Americans have such a game always as a recreation, that we oppose the present excess. Unless it is remedied and the over-indulgence abated, we see that it will disappear, as did cricket. Our business men will lose patience, and refuse continual absence from duty. At present it is positively losing money to both the employees and their employers. This state of affairs cannot continue, and as lovers of the sport, we call upon those who actively engage in it,”to draw it a little more mild,” as the meek philosopher says, and “not run the thing into the ground.

[following the failed Atlantic-Athletic match] The rush to see the contest was so great that the contest itself was prevented. So it will be with the whole system, unless something like moderation is instilled into its devotees. The business men of our city are getting disgusted; and althou8gh they may like to see the young men indulge in the game once or twice a week, the present dissipation will not be tolerated much longer. But even if they were willing, the excitement is now at such a fever heat that it will degrade the sport to a level with horse-races and prize-rings. We know that there are hundreds of respectable people who attend these matches, but there are hundreds of gamblers, pickpockets, and other scoundrels, who are present also; and the latter class will soon drive the former from the field.

Yesterday we witness the betting freely and openly performed inside the field, and in the presence of a crowd of witnesses, notwithstanding the rules of the Athletics. Such infringements of the law and such exhibitions of immorality are calculated to drive all honorable admirers of the game to their homes in disgust. It is a duty which the clubs owe to themselves, to save their amusement from becoming disreputable.

This great congregation of people drew together a vast number of liquor booths, rum shops, and lager beer dealers. They surrounded the outskirts of the crowd, and made the game tend to promote intemperance. The whole this is “being run into the ground.” The rowdyism exhibited was enough to drive all respectable people forever off the field. The betting engaged in resembled more the scenes at the old Suffolk Park Races than a respectable game of base-ball. The drinking done was calculated to alarm all lovers of morality, and unless a total revolution is effected, the game of base-ball will be ranked with the vices, and all little boys who engage in it will, like those of the novel, who watched horse races, be considered the synonym of fast young men, and parents will frown down that which will only degenerate.

The excessively large crowds of people who have been attracted to witness the championship-games this fall, and the profits arising therefrom which have been realized by the parties having control of inclosed grounds, have led to evils which, if allowed to pass unnoticed, will ere long bring baseball into great disrepute, lower the high standard of our national game, and place the fraternity in the hands of the gambling-community.

The National Association does not recognize championship-matches or any such title as the “champion club,” and the only legitimate object of every contest is the simple trophy of the ball. Of late, we regret to state, clubs have been allured into playing “big matches” for “gate-money”, or a share of the receipts for admission to inclosed grounds. Proprietors of inclosed grounds have never made a greater mistake for their own interests, or aimed a more severe blow at the welfare of the game, than when they were led into consenting to share their legitimate profits with the clubs occupying their grounds or desiring to play contests upon them. Every lover of the game, and ever may who does not make ball-playing a “profession” or a business, is “down upon” this playing ball for gate-money. All those who have invested capital in inclosed ballgrounds, and who thereby furnish fair fields and respectable localities for games, besides special facilities for clubs, are fully entitled to every cent of their receipts. And every club who deems it advisable for the permanence of their organization to purchase or lease land and inclose a ground for their won use, are equally entitled to any profits legitimately derived from their investments. But for clubs to go round from one party to another, soliciting alms in the way of a share of receipts, is about the smallest kind of business an independent club can be engaged in. Hitherto first-class matches have been enjoyed on the inclosed ground a Brooklyn, for the small sum of ten cents admission, an amount none object to, and on such an occasion as the match of October 8, when tens of thousands of spectators seek to occupy a position on a field that will not accommodate half who desire admission; and extra charge for the purpose of having an orderly assemblage is excusable; but this charging of 25 cents admission, because the proprietors of the grounds are forced into sharing receipts with money-making clubs, is something we hope to see the baseball public put a stop to, and that by staying away from such matches. This evil will work its own cure, however. Already its effect has been to place the Atlantic and the Athletic clubs in the position of being suspected of the dishonorable deed of “throwing” a game in order to have the opportunity of sharing the profits of a third match. The thing is about played out already. It may safely be put down that every match where more than the regular 10 cents admission is charged is a match got up for the benefit of the two clubs playing, and therefore is to be let alone and not patronized.

[Lowells vs. Somersets on Fast Day, with two umpires H.B. Dennison and P. Sullivan, of the Lowell Club] Having two umpires seems something new in the history of the game, as we would suggest that if the duties of the position are found too arduous for one, that three umpires would be better than two, as that would avoid all possibility of a tie in opinion.

[a letter to the editor] I would state, as far as I know, Base Ball is a curse to the community. You speak of its making strong, muscular, healthy boys. I know of mothers and sisters that are delicate and suffering for the necessaries of life, trying to keep a house over their heads, and why? Through these same strong, muscular, lazy boys, whose sole ambition is to be good ball-players and who have lost situations through following it up. Men that ought to be at work are living on charity that gamblers pay towards supporting base ball clubs. The boys are going on the same principle if you talk to them about work they know something better. They know men who get good salaries to do nothing but play ball, and want to know why they cannot do the same. The fact is, Mr. Editor, while these boys are growing to be large, strong, lazy, ignorant, good-for-nothing boobies, in a good many cases; their parents are suffering and trying to keep their families from want; and as to its being innocent amusement, it is the initiation of boys into the mysteries and miseries of gambling and of becoming good for nothing to themselves or any one connected with them in after life.

There is something of a decided lull in base ball just at present. ... There are numerous causes for this dullness, the principal one being that nearly every first class club is waiting the customary probation of new players.

[Fulton of New York vs. Oriental of Greenpoint 7/25/1867] Something ought to be done about the preservation of good order at matches. In this instance the ladies, who were present in large numbers, were subjected to treatment that any gentleman would refrain from bestowing. Preparations had been made by the Ground Committee expecting a large crowd, and seats were provided; not enough, certainly, to seat every male and female, but more than enough for the accommodation of the ladies who chose to honor the game with their presence; but some calling themselves men not only took possession of the seats, but by vile language compelled many ladies to withdraw from witnessing the game, rather than listen to insulting and blasphemous language. The committee and members of the Oriental Club used every endeavor to preserve order and make things pleasant, but many acts did not come to their knowledge until after the game had been concluded.

[Atlantic vs. Eckford 8/24/1867] [The umpire ruled] a ball hit by the strikers when making a step forward as a foul ball, and giving him out, when it was caught in fact of the fact that the ball never touched the ground at all but went from the bat direct to centre field and was there held on the fly.

This usurpation of the powers of the National Association by an umpire is something new in the history fo the game. On what grounds Mr. Martin bases his illegal decisions in these instances, we know not, but because rule 21 has no worded penalty attached to it, it neither follows that the umpire can amend the rule by introducing one or that he has the right to ignore the penalty which rule 40 inflicts for every infringement of the rules of the game. But especially is the calling of such a ball foul an erroneous penalty, as it conflicts with every rule in which a foul ball is referred to.

After a long consultation between the officers of the two clubs, word was given that the game would be played, and the large crowd present, who had been waiting patiently for over an hour, filled the seats up and took another rest. It was now found that the “champions” were not going the keep faith in the true spirit of the promise. Instead of playing their first nine, or those of them who were able to play, they stated their intention of putting a “muffin” nine in the field against the Athletics, with the avowed purpose of playing so poorly, that five innings could not be finished, and thus tricking the Philadelphians. No effort was made to disguise this shabby trick, and the members of the Atlantic Club openly talked of it as something “smart.” These facts coming to the ears of the Athletics, they very properly refused to play such a nine and the game was declared off. New York Clipper October 5, 1867

The Athletics on Friday were waited upon by Mr. Reagan, Secretary of the Atlantics, who requested a postponement. A dispatch was received also from the Atlantics themselves, desiring that the game should not be played. The Athletics felt that there was no just grounds warranting a postponement, and refused to entertain such a proposition, and so notified both Mr. Reagan and the Atlantics. They felt that they had already given up too much by Hayhurst’s arrangement. They knew that it was just by such quibbles that the Atlantics had held the ball year after year. They did not forget that the Atlantics had visited them upon one occasion, late in the season, on a few hours’ notice. They remembered that Berkenstock and Reach had both played where they were incapable of doing duty. The Atlantic’s reputation for selfishness in this particular was too long established to warrant the Athletics entertaining such a flimsy plea. There were too many precedents, one of which was insisting upon the Mutuals playing them when the latter were without the services of their regular pitcher. The Athletics, according to their agreement, left for New York, on Monday last. They were permitted, as has been the custom of the Atlantics, to be their own escort, and find the grounds a best they could.

Arriving at the Union enclosure at an early hour, they got themselves in readiness to play, and were soon driving the ball around the field. The Atlantics hovered around their club house, which is distinct from where the Athletics made their preparations for play. Having nothing special on hand, we mixed in with the Atlantic crowd, and our ears were regaled with wrathful expressions, as well as threats, as to what Atlantic indignation would do when it got to blood heat. The multitude commenced to pile in pretty lively by this time, and Master Cammeyer’s agents were kept busily employed taking charge of the quarters paid for admission.

The Match Committee, of the Athletic were invited by the proprietor, to meet a Committee on behalf of the Atlantic, in his private office, which McBride, Fisler and Reach at once acceded to. Hereafter they were asked what they came over for. Of course they stated their business, and were flatly told the Atlantics would not play. McBride then said: “If you will play us in Philadelphia, next Monday,(to morrow,) we will guarantee you every farthing taken at the gate.” The Atlantics had no intention of measuring swords with the Athletics, and declined a proposition for which liberality we think unparalleled.

If the Atlantic Club is to be bribed into playing matches, it is about time, we thing, that match games ceased. Master Cammeyer, with an eye to business, and to propitiate the large assemblage present, proposed that the Athletics should play a picked nine. This Dan Kleinfelder heard of, and quickly repudiated. Dan was right in saying that he had not joined a menagerie, to be trotted around the country to be exhibited for gate money.

Wilkins was also emphatic, and so was Cuthbert, in refusing to enter into any such compact. The other members, on hearing of the proposition to play a picked nine, begged to be considered out. Some strong motive induced Dick to lend his assistance, and a scrub match was played, and Dick’s side, or the one he played one, was badly beaten. Previous to the adjournment of the confab between the clubs, the Atlantics said that they would put a muffin nine on the field to contest with our boys, but we would never reach the fifth inning. This muffin business was suggested by that adroit trickster, Chadwick, who professes to have the interest of the game at heart, and who, on occasions of this kind, is to be relied upon for just such a suggestion as we have stated. We refer him to the article above [not copied here], from his pen, wherein the Atlantics are ready, with defeat staring them in the face, to keep their engagements.

We wonder if the “adroit” can explain what he meant when he penned what we have quoted? He will probably wriggle out of it by declaring that he never wrote it.

Thus ends the history of the recent attempt of the Athletics to get on a match with the Atlantics. We inquired of an enthusiastic member of the Atlantic Club why it was that they could play the Keystone on Thursday, and yet not meet the Athletics? Oh, we can wollop them with any kind of a nine, but with you fellows we want our whole team. Charlie Smith was well, and would have more than supplied Mills’ place had the Atlantics been anxious to play. They had an excellent substitute in Kenny; but, as we have said, they did not mean [to] play, and were only too glad to use the contemptible means they did to avoid defeat, which, to calculating observers, they know awaits them. The popular verdict everywhere accords to the Athletics the title of champions. Those who dispute it can rectify the matter by calling in at Fifteenth and Columbia avenue. Philadelphia Sunday Mercury October 6, 1867

[National of Washington vs. Mutual 10/23/1867] Two things were now plainly evident, firstly, that the Nationals did not use judgment in batting Martins “twisters,” and secondly, that they were not fielding up to their mark. New York Clipper November 2, 1867

litigating the Athletics-Atlantics dispute

The last case on the docket was the charge brought before the Committee by the Athletic Club against the Atlantic, to the effect that on the occasion of the return-game of the last series between the two clubs, the Atlantics had failed to present their nine on the field prepared to play, according to the agreement, and that, in consequence thereof they had forfeited the ball to the Athletic Club. Testimony was then presented by the Athletics in support of their allegations, and by the Atlantics in defence; the counsel of the Atlantics moving for a dismissal of the case on the grounds that the Atlantics not only had nine players present ready to play the game, but had also offered the Athletics a ball–this latter offer is new to us–and that, consequently, if any party had forfeited the game, the Athletics had. The substance of the Athletic statements in support of their case was, that the Atlantics had presented an amateur nine instead of the first-nine of the club. After the presentation of the testimony in the case, and when the subject came up before the Committee for deliberation in regard to a decision, Messrs. Tassie and Colonel Moore temporarily resigned their positions on the Committee, the decision rendered being that by Messrs. Herring, Bache, Yates, and Kelly, and it was to the effect that the Atlantic Club had not complied with the rules in not presenting their first-nine, and that they must do so within fifteen days of date of the decision, and the party failing to appear to forfeit the game. The whole question appears to us as plain as day itself. The Committee have the letter of the law before them, which says: “their players” – “within thirty minutes thereafter”–viz: the appointed time–“the party so failing shall admit a defeat”. The Atlantic Club most assuredly did so present “their players” ready to play the game, and moreover, when the Athletics refused to play with the players so presented, the Atlantics then proffered them a ball–so the witness stated–which was refused. Now, in the face of this testimony, how the committee could decide that the Atlantics had failed to obey the letter of the law–and that is all they had to decide upon–is something beyond our present comprehension, and we, in common with a host of others, would like to be enlightened on the subject. Either the Atlantics failed to produce “their players” in the meaning of the law, or they did not; if they failed to do so, then they forfeited the ball; if they obeyed the law, then the case should have been dismissed. New York Sunday Mercury November 3, 1867

The Athletics alleging that the Atlantics intended to play a muffin nine, Mr. Davenport, one of the said nine, was called upon to testify as to his ability and that of his associates. Upon being questioned as to whether he considered himself a muffin, he said most decidedly not; that he had caught in a club for six years, and would face McBride, or any other man, to-morrow. He also spoke well of his companions, remarking that they were terrific batters, and expressed the opinion that the Athletics would have had a tough job to win a ball from them. New York Dispatch November 3, 1867

[picked nines from New York vs. New Jersey 11/6/1867] Playing ball for greenbacks has been a feature of the season’s contests; but this custom has thus far been confined to games played at fairs, for money-prizes. The evil result of this style of the game lies in the precedents it presents for playing games for so much a side, as in the prize-ring, horse-races, etc. The design of the National Association is to limit all contests to games in which the simple trophy of the ball is the incentive. If prizes are to be offered at fairs and public tournaments, let them be of as much intrinsic value as the parties offering them can afford; but let them be in the form of something connected with the game, such as a silver or gold ball, or a valuable set of colors, or costly medals, etc., but we should like to see this playing for greenbacks repudiated by clubs belonging to the Association. It may do for professionals who make the game a business, as hundreds do, but it is not the thing for amateur players, who play for amusement and health’s sake alone.

The latest of these money-prize contests was that which came off on the Agricultural Fair Grounds, at Waverly, New Jersey, in which a number of players from New York and Newark were induced to take part. The match was played for $500, or $250 a side, the money, we presume, being contributed by the managers of the fair, who no doubt looked to the presence of a large crowd of spectators as a means of reimbursement for the outlay, and a profit on the investment. The chilly state of the weather, and the lack of due advertisement of the contest, led to a much less numerous attendance than anticipated. New York Sunday Mercury November 10, 1867

[picked nines from New York vs. New Jersey 11/6/1867] The managers of the late [New Jersey] State Fair were the getters up of the match, and $250 in greenbacks was offered as an inducement to players, to be equally divided between the two nines. New York Clipper November 16, 1867

Through a letter from the Recording Secretary of the State Association, published in one of the Sunday papers, a few facts in regard to the failure of the certain party to manipulate the delegates to that body have come to light. In appears that this individual, who claims to be the “father” of the game of base ball, endeavored to have a weekly something with which he is connected made the organ of the association, and failing in this, tried to have a person connected with his “organ” elected as Corresponding Secretary. This dodge would work either, so he vents his spleen on the Recording Secretary, Mr. M. J. Kelly, alleging that he did not issue his circular to the delegates soon enough, &c. In the spicy letter above referred to, Mr. Kelly effectually uses up “the person,” exposes his little tricks to the base ball public, and administers a scathing rebuke to him in a way that he will not soon forget. “The person’s” attempt at monopoly was a cool proceeding, even for this season of the year, when we naturally look for events of a cooling nature.

The annual session of the association will be held in Philadelphia Dec. 11. At the last meeting, Col. Moore, Hicks Hayhurst, and the other Philadelphia delegates, made promises of what the clubs of that city would do in case the association would meet there. A dinner at the Continental and other civilities were mentioned as likely to result from this compliance with their desires. The matter was pretty well managed by the colonel and his brother delegates, and they finally got what they asked for. The time for the meeting is drawing nigh, and we have yet to hear the first note of preparation for the event. The New York clubs failed to provide a suitable reception for out of town delegates last season, but we look for better things from Philadelphia. New York Clipper December 7, 1867

An effort is on foot, we learn, to provide an entertainment of some kind for the delegates to the Ball Convention, which meets this week. The Typographical Base Ball Club long since asked the co-operation of the fraternity in arranging something of the kind, but unsuccessfully, the Commonwealth Club alone responding to the invitation. The interest in base ball and the Convention in this vicinity is about as flat as it is possible to conceive after so brilliant a season. The Convention, we fear, will find its occupation gone if Chadwick, the great American ball player, be permitted to introduce a few more rules such as it is now difficult to interpret.

Several of the papers published in other cities intimate that the approaching National Convention was induced to hold its session in this city through the promises made the last Convention by prominent Philadelphians, that in case the Convention assembled in Philadelphia there would be a big feed and a good time generally. The papers in question express disappointment over the blank prospect. We wish, ourselves, it had been otherwise, though not that we regret that the gourmands of the body conclave will be disappointed. We like to see our city extend hospitality to visitors and endeavor to make them feel at home while with us. But so far as the approaching Convention is concerned, the matter had been interrupted through the selfishness of the Gotham delegates and players who, whenever our city or its clubs’ interests were concerned, have been subjected to all manner of trifling and insults. The entertainment business is well enough in its way, but the Yorkers, over their disappointment at the loss of a spree, are citing that Col. So-and-So and Mr. Somebody else promised that if the Convention would meet here, so and so would be done. These gentlemen, in the fulness of their hearts, probably did promise something of the kind. But they are not responsible for the want of interest everywhere felt in ball circles. They cannot create an interest that others have already destroyed. That would be an impossibility.

The lethargy felt in ball matters, in this city, is solely chargeable to a few individuals who pretend to hold the reins, and who are at present busily engaged in undermining what it took years to erect. The parties to whom we allude do not reside in this city. Where they belong, it would be hard to determine. The Keystone Club, of this city, proverbial for its hospitality, was permitted, by the Atlantic Club, on a recent visit to New York, to gad about unattended, hunting up their own amusements, and providing their own entertainment. This, however, is the Atlantic’s method of doing the largest amount of good. The Keystone boys have, in the past, spent their last dollar upon the Atlantics, but such is the game at p resent. So sunk is it in selfishness, that the Atlantics would permit what we have related. We are glad, then, that there will be no merry-making. Let the lines be drawn tighter, if possible. Philadelphia Sunday Mercury December 8, 1867

...all clubs except the regular organizations occupying the grounds [are] subjected to the obscene jeers and comments of the congregation of blackguards who form the majority of the peepers through the fences, stones being thrown at the out-fielders by these roughs. This is something Mr. Cammeyer will have to put a stop to, or by and by no decent club will consent to play matches on the Union grounds on this very account., quoting the Brooklyn Union

Their [the Xenia Club’s] uniform is something after the style worn by cricketers–white stockings, dark blue pants, white shirts and belts and blue caps.

[Athletic vs. Rockford 6/18/1868] One old chap had faith even in the Rockford Club, when the Athletics were at the bat for the last time, the Rockford players having been disposed of for two runs, “The game’s not over yet,” he kept asserting. “But it is,” said a disinterested bystander. “Your club have had their last show at the bat.” “I don’t care,” he continued; “the game’s not over.” A sporting reporter, who must have netted something handsome in his investments, went for the old chap to induce him to make a wager, but he was not on it.

[a meeting of the Excelsior Club of Chicago:] Mr. Erby...stated that the real object of the meeting was to consult in relation to the recent defeats of the Excelsiors and to see if something could not be done to retrieve the good name of the Club. He said that many of our citizens were greatly interested in the national game, and would willingly subscribe liberally towards making the club efficient. The Buckeye Club, he said, was composed principally of hired players, seven of the nine who recently defeated the Excelsiors being from the East. The Excelsiors, he said, had five first-class players in the organization–with four more of the same kind they would be all right. He was sure that fifteen hundred or two thousand dollars could be raised among citizens, as well as not, to promote the well being of the club, and he moved that a committee of three be appointed to solicit subscriptions., quoting the Chicago Tribune

[Olympic of Philadelphia vs. Eckford 7/28/1868] They [the Olympics] seemed incapable of knocking the ball beyond the bases, and when they did get it outside it was sent skyward, and of course that the kind the Eckford fielders gobble up. Martin’s peculiar delivery had something to do with this, without doubt. He has never been batted yet by a club that faced him for the first time, and it would be expecting too much, perhaps, to suppose that the Olympics would hit him away.

[Athletic vs. Keystone 8/28/1868] The batting of the Athletics was very fine, but in fielding they were not up to their usual standard, McBride rendering himself particularly conspicuous by missing a couple of “flies,” something unusual for him.

[Athletic vs. Atlantic 9/7/1868] The general impression seems to be that [the Atlantics] have made a mistake in leaving Pratt out of their nine, as Zettlein is . There is no question but that there is something in this, and for an illustration we have taken the pains to look up the scores of the games between the Athletics and Atlantics, in which these two pitchers took part. The result is that in the first four games in which Pratt pitched, the scores were as follows: Atlantic–21, 27, 27, 12–87; Athletic–15, 24, 17, 31–87. In the four last games Zettlein pitched, the total are as appended: Atlantic–28, 8, 9, 13–58; Athletic–16, 28, 18, 37–99. From this it will be seen that the advantage is largely in Pratt’s favor.

The telegram sent by the Agent of the Associated Press at New York, eastward, last Monday night and published in the Boston dailies Tuesday morning, rather lets the cat out of the bag in regard to the victories of the celebrated Mutual Club last week. That the Mutual Club should in three successive games defeat three of the smartest clubs of the country, was an occurrence which le the knowing ones to surmise that a cat was concealed in the meal somewhere, and the aforesaid dispatch opens the bag, and shows th “animal” in plan view. Gate money is what is the matter, as the following dispatch will show:–

NEW YORK, Oct. 19. The champion base ball match between the Atlantic and Mutual clubs was to-day postponed until Monday next, there NOT being MONEY ENOUGH ON THE GROUND TO MAKE IT PROFITABLE.

Gentlemen of the Fraternity! Has it come to this, that a series of games cannot be played on the merits of the contesting clubs, but by an arrangement each club wins a game, and when the decisive contest is about to take place, is postpone, all because there are not enough paying spectators present to make it profitable to the Club who is to receive gate money. This is really a little too steep, gentlemen, and if this sort of thing is allowed to prevail good-bye to the reputation of our National Game for it is but a step farther and the crack clubs become mere tools in th hands of speculators and the betting fraternity. New England Base Ballist October 22, 1868

Our article last week in regard to the victories of the Mutual Club, of New York, did injustice to that club, as by later advices it appears that two of the three games won by them were obtained by their superior fielding and batting over clubs who previous to these contests were looked upon as much their superiors in both these specialties. There is an old adage that “appearances are deceitful,” and this was most certainly so in this instance, when first reports served to give the impression that there was something wrong in the games of the Mutuals with the Atlantics, Athletics and Unions. Such is not the case, however, and we congratulate the Mutuals upon their well-earned victories, which should be, and probably are, appreciated all the more from their very unexpectedness New England Base Ballist October 29, 1868 [A separate report in the same issue states the Union grounds were muddy from a morning rain on October 19. “Some parties in the city charged the postponement of the game on Monday to a desire for increased gate money, but I know that both nines were anxious to play, Cammeyer being the only man in favor of a postponement, except those of the players who were not in good trim, or who could not readily get off to play.”]

[reporting the New York state association’s convention, debating the Mutual Club and the Devyr affair:] The findings [of the Judiciary Committee] in the Mutual case were approved, and the club was declared to have forfeited membership: but, on motion of Judge-Advocate Belton, was immediately reinstated, there being only one dissenting vote. New York Dispatch November 15, 1868

...the action of the [Judiciary] Committee in virtually expelling the Mutual Club from membership of the Association was sustained by a vote 38 to 23, several of the delegates absenting themselves when the vote was about being taken, from lack of moral courage to face the music in support of the organization it is the interest of every club in the State to sustain.

...

After the Mutual case had thus been disposed of, the club punished for its flagrant violation of the law, and the action of the State Judiciary Committee very properly sustained, ...by vote of the Convention the Mutual Club was reinstated to membership, the vote being nearly unanimous...

...

The effect of the indorsement of the action of the Judiciary Committee, and the consequent expulsion of the Mutual Club, is to render null and void every game played by them from the date of the publication of the decision of the Judiciary Committee up to the period of their reinstatement as members of the Association by the Judiciary Committee [sic]. This, of course, affects the championship question materially; but we presume that as the Atlantic Club, through their delegate, have disavowed all intention to claim the title on any such grounds, no doubt other clubs will do the same, and hence it will be safe to consider the Mutual Club still the champions of the United States, that matter being something the National Association intends to ignore. A delegate did ...try to introduce the subject of the championship, but the Convention would not listen to it for a moment. New York Sunday Mercury November 15, 1868

It has been customary, since the first meeting of the National Association, to publish its proceedings, together with the new rules and regulations of the game, in book form, for free distribution among the clubs sending delegates to the national body. Heretofore, for some reason, the publication of this book has been delayed till the middle of March or first of April. Why this should be done we are at a loss to know. The association meets early in December, its session lasting but a day or two. The base ball season opens about the first of May, generally earlier. We see no reason, therefore, why the proceedings of the National Association should not be published on the first of February or the first of March at the latest. In order to be thoroughly conversant with the new rules and regulations of the game, members of clubs should receive the book by the first of March, or even earlier, and not have to wait a month or six weeks after that time. We do not know what has been the reason of this delay heretofore, but this season the Printing Committee, as we are informed by its chairman, Mr. John Wildey, have been unable to procure the copy necessary to proceed with the work. Private parties, however, manage to obtain what the Printing Committee cannot. It is well known that one or two books are published each season generally about this time or a little later, which contain the new rules and regulations. These publications generally have a large sale, and are thoroughly read and digested long before the authorized edition reaches the clubs. We do not complain of those parties who anticipate the regular publication of the Association book and thereby turn an honest penny. It is a little singular, however, that while the Printing Committee are unable to procure the copy necessary for the publication, private individuals find it an easy matter to do so. It is a little odd also that during all the years this nice little game has been going one, no one has seen through the “little arrangement.” We do not mean to assert that the officer of the National Association, whose duty it is to prepare the copy for the Printing Committee, is in collusion with the private parties above mentioned. There is something wrong about the matter, however. Will some one elucidate? New York Clipper March 6, 1869

[Chadwick responds:] In the very full report of the Convention published in the Clipper in December last, there appeared an explanatory chapter on the new rules, which was better calculated to make members of clubs conversant with the amendments adopted than the publication even of the rules themselves. But again, in the Clipper of the last week of January there appeared a full and exhaustive review of the amended rules, expressly adapted for the instruction of players and umpires, from which all information desired by clubs throughout the country could be obtained, and doubtless it was taken advantage of by all anxious to [illegible] themselves upon the new rules.

The fact is, the “Convention Book,” as a means of instruction on the amended rules each year, has been, for some years past, entirely superseded by the base ball books which have been published early each year, and now the book in question is of no use, beyond being a more official record of the proceedings of the Convention. Taking into consideration, also, the fact that there are fully 100,000 members of the base ball fraternity in the United States, and over a thousand regularly organized club, I think it will be glaringly apparent that 2,000 copies of the “Association Book” would ... [line cut off in microfilm] ...copy of the rules is not correct. Up to March 3d I received to request for copy from the Chairman of the Printing Committee, and it was not until I met Mr. Wood and that Committee that I was informed of the reason why no effort had been made to prepare the book, and that was because the minutes of the Convention, which it is the Recording Secretary’s duty to furnish, had not bee received. The copy which I was required to furnish was ready for Mr. Wood at the appointed place and time, but not knowing his address, I sent it to Mr. Wildey’s care, at the latter’s request. Had the book been issued in December, its useful as an instructor in regard to the new rules was forestalled by the full reports I refer to, which appeared in the Clipper during the week of the Convention.

In regard to the allusions of “a little arrangement” contained in the article, all I have to say is that every entry in the record of the actions since I have been officially connected with the Association, is open to the public inspection of the whole fraternity. For four years I prepared the book for the printers’ hands, simply in the interests of the National Association, and this year I publically offered, in January last, to prepare the copy, so that all that the Printing Committee would have had to do would have been to have brought out a printer to publish the work. But, as I before remarked, the Convention Book is now useless, save as the mere official record of the proceedings of the Convention; the rules, &tc., are published in your paper, together with the full and complete instruction books, which are now issued every year, having entirely superceded it. Trusting this explanation will satisfy you, I remain, Your, truly, H. Chadwick. New York Clipper March 20, 1869

Three days of warm and sunshiny weather now, will bring Base Ball upon the field for the season. There is reason to believe that it will flourish this year as never before. The system that has long prevailed among cricketers in England—that of procuring the best professors of the game, and paying them wages for their services, whether in instructing a club or playing in its matches—has now been attained here. Professional ball-players have for several years been known in this country, but for whole “nines” to be exclusively made up of them, is something of recent date. During the coming season the professional base ball organizations are to be placed on a distinct footing from amateur or social clubs, and as a consequence there will be fewer contests than heretofore between the professional and amateur. But there will be none the fewer meetings. On the contrary, owing to the fact that our largest cities have now organized trained “nines,” all of which will contend in series with each other, the battles will be more numerous and fiercer than ever. The vanquishing of one or two crack Clubs by an opposing local organization will no longer settle disputes of merit as formerly. A season's interest in base-ball will not culminate hereafter in a series of games between the Mutuals, Atlantics, and Athletics. The club which shall claim the title of champion at the close of the season of 1869 will have to meet and defeat a dozen or more organizations presenting trained and professional players like themselves.

[Niagara vs. Star, date not given] On the fifth inning of this game, when the Star were a number of runs ahead of the Niagara, the pitcher of the latter was changed, Jimmy [Creighton] taking that position. Peter O’Brien together with our informant, witnessed this game, and when Creighton got to work, using the language of our correspondent, “we saw something new in ball, the low, swift delivery, the ball rising from the ground past the shoulder to the catcher.

It requires no great stretch of the imagination to see in the future enclosed grounds of vast extent, surrounded by seating accommodations for twenty-five or thirty thousand people, where the public will gather to witness the play of athletes trained and skillful to a degree not yet reached. There is no reason why such a result should not be reached. ... A dozen years ago there was here and there a base ball club; but very few people went to see the matches, and but little honor attached to the performer. He might be a star of the first magnitude, but his light was obscured; and altogether there was something unbusinesslike and unpractical about the whole affair that debarred all but a select few from taking part in it. But, during the interval between that time and the present the gospel of Muscular Christianity has been more fully preached and expounded. It has been shown that a man who can play a good game of ball, run, jump, box, and ride, is a much more agreeable fellow, and much more likely to get on in the world, than another who can only shut himself up in his study and read dull books; that, if a large amount of brains is a good thing, a large biceps is better; and that, though it may be a fine thing to understand the Differential Calculus, or to be able to elucidate obscure–and usually improper–puns in Aristophanes, it is far more profitable to comprehend the full use of your arms and legs, and to avail yourself of them with ease and dexterity.

[Cincinnati vs. Central City of Syracuse 8/12/1869] The Buffalo Courier says: “In the game on Thursday, at Cincinnati, between the Red Stockings and Central Citys, the score was tied at 22 each on the seventh inning. The story of the Central Citys is, that it was growing dar, and the Red Stockings tried to strike out, so that their opponents could also play an eighth inning, which would probably result in their defeat. The Cincinnatians, state, on the other hand, that the Syracusans did not try to get them out, so as to run the game into the dark and have a game called the seventh inning. These baseball imbroglios are tangled messes...”

On the other hand, a correspondent of one of the Syracuse papers says: “We won the toss, took the field, and after waiting some time for one of their men, commenced playing. From the score you see the game was very close and exciting. Our boys did some heavy hitting. At the end of the seventh inning we were 22 each, when the Red Socks went in and batted for 14 runs; two or three errors on our part assisting them–the errors owing principally to want of light, it being very late. The Red Stockings perceived the impossibility of finishing the innings in a legitimate way, so undertook to strike out. Harry Wright out on three strikes-something that has not happened him in two years. Leonard struck at a ball two feet over his head, just touching it. Fully convinced of their determination, our captain and men declined to play longer, when the umpire declared the game in favor of the Cincinnatis on the seventh inning. We regretted exceedingly that the affair should have occurred, as we were treated with marked courtesy by all the members of their club during our visit in Cincinnati, both on the field and off.” We should like to learn from Harry Wright the true state of the case.

[Haymakers vs. Cincinnati 8/26/1869] Very many inspired devotees of the noble game predicted a sell out on the part of the “Red Stockings,” or if not by the club entire, at least two or three members would “throw off.” The result of the game demonstrated considerable misapprehension on the part of these individuals. New York Daily Tribune August 30, 1869, quoting the Cincinnati Daily Enquirer

baseball and cricket and American and British national characters

The game of cricket being an English game, and the base ball being American, we should expect to find in the national differences of character an explanation of the differences in the two national amusements. And we should expect this all the more because the basis of both games is the same. Both games rest, first, upon the desire of the Anglo Saxon--(we do not say Caucasian or Aryan, because we like to be exact)--upon the desire of the Anglo-Saxon to arm himself with a stick and drive a small round body with it and, secondly, upon the desire of any other Anglo Saxon who happens to be in the way to stop this body, deprive the other of his stick and bat himself. In these fundamental instincts may be clearly seen the terms of the two games of cricket and base ball. Lest there be, instead, of two men, two sides, one of which has the bat while the others function is to stop the ball and let the rude violence of nature be restrained and regulated by law, and yet have at once a game of all. As the methods of striking and stopping or “batting” and “fielding” vary you obtain now cricket, now base ball. It is the fundamental similarity of the two games then, which enables us to say that their superficial differences are the result of national differences of character. If the difference between the favorite amusement of English and American boys were something intrinsic, the case would be changed. Suppose that English boys found their highest amusement in surf swimming like the boys of the Sandwich Islands, while the sport most keenly enjoyed by American boys was vivisection—it would certainly be difficult to say how far such wide differences could be accounted for by analysis of national tendencies. But in the actual case the generative principles of both games between the same, the investigator is confident at once that the explanation of what diversity exists must be found in the diversity of the character of the two nations.

Now, in two points, at least, is may be said with certainty that the American character differs from the English—in being less brutal, and in being more fond of novelty, of change, of the excitement which novelty and change produces. And to any one who carefully watches the two national games it becomes evident that they also differ in the same way—cricket being the more brutally dangerous and also affording the least excitement of the two. … Cincinnati Commercial August 30, 1869, quoting the Nation

The attitude and motions of the “pitcher” were a source of interest to us. He catches the ball as it is tossed to him, holds it in his hand, contemplates it a moment, something like Hamlet contemplates the skull of “alas! Poor,” &c., turns around and take a pace or two meditatively–forgetful, apparently, of the ball–thinking of mother, and home, and friends, and sweetheart, debts and things, quite oblivious to the awaiting batter and expectant crowd. Suddenly his eyes fall upon the ball–a moment of bewilderment ensues–he wonders what it is, and how it came there–then his brain clears us–his thoughts gather–it’s a base ball–ah! ah!–the match is on–he’s the pitcher–away! and turning swift as lightning, he lets drive at the batter. And the batter (no batter than she should be, perhaps,) he adjusts himself after the model of the Colossus of Rhodes. He throws out his chest and a few other pieces of baggage, and straightens up his trunk, and plants his valises firmly; he spits upon his hands and grasps the club with a grip equal to a District Collector holding on to office. He is ready, awaiting the inauguration ball. It comes. He inclines his head a little to one side as it passes, rests on his club, looks as if he hadn’t done anything, as he hadn’t. This performance is repeated several times to allow the pitcher a chance to renew his meditation over the skull of Yorick, think of home, &c., and give opportunities for the batter to exhibit his skill as a posturer and his exquisite talent of spitting on his hands.

At length the blow comes, and the ball is sent skimming through the air or bouncing along the ground. We couldn’t help thinking all the time how much easier it would have been to have sent it through the post-office, or by the telegraph, and saved all this trouble. But it was none of our match. We don’t belong to the Red Stockings or any other club.

The attendance was smaller and less influential in character as a whole than any previous convention for some years past, the professional interest alone being fully represented. The result was mainly attributable to the lack of attendance of representatives from amateur clubs at State Association Conventions, and the severe storm. Only sixteen delegates were present to represent clubs from Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Alabama, and Kentucky. The absentees were replaced by members of clubs from other State Associations, and the result was an attendance of a working delegation of twenty-three voters, the majority of whom were controlled by the professional interest. New York Sunday Mercury December 12, 1869

the National Association convention controlled by the professionals

No one can have perused our detailed report of the proceeding of the recent base ball convention, without being forcibly struck with the fact that in but one sense was it a representative body, and that was as regards the professional clubs of the fraternity. Another fact made apparent by the action taken by the controlling power in the convention was, that the leaders of the professional interest have adopted the shrewd but unscrupulous tactics of the New York politicians, the end of which is to place the ruling powers in the hands of the worst classes of the community. In fact it was made plainly manifest that the convention was controlled by a professional “right,” and if something be not done this next year by the amateur clubs to counteract this pernicious influence, the next Convention will be marked by the repeal of the rule against betting; which is now a dead letter to professional clubs, and championship contests will be officially recognized, in which case we may say, good-by to the future welfare of the national game. National Chronicle December 18, 1869

[reviewing the Atlantic players of the upcoming season] Next, there is Zettlein, the pitcher, who is not only a first-class pitcher, who posses great command of the ball, is swift in his delivery, and has plenty of pluck and endurance; but he has that great requisite, thorough good humor, something which was one unknown in the Atlantic nine.

[The Chicago Club] has attained to an unenviable reputation by their efforts to secure a first-class nine by unfair means. Not satisfied with securing the best talent possible, unengaged, they seek to secure crack players by offering them large salaries, in some cases double that they have engaged for, thus tempting them to break their contracts with the clubs they have engaged to play with. In nearly every case, however, they have failed to carry out their little schemes successfully, not that they could not find their men, but that popular opinion against “revolving” is so strong that players are afraid to brave it. Treacy and Hodes are the only revolvers now actual members of the Chicago Club. They tried hard for Fisher, Craver and White but at last accounts had been unsuccessful in obtaining either.Fisher denies that he ever signed agreement with the Chicago Club, but admits having received some money from Foley. It is more than probable that Fisher did sign such an agreement, but his friends claim that if he did so, it was while under the influence of liquor, as he was seen very much intoxicated in Foley’s company, at Albany, N.Y.

...

[now quoting the Cleveland Leader:] Among others, they set their hearts upon securing James White, catcher of the Forest City club of Cleveland, who has for some months been under engagement to remain in this city, as a player, during the coming season. Notwithstanding the Chicago managers knew this, they began by glowing letters and munificent offers of money to win the Forest City player from his allegiance. Failing in these efforts, it was determined, on Monday last, to send Mr. Tom Foley down to Cleveland, to see about things. Accordingly on Tuesday Mr. Foley arrived at the Kennard with his carpet bag, and having duly breakfasted he set out to hunt up and harpoon his prey. The victim was found and plied with entreaties and threats until tea, but all in vain. The Forest City play had given his promise, and that promise was sacred. He must fulfil his contract. ‘Stuff and nonsense,’ shrieked the emissary from Illinois, ‘Didn’t Fisher have a contract to play with the Athletics, and didn’t I snake him?’ Still the incompatible [sic] Clevelander was firm. Go he could not, and would not, and there was no use in talking about it. But the Chicagonian did not lose heart. There was nothing impossible for Chicago, and he knew it. Another session was appointed for the evening; but White, not caring to be further troubled, failed to come round, whereat the uncompromising T.F. lost his temper, and filled two who pages of the Kennard House letter paper with threats and denunciations against the obdurate catcher. Next day, he was met by the officers of the Forest City Club, who told him something. That night T.F. returned to Chicago.

“To the parent whose son dies in infancy,” says the Louisville Courier Journal, “there must be something peculiarly soothing in the thought that no matter what may be the fate of the child in the next work, it can never become a member of a base ball club in this.

[Harvard vs. Cincinnati 7/18/1870] George Wright stepped to the bat... He would have no one run for him this time, and he stood at the home plate alone. New York Sunday Mercury July 24, 1870

An amusing and singular occurrence marked the closing innings of the Mutual and Haymaker match, something, in fact we have never before seen in all our experience. McMullen, who generally has a substitute to run for him, but on this occasion meant to run on his own account, was at the bat; Foran and McGeary were on bases, and when McMullen hit to centre field, the ball was returned to one of the inf-field players to try and prevent either of those on bases from getting home, but in the excitement consequent upon this act it was not observed that McMullen had not run to his base until one of the Haymakers seeing “Mac” standing at ease, called out to him to run to his base. This aroused the Mutes in a moment, but before they could get the ball to E. Mills, McMullen reached his base, amid shouts of laughter. New York Sunday Mercury August 28, 1870

Joe [Start] ... knows how far to leave his base to field a ball, which is something all first basemen are not posted in. In regard to this point, it is now known that there is a certain kind of ball just hit quietly along the ground to the centre of a triangle formed by the positions of the pitcher, first baseman and second baseman at right short field, which almost invariably gives first base to an active runner, simply because it is a ball which tempts the first base player to try and field it himself, and all but old hands get trapped by it. Last season we saw E. Mills and other noted first base players try to field such short balls, and in nearly every case they failed. Joe Start judges these balls admirably, and leaves them to the pitcher or second baseman to field to him unless they happen to come within a certain distance which he knows he can get to and back before the batsman can travel from home to first.

[Resolute of Elizabeth vs. Champion of Jersey City 7/21/1871] [The umpire] allowed ball after ball which was pitched over the striker’s head, and which touched the ground before reaching the home-base, to go by without being called, when the rules expressly require that every such unfair ball must be called in the order of its delivery. He also allowed the strikers to call for a “waist” ball, something the rules prohibit, the striker only being allowed to call for either a high or low ball, and he must strike at the balls called for when delivered, or strikes must be called on him.

[Eckford vs. Athletic 10/14/1871] Cuthbert then struck a high ball to left field that Nelson very suspiciously made no apparent effort to catch, and three men came home, thus tying the score. McBride hit a grounder that Shelley allowed to pass through his fingers, and Cuthbert scored the winning run. ... That the Eckfords could have won this game had they so felt disposed seemed to be the opinion of nearly all on the ground, and the conclusion of it looked very suspicious. The Athletics tried their best to win and are entirely free from any complicity with this apparently most discreditable proceeding. Philadelphia Sunday Mercury October 15, 1871

[Eckford vs. Athletic 10/14/1871] ...the so-called Eckford Club deliberately threw the game away. When we say the Eckford Club, we mean that the players who did it received the sanction of the acting captain and the majority of the players. We charge Nelson as being the main instrument of this contemptible action. Two balls were sent to left field, on by Meyerle, on which he made a home run, and one by Cuthbert, on which he made second, sending three men home. The ball hit by Meyerle was good for two bases, and probably, by a swift runner, for three, but there is not a man in the country that can make home on a ball hit to left, if properly fielded. Nelson, ingoing for the ball, took it leisurely, and when the man arrived home he threw the ball in. But his contemptible work was more palpable in Cuthbert’s hit. A high ball was hit by this player to left, which Nelson wilfully misjudged, and even then had he shown the slightest effort to catch it, he could have secured it easily; but instead of turning in the proper way to catch it, he kept running with the ball and put out one hand, but of course the growler couldn’t sell us that way. The consequence was three men came home. Cuthy being sent home by McBride’s hit, which Shelly should have stopped, but he merely put one hand to it. This run tied the game.

There seems to be a difference of opinion among some, whether Shelly could have stopped the ball; we think he could, as the ball came directly to his position; but Nelson’s misplays were deliberately done, for the offence he should be expelled by the Association, and not be permitted to associate with honorable ball players. One or two other players of the nine, we think, had a hand in it, but before charging them with this most serious offence, we shall look carefully to their plays upon this occasion. The game certainly should have gone against he Athletics, by a score of 10-11 on the last inning. But their opponents desired it otherwise for some purpose. Perhaps the gamblers had something to do with it? We noticed several of their players very attentive to hat quarter, during the playing of the ninth inning. Evening City Item October 16, 1871

Once more do we find the Mutual Club of this city closing a season without an official record of their season’s play, their score book having been filled with incomplete records of the games played. All data for getting at the averages of the club must therefore be more or less irregular, or incorrect. New York Sunday Mercury November 26, 1871

The Mutual Club have closed their season, with an incomplete record of the work of the several members of the nine, and, in consequence, it will be impossible to rightly credit any one with their achievements. When will organizations learn the value of keeping a correct book of reference? It would seem that one of the chief points of advantage to a professional club would be something they could consult while making their engagements for the next season. Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch November 26, 1871

Having pointed out the evil of an indiscriminate selection of umpires, we will now suggest a remedy. And this is the appointment of certain persons by the annual convention to act as umpires, and who will receive a certain sum–say $10 and their traveling expenses–for every game they umpire. They need not necessarily be players, but must be intelligent men, who are, or who will make themselves acquainted with the rules–men respecting whose good faith there will be no doubt. Gentlemen like Charley Mills, Rob. Ferguson, or Theo. Bomeisler, would be just the persons to act; and let them have instructions to enforce the rules strictly, irrespective of whether they are too strict or too lenient; we will then have a regular system of umpiring by men whose business is will be to keep themselves acquainted with the rules, and from whose gradually ripening experience greater correctness may be expected. The contending clubs can each pay a moiety of the expenses, and it will fall heavily on neither. New York Dispatch May 19, 1872

The recent squabbling over the decisions of umpires—the two most prominent examples of which have been the Boston-Mutual match in Boston a couple of weeks ago, and the Athletic-Baltimore game in Baltimore on Monday—together with the increasing difficultly in obtaining any person willing to take the position, appears to call for some action on the part of the representatives of the professionals nines. One way out of the difficulty would be to appoint a certain number of official umpires, say one for each ground, and allow them a certain fixed compensation for the services. Of course no active member of any of the professional nines would be appointed to such a responsible position. Indeed there is no reason why the person so appointed should have ever played ball at all providing he knows the rules of the game, and is honest, quick, and firm in his interpretation of them. If something is not done for once this “umpire” muddle will lead to further trouble. Baltimore American May 28, 1872, quoting the New York World May 26, 1872

Another improvement is certain. Umpires will be paid, and they shall not be players. They will, eventually, be selected because they are gentlemen, and, as such, independent of gamblers, and worthy of confidence. Evening City Item October 1, 1872

As regards the average playing strength of the six regular professional clubs of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Troy and Cleveland, there is scarcely a toss up as regards a choice: but in reference to the degree of training, discipline and harmonious work, the Boston nine far excels the all, and hence their success. Commenting upon this subject, the Baltimore American says:

“There is only one Harry Wright in the country, it is true, but the discipline and good management shown by this Boston nine we hope will tempt the managers of the Baltimore club to enforce something like it in their own organization. The time of leniency is passed, and a strict regime is the only thing that will rescue the club from the downward tendency it is taking. These are plain facts, and if we are to have a club here next year now is the time to act. The Boston club is thoroughly under the jurisdiction of its captain, both on and off the field. Gymnastic exercises during the early part of the season placed them in trim for ball practice, and the practice under good guidance has made the club now the most powerful organization in the country, and each member of the nine a perfect athlete, not only in appearance but in skill and strength. Everything necessary to keep them in perfect condition is the constant care of their captain. The night preceding a game all are required to retire at ten o’clock, a light breakfast is taken in the morning, and a cold lunch at 12 o’clock, and the beneficial result of this regime is so marked that in games with undisciplined clubs, although comprised frequently of much older ball-players, the Red Legs stand like giants above their opponents.

[Baltimore vs. Athletic 8/24/1872] Force sent up a foul that McGeary [catcher] dropped on the fly, but Anson [third baseman], who was under him, quickly got it on the bound. Philadelphia Sunday Republic August 25, 1872

word of the big game reaches Baltimore

[Baltimore vs. Athletic 8/24/1872] At no time this season has there been such an excitement on our streets over base ball as was witnessed on Saturday afternoon. ... It was generally known on Saturday morning that the result of the game by innings would be bulletined at The American office, and at half-past three o’clock the south side of Baltimore street from Calvert to South street was blocked by an excited multitude of persons. The merchant, banker, mechanic and even ladies halted in their walks, and when the seventh inning had been given to the excited throng wild huzzas rent the air. The crowd now began augmenting. Men begged and obtained permission to occupy second and third story windows in many of the buildings on the south side of the street facing The American office, and when the eighth inning [in which the Athletics scored seven runs] was announced it was laughable to witness the countenances of those persons who had cheered the game to that time. Expressions of regret that the Philadelphians had gone to the lead were uttered by the ladies as well as by the sterner sex, but when the ninth inning disclosed the fact that the Baltimoreans had reversed matters and won the game, with four to spare, the excitement became intense. Men and boys threw up their hats and caps, while a number of young men deeming that the occasion required something more than expressions of voice to evidence their joy began pounding their companions in the back, and which ebullition of feeling on any other occasions would have been construed into an invitation for a fight. The males screamed, shouted, laughed and danced; the ladies waved their handkerchiefs and departed from the scene seemingly as happy as if they had just witnessed a first-class marriage. Baltimore American August 26, 1872

[Boston vs. Baltimore 9/11/1872] Considerable difficulty was experienced in obtaining an umpire, and it is to be regretted that the efforts in that direction were not entirely unsuccessful. Mr. Beals, of the defunct Olympics of Washington, acted as an umpire. Artistically speaking, Mr. Beales is not very good. He called balls and strikes, it is true, about once in ten minutes, on principle, like the man that ate crumpet; that is, he considered it his duty to all them at certain periods in the game, not because they ought to be called at that particular time, but simply to carry out the traditional idea than an umpire must do something. His views of the nature of called balls and strikes appeared to be somewhat muddled. Generally when he called balls he should have called strikes, and vice versa. It is charitable to suppose, however, that he acted upon the old maxim that “what is sauce for the good is sauce for the gander,” but as it turned out, the old saw did not cut both ways, but only on one side, and hence the Baltimores were beaten. In the sixth inning a foul ball knocked his hat off, instead of his head, which was a pity, as that appendage seemed to be of but little use to him, and its displacement might have entirely changed the result of the game. His decisions at the bases were generally very correct, though on two occasions adverse to the Baltimores. Doubtless his aim was to be thoroughly impartial, but he was fearfully slow and lethargic, and the disappearance of his Greeley in the seventh inning failed to instill into him the life which all had reason to expect. The Baltimore players would stand at the home plate and wait for proper balls until their patience was exhausted, and in sheer desperation they struck when there was no hope. Out of fifteen balls, most of which struck in front of the home plate, two balls were called. The game, though not as skillfully played as some that have taken place on the same grounds, was feverishly exciting from its commencement to its close. In fielding and hitting the Baltimores far outstripped their opponents, and had an umpire been chosen at all acquainted with the rules Harry Wright would have been compelled to deliver fair balls instead of rolling them along the ground as he did during the greater part of the game. Baltimore American September 12, 1872

[Boston vs. Baltimore 9/11/1872] In repeated instances ball after ball would fall in front of the plate, but no notice was taken of them, though the rule imperatively demands that any ball which falls in front of the plate shall be called. Baltimore Gazette September 12, 1872

Something should be done in regard to the scorers’ stand. It is so crowded on the occasion of regular match games that it is very hard for the reporters and scorers to write with any comfort. On the occasion of extra-important games the bench is full of those who have no business in the place, and some of the members of the press have to beg for their seats from those occupying them. Now this can be very easily remedied. If a lock was put on the door at the foot of the stairs, and each of the reporters provided with a key, there would be no further cause for complaint.

Let us see, then what a player has to study in his mind as to what he has to do when he takes bat in hand to assume the offensive in a contest for the palm of superiority. Of course his main object is to score a run; but there is something to be considered beside the mere fact of obtaining the urn, and that is to secure it with the least fatigue. If the batsman hits the ball over the heads of the outfielders he gets his run at once, but at what cost? Why, at the expense of running one hundred and twenty yards at his utmost speed, the result being that he arrives home out of breath, and entirely unfit for further play without rest. If this were continued by each player, in each inning, the result would be that the strongest nine would be broken down before they had got through half the game. Now, if this style of batting is correct in one case, it is in all; but it is not skillful batting at all, for it is specially characteristic of the least skillful class of players in the whole fraternity, viz./ the “Muffins;” for this class of batsmen can hit balls for homeruns just as well as first nine players can. Again, too given a party of muscular men, with long, heavy bats, and a live, elastic ball, and the game they play is simply a contest as to which can make the most homeruns from heavy hitting, while in such games skillful fielding—which is the attractive feature of baseball, is of but little account. The science of batting, in fact, lies in that skillful use of the bat which yields the batsman first base without any extra effort in running. In order to attain this result, however, he must bring his brains into play so as to outwit his opponents by sending the ball to the field with as little expenditure of force as necessary, bit in such a manner as to render it nearly impossible for the fielders to either field it on the fly, or return it in time to put players out on the bases.

[from a letter addressed to Col. Fitzgerald:] Having to spend a few days in New York on business, I have learned something about Base Ball matters that will, I think, astonish you and your myriads of readers; notably the excitement prevails here over our Philadelphia and Athletic contests. A friend here invited me to visit with him Johnson’s celebrated pool rooms, and through the kindness of Mr. Johnson, I am enabled to give you some figures, that, to me, seem hardly creditable. He accounts for the large number of pools sold in advance of the game from the fact that many of the buyers intend to be in Philadelphia on Saturday to see the game, and thus make their wagers in advance, so as to have the money in safe hands in New York. He has sold the following pools on the forthcoming contest between the Philadelphia and Athletic clubs, on the 21st, the Athletics being the favorites:

462 pools, $100 to $80–$46,200 to $36,900

172 pools, $100 to $70–$17,300 to $12,110

119 pools, $100 to $75–$11,900 to $8925

531 pools, $50 to $40–$26,500 to $21,240

307 pools, $50 to $35–$$15,350 to $89,980 [sic: should be $10,745]

Grand total–$207,280 [sic: should be $207,170],

on which he retained five per cent commission, or the snug little sum of $10,360. Besides, he is stake-holder for many private bets, among others one of ten $1000 5-20 bonds bet against $10,000 greenbacks, by two well-known Wall street operators. He expects to pay out $500,000 after the game is played. The excitement seems to increase with each game played. I always supposed that pools were only bought by professional gamblers, but he assures me that that class of people do not buy one per cent. of his sales, but that brokers, merchants, lawyers, etc. from Boston to New Orleans, are his patrons. How foolish it is for men to thus waste their time and money, and how fortunate we are in staid old Philadelphia in having so such state of moral turpitude. Yours, truly, T.H.M.

The Knickerbockers are waking up to some old-time energy in playing amateur games, and they now have the strongest nine they have had for years past. There is no mistake about it, but a club to hold any lively existence must do battle in matches for baseball fame, and consequently must have a representative nine to place on the field. At the same time, it is equally essential that they do not sacrifice the interests of the merely exercising portion of the club to the getting up of a strong nine. To secure both interests is to preserve the happy medium of a baseball or cricket organization. Hitherto both games have suffered in regard to club interests by allowing the nine or the eleven to absorb all the attention of the club. Thus far the Knickerbockers have been the most successful club to combat and outlive the evils which have surrounded the game, simply because they have made the recreative principle of their organization the one most to be attended to. At the same time, it is equally necessary, in order to sustain the esprit de corps of a club, that some attention be paid to the getting up of a representative team to sustain the honor of the club flag in matches with other amateur clubs. The Knickerbockers still stick to their principle of not playing professional organizations, and thereby keep from dipping their fingers in gate money receipts, something too many of our so-called amateur clubs have done for some years past. No amateur club can share gate-money. The moment they do they become professionals. The Knickerbockers have an enclosed ground private to themselves, none but members or specially invited guests being allowed on the field. They opened their match-playing season on Wednesday last with a match on the old Morrisania Union Club grounds at Melrose, their opponents being the Arlingtons.

[Boston vs. Philadelphia 7/10/1873] ...the Quakers essayed...to do something with Wright’s slow toaster: Mack was not to be seduced into cutting at the deceitful drops, and soon went to first on called balls.

[Philadelphia vs. Boston 7/30/1873] The fifth inning now opened and the few confident Philadelphians present predicted that something extraordinary would occur. Cuthbert encouraged this idea in a weak block, which gave him first base.

[Mutual vs. Atlantic 8/16/1873] The contest between these clubs yesterday was practically nothing more than an exhibition-game, not the slightest interest being attached to it as a legal contest, from the fact that the playing of Allison in the Mutual nine really forfeits the game to the Atlantics by 9 to 0. Not a player who took part in the Resolute nine match of August 7 has a right to play in any other professional club until October 7, even if it were a fact that the Resolute club had disbanded–which is not the case–and therefore every game played by the Mutuals in which Allison take part before October 7, will not only be forfeited to the club playing them, but it will not count in the championship series of games. New York Sunday Mercury August 17, 1873

In regard to the sixty-day rule and its bearing upon disbanded club nines, we see it stated by a city contemporary that the Judiciary Committee have decided that players from disbanded nines can immediately be engaged by other clubs and legally take part in their matches. Now, the fact is simply that the Judiciary Committee of the present Professional Association have done nothing of the kind, simply because they have no legal right to render null and void any law of the playing code of rules adopted by the association in full convention. Why, they might as well pass a law stating that overhand throwing would henceforth be allowed as to enact that a player who has taken part in a match game in one nine could take his place in another nine before the sixty days had expired, simply because the club he had played with had disbanded. They have as much right to do one thing as the other. New York Sunday Mercury August 17, 1873

Last season the ill success of the Troy Club led to its disbandment long before the season was nearly completed, and the result was an appeal made by the unengaged players to allow them to amalgamate with the Eckford nine–a request which was granted seemingly officially, but in direct violation of a standing, albeit an unjust, law. This established something of a precedent, and we had hoped at the meeting of the professional association, held on March 3 at Baltimore, that a rule would be made for the protection of such players, but it seems it was forgotten, or not thought worthy of action.

Some weeks ago the Resolute Club disbanded–went utterly to pieces. Many of its players had previously connected themselves with the Irvington Club, the Resolute reorganizing without avail, and finally being compelled to succumb to the fate which seemed inevitable when they opened the season. Among the men engaged for them in spring was Doug Allison, a player well known and highly thought of on account of his qualities as a player and as an honest, earnest worker. He gave the Resolute club most faithful service; stuck to them through thick and thin, defeat and victory–little they had, however, of the latter–and up to the last moment fulfilled his contract to the letter. The club went to pieces and he was out of employment; he did not “revolve,” but took the best course he could under the circumstances and accepted an offer to play with the Mutual Club, which was under a disadvantage through the disabling of Hicks, their regular catcher. Allison came to this city last Monday with his new alliances, and, after protest was made against his playing, he participated in the game with the Philadelphia Club. The latter lost the game, and the question will come before the board for adjustment. Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch August 17, 1873

A New York journal states that the Judiciary Committee have decided that players engaged in the nine of a club which disbands can play in another club nine directly afterwards. The questions are, When did they so decide? And if they did, does not the decision nullify the Professional Association rule? New York Clipper August 23, 1873

The sixty-day rule, apparently, is being ignored by nearly all the clubs... New York Sunday Mercury August 24, 1873

There is considerable talk among the men who invest in baseball stock companies in regard to taking action in opposition to the entry of co-operative nines into the championship arena. The interests of the two classes of organizations in the professional fraternity have been found by experience to clash, owing to the one party having vested money interests at stake, while the other works with playing capital only. There is no doubt that if the championship arena were confined to regular salaried nines, and fewer games were played, the result would be more profitable.. Another result of such a narrowing of the professional circle would be that more interest would centre in the local club nines; and moreover, there would probably be less chance of players being tempted to enter into fraudulent arrangements. When a player is in command of a regular salary from a responsible club, he has something to do to sustain himself creditably in his position. No so the player who is dependent on the precarious receipts of a co-operative organization. Many believe from the experience of the present season that the co-operative system of professional ball-playing is a failure and an injury to the regular clubs.

Some time since a contemporary remarked the strange fatality attending “base ball reporters.” Mike Kelly, of the Herald; Brodie, of the New York Dispatch; Picot, of Wilkes’ Spirit, all died in a comparatively brief space of time, and now we are called upon to add one more name to the list–that of George P. Rowe, of the New York Times. He commenced his journalistic life as sporting reporter for the New York Globe. His articles attracted immediate attention, and he was engaged for the same duty on the Standard, with which paper he remained until it ceased publication. He then joined the force of the New York Times. The following is from the pen of Mr. W. S. Smith, of Wilkes’ Spirit:

“Again have the already to thin ranks of base ball reporters been decimated, and again are we called upon to mourn the loss of one of the profession’s brightest stars. George P. Row was the base ball reporter for the Times of this city during the season of 1872, and while filing this position earned for himself a reputation for clearness and thorough knowledge of the game second to none in the profession. Last Saturday he went in company with Mr. George T. Keiller, of the Brooklyn Union, to Centre Moriches, L.I., for the purpose of spending a two weeks’ vacation, and on Wednesday last a dispatch was received in this city from the proprietor of the hotel where the two were stopping, to the effect that the young men had both fallen victims to the treacherous undertow, which at that point is exceedingly strong. Mr. Rowe, as also his companion, was a most excellent swimmer, and that he should be drowned in the surf while bathing so near shore seems almost incredible. ... A native of Barbados, West Indies, Mr. Rowe received an excellent English education, and when about sixteen years of age removed with his parents to Brooklyn, where he studied hard, and soon fitted himself for the arduous duties of a journalist, entering the profession at the age of eighteen. Being exceedingly fond of out-door sports, he was assigned to the position of base ball reporter, and in a marvelously short period of time made himself perfectly familiar with the most intricate points of the game. He was invariably clear and concise in his reports, which very soon claimed the attention of base ball men in general, who looked upon them as authority. The retentiveness of his memory was something wonderful, he being able to give, without reference to his score book, the exact score, including the number of base hits on each side, of games which had been played months before.

...an analysis of the play shows that sharp fielding is preventing runs has more to do with the success of a club than skillful batting in obtaining them. Given two nines of equal batting strength and fielding skill, and the best base-running ten will bear off the most trophies of victory, as a matter of course. But given a first-class batting ten, with one of only moderate skill as fielders and base-runners, and oppose these with a first-class fielding ten who are but comparatively weak batsmen, and the result will be that the best fielding ten will win in the long run. This rule experience shows to be correct. Besides this, the best fielding games are invariably the most attractive. ... it is games of this class which attract most, and which are really the most exciting and interesting. The main object, therefore, in making any important changes in the rules, should be to bring the game up to the highest fielding standard, for one thing, and to make the point of excellence that which most combines mental and physical ability as requisites in all the departments. It is these objects which have guided us for the past ten years in all the amendments we have introduced in the rules of the game, and this well-known fact has been the cause of our success in having our suggestions so fully endorsed by the fraternity as they have been.

The past season’s play has shown pretty plainly that something new would lead to a material increase of interest; and this it is which suggests the coming season as an appropriate time to test the experiment of the ten men and ten innings rules. Thus far, the batting in baseball has had the advantage over the fielding, and it is to bring them more on an equality that it is proposed to introduce the extra fielder. ...

A new feature is introduced in Section 12, and that is in allowing base-runners to run a base on a foul-fly, as in the case of a fair-fly. This is not only an advantage given to the “in” side to offset the tenth man, but it is also something that common justice has called for for some time. A strong objection against the foul-ball feature of baseball has been that, while it prevents the batsman from scoring either a base or a run for his side, it gives his adversaries a chance to put him out. Now, by allowing the base-runner th3e same privilege of running a base after a foul-fly catch as after a fair-fly catch, a part of this objection is removed, and a new and good point of play is introduced. Under the new rule the ball will be in play quicker than before, and some lively work will follow a foul-fly catch by the more frequent throwing to the infield positions it will lead to.

We hear from Baltimore the following details of the game there: Asa Brainerd will be the regular pitcher, and intends, with hard practice, to put himself in something like his old form, and include also all the new styles of twist in his delivery.

[Baltimore vs. Athletic 5/2/1874] Gedney made a tremendous hit between centre and left, (a 3d baser) on which Clapp ran home [from first], but as Gedney did not run, it became evident that “something” was wrong, and this something proved that Snyder (the catcher,) had called for judgment on Gedney’s “position” when he struck, and Fulmer [umpire] decided the strike “foul,” as the striker had violated the rule in stepping outside the “line.” This decision caused great excitement, and for a while it looked as if Fulmer would be asked to “quit.” McBride ran forward in a heated manner, and ordered Gedney to run, while the other players crowded around excitedly, and the audience made all sorts of remarks, some to the effect that Fulmer was trying to “throw the game away for the Athletics.” As the audience were unprepared for this decision, it presented Fulmer in an ugly light, (indeed a very ugly light,) but, as we happened to see that Gedney did step forward, as Snyder asserted, the fairness of the decision was beyond question. The remarks from the audience were shamefully rule and vulgar, while we regret to say that some of the gentlemen in the reporters’ box joined in the row in a manner at once unnecessary and improper. After the excitement and discussion had abated, Clapp returned to 1st base, and Gedney to the bat, but bitter remarks were constantly blurted out during the rest of the inning, “order” being needed in the Athletic pavilion.

[Philadelphia vs. Athletic 7/4/1874] The betting was at odds of 100 to 50 on the Athletics, and a great deal of money must have changed hands on the result, a party of New York betting men who were present being suspiciously anxious to back the Philadelphias, and leading many to believe that there was something “wrong.” [The Athletics won.]

Harry Wright advances the following able amendments to the rule: First, to call wides only, adding, that rule can be improved in other respects; also, thusly: The first ball to count–that about the first ball pitched not counting being unnecessary–should it be where the striker called for it, “one strike;” then allow two balls to be pitched–not more–if not where the striker called for them, the third to be called “wide,” if not struck or a striker called, or in other words, if not fair for the striker. The rule so altered would work this way. The pitcher would know that after a strike, a wide or a foul, he could pitch two balls before the umpire could call “wide ball” again, making nine balls pitched, provided they were all wide, before a batter could be sent to his base.

Each and every fair ball, if high or low, as called for, by to be called “strikes.” I think, by so altering it as above, the umpiring would be more even and systematic. The umpire would be allowed no discretion as to the number of balls he should allow to pass before calling. The pitcher would know the number of balls he could pitch without being punished by having “wides” called. The batter would have to be ready for any and every ball pitched over the plate, and either high or low, as called for, should he not strike. The spectators would know just what to expect from the umpire, and there would be no calling out to him to “wake up,” “call something,” &c., &c.

Two seasons ago it was regarded as the point to play, in pitching, never to send a ball tot he bat near enough to be hit unless forced to do so by fear of the penalty of called balls. Now, however, experience has shown that the most effective pitcher is he who can send on the swiftest balls directly over the home-plate. The reason why this is now the point to play is this: The position the batsman takes when he is fully prepared to hit the ball, is one which cannot well be sustained for any length of time, as it is necessarily one similar to that a man would take in a tableaux position. By sending in wide balls the batsman has an opportunity afforded him to rest, while by continually sending in straight balls over the base he is obliged to be prepared to hit the ball every time it is pitched; and this is something few batsmen can keep up. Varying the height of the ball while pitching over the base is telling in its effect, but it is not skillful play any longer to pitcher either side of the base. It follows, therefore, that his is the most effective pitcher who can pitch the “straightest,” viz., the most continuously over the bas. The perfection of the art of a swift delivery is the power to send in the ball by the horizontal curve. Just as the curved line of a tossed ball bothers the sight of a batsman, so does the side curve of a swiftly-pitched ball, such as Matthews and Cummings send in when they put on their speed. The reason that this style is so difficult to punish, is that the batsman is led to expect that the ball is coming close to him, while, instead, it curves out from him, and vice versa. To send in the ball with this side-curve, therefore, so that the ball curves in over the base, is to deliver the ball in the highest style of the art.

It used to be sufficient for an outfielder to go to his position, stay there until a ball came within his reach, and then to stop it and throw it in to the pitcher, or catch it on the fly. Now, however, something far more important is required in each and all of the outfield positions. Such a thing as a double play from an outfield catch used to be very rare; and putting out a player at first base from a throw in from right field was a feat almost unknown. Now an outfielder does not play up to his mark unless he frequently makes such plays during a season’s campaign. In the old day s of heavy “muffin batting,” when all a batsman thought of was making duffer home-runs, the outfielders used to lay out well for fly-catches. It is very different now. Then all that was required in an outfield players was that he should be a sure catcher and a long thrower. At present an outfielder incapable of using his head in his play is not worth much.

The Knickerbocker Club.–This veteran organization, under their esteemed and veteran president, Father Davis, will this season take part in a series of invitation contests with the college club nines of Yale, Princeton, Harvard, etc., something they should have done seasons ago. The Knickerbockers will play on the same grounds at Hoboken as last year, and, as hitherto, will decline to participate in any professional or semi-professional matches. They very properly ignore the gate-money business in connection with amateur playing, the club never having countenanced in any way any phase of professionalism, not that they regard the system, under honest auspices, as objectionable, but that it does not accord with their idea of amateur playing to participate in the gate money business. For this reason, while playing with college nines on enclosed grounds, they, of course, will have nothing to do with the receipts at the gate, which the leading college clubs are in the habit of availing themselves of to support the incidental expenses of their organization, just as they are obliged to do with their boat clubs. The Knickerbockers will open play at Hoboken some fine day next week, when it is to be hoped that the cheerful voice of the veteran, “poor old Jim Davis,” will once again enliven the Knickerbocker field.

The Chicago papers have, of late, been throwing a good deal of dirty water at the home club, and, in their eagerness to destroy the reputation of the players, attempt to cast odium on other clubs, the latest attempt in the direction being a most ungenerous attack upon a member of the Philadelphia Club, in the Chicago Tribune. For the benefit of the individual who wrote the article we beg leave to say that the Philadelphia Club, as at present constituted, is as honorable and honest as any in the arena, not one of whom would descend to the dirty action charged to them. That our readers may see the meanness of the charge, we publish the article in full: “much comment was provided by the result of Thursday’s baseball game, and especially by the errors which lost the game for the White Stockings, as well as those which ought to have lost it for the Philadelphias. So strong was the impression of good judges of the game that something was out of tune, that an investigation was had yesterday, by those interested, to ascertain whether there were any grounds for suspicion of foul play. That investigation has developed some peculiar theories which may be briefly narrated, as follows: after the first game between the Whites and the Philadelphias, it is asserted that a parcel of bunko men, low gamblers, and general disreputables made up a pool to secure the result of Thursday’s game. They raised, it is said, a sum variously estimated at from $300 to $500, and opened negotiations with a player occupying a responsible position in the Philadelphia’s field. The gang, it is claimed, were successful in buying their man, and went at once to work to make the most of the purchase. They bought all the pools they could on the Chicagos, at any and every rate, and were free with offers of all sorts of odds that the Whites would win, putting up freely and confidently. When the nines made their appearance on the ground, the members of the pool were still anxious to bet, and wagered considerable sums after the game began. Their purchase looked promising, and the man whom they had bought performed his share of the work to the best of his ability, making all the wild throws possible, and muffing everything that came to him but there was a hitch in the proceedings. One of the Chicagos learned of the transaction, and, it is said, demanded to be let in. He was refused admittance to the ring, and he at once held a consultation with his friends and with other players of the Chicago nine, and they determined to lose the game for Chicago, and they did it less than two minutes. How much they made is not known–perhaps they made nothing, but were animated solely by a spirit of revenge. It makes no difference about that either way. There is a moral to this story, and it is not very long either. It is in the form of advice to the public like this: If you attend the game to-day, watch it carefully, and if you see any player make five errors on easy throws, demand that he be removed, and if that is not permitted, walk boldly on the field and stop the game. There has been just enough of this suspicious business in baseball in Chicago, and it would be better for the game if the crowd would tear down the fence and stands rather than ever suffer another player to be bought or sold on Chicago ground.

[Athletic vs. St. Louis 8/16/1875] Pearce’s contemptibly shabby trick of refusing to allow any one to run the bases for Fisler led, as might be expected, to the latter’s retirement; in the first innings he having again sprained his ank.e, and this deprived the Athletics of one of their best batsmen and fielders, the conduct of Pearce in refusing to allow Fisler’s substitute in running the bases being an unprecedented act of discourtesy toward one of the brightest ornaments in the professional fraternity, and something that the captain of no other club would be guilty of.

[reporting on the Athletic Club annual meeting] The Board of Directors submitted their report, from which we gleaned that the receipts of the present season fell two thousand dollars short of that of last year, while the expenditures exceeded that of last season by forty-five hundred dollars.

...

The treasurer’s report was next presented, and showed that there was a balance of $875.19 from 1874; total receipts during the past season, $23,609.90; receipts of games, $18,682.02; salaries, $13,775.11; traveling expenses, $5570.93, leaving a deficit of $261.90. Philadelphia All-Day City Item November 9, 1875

[reporting on the Athletic Club annual meeting] Great expense had been incurred by the club in getting players, while the season was unprofitable. ... The scarcity of money among the patrons of the game, and the disrepute brought by gamblers, had been the causes of the falling off in the receipts, and it is hoped the club will do something to counteract the growing evil of gambling, which, if not suppressed, must eventually ruin the game.

...

The treasurer’s report showed a balance from 1874 of $875.19. The receipts from [illegible] members were $2083 [?]; from games, 18,628,02, and the total receipts were $23,699. The expenditures amounted to $23,900.90, of which $13,745.11 were to players for salaries, $5570,93 for traveling expenses, and $37.64 [?] for grounds. The deficit is $261.90. There is a floating debt, which will soon be extinguished. Philadelphia Sunday Mercury November 14, 1875

The uniforms of the Chicagos will be something of a novelty. White imported flannel, made same as last year, but will not have the name Chicago on the breast. The caps will be double visor, and of various colors. Each player will be designated on the score-cards by his colors, the same to be drawn from a box, so as there will be no choice in the matter. It will work in this way: Spalding, blue; McVey, red; Peters, green; Barnes, red and white; White, blue and white, etc. It will certainly look odd.

The Chicago and St. Louis managers offered Mr. Cammeyer $400 each to come West and conclude the Mutual series, but “Cammy” answered, “It is impossible,” why which the roseate-hued light-weight of the Chicago Tribune infers that there is something other than financial trouble hovering over the Brooklyn nine. Can it be that they are saving money to move up to Hartford next year?

The professional season legally ended November 15, but it really closed four weeks previous. It is suggested that October 1 is late enough for playing, as all interest in the game ceases at least two week previous, but it would be as well to have the remainder of the month to meet the exigencies of bad weather. There is no money in the game after the middle of September, and it were better for managers of clubs and players to make the season shorter, and, consequently, less expensive. Players could afford to play for smaller salaries if their work was over October 1, as they would thereby gain a month and a half for the winter’s work. Looking back over the season just closed, it seems as though the Professional League had not fully realized the expectations of its projectors. Certainly clubs have fallen out by the way, the same as under the old association. Again, clubs have paid no better than in former years, or, to be more explicit, only one club, probably, the Chicagos, has $100 more in the treasure than in the spring, while all except, perhaps, the Bostons and St. Louis, have run behind hand. The balance sheets of these clubs will speak for themselves on the occasion of the annual meetings. “Crooked” playing has existed in the League as of yore, but there have been greater possibilities of discipline than under the old regime. Now there is no lack of public interest in the game, and there must be something radically at fault, or the business would pay better. What this is it is for the League to determine, but some things suggest themselves to an outsider very much in this wise: The League is too exclusive, and works against its won interest in admitting so few clubs to membership the small membership necessitates a too lengthy series of game between clubs, for the reason that only the first half of a series, as a rule, pays. Again, the clubs are hundreds of miles apart, which makes traveling expenses heavy. For example, it is a long journey from Boston to Chicago, and much time and money are expended in making the trip. Suppose there was a club at Syracuse, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis a club from the East could play every day, weather permitting, on the trip to Chicago, and vice versa. To be sure, it would cost more to halt by the way, but there would be a daily income all the while. Finish the list of clubs by the admission of one or two in Western Pennsylvania, and a club from Boston could make the round trip, playing about every day, with good weather. Some one will say that more or less of the smaller clubs would disband after a few games had been played. So much the better for those that remained, for is it not the first two or three games of a series which bring in the greater part of the profits? Make the series small, say five games, and, if a dozen clubs are admitted to the League, sixty games will have to be played in a season by each club, and that is a large enough number of professional games. Should it be found profitable, supplementary series can be arranged between any clubs. In this way, those sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth games, which are accustomed to drag along, in many cases with profit to nobody, would be avoided; and it is possible that the admission of new clubs would bring a large amount of talent into the market, which would cause a reduction of salaries, of all things especially to be desired at this time. When the latter form is effected a reduction of admission fees can very properly be made, and public patronage correspondingly increased. Incidentally, the proposed change would give more meaning to the word “championship,” as it would make it more nearly the “championship of the whole country” than it is at present, when only half a dozen or so clubs are allowed to be contestants for the honor. Perchance experience has taught the club mangers the fallacy of adopting any such course as that suggested above, but to an outsider it seems to promise a possible solution of existing difficulties.

The movement in favor of the organiztion of the International Professional Baseball Association has received quite an impetus by the action of the League convention. A preliminary meeting of club delegates in favor of the proposed organization is to be held shortly in Philadelphia. That is the proper place for the convention of all the “outside” professional clubs. New York Clipper December 23, 1876

All that legitimate amateur clubs need in a national association is simply an institution which will give them an official code of playing-rules; and this they now have in the form of the League code; but with the class of co-operative professional clubs something else is requires, and that is an association which will govern every club of their class, and by its laws not only oblige players to abide by their contracts, but so regulate other matters of special interest to their class as to give them the needed protection to make it safe for subscribers to invest in their clubs. It is very plain to see that, if Messrs. Jones, Brown and Robinson stand ready to subscribe $50 to a fund to organize a representative co-operative nine for their town or city, it is only on the condition that they shall be insured against the risk of a loss of their capital by the breaking-up of their club team through “revolving” or the violation of agreements by players. But how can this be done except through the medium of an established association possessing the power to inflict proper penalties for such violations of contracts? A club belonging to no influential association raises $5,000, wherewith to get together a good playing nine. They engage players under written contracts. The nine soon distinguishes itself; and, not long after, some rival club of its class breaks in upon its team with tempting offers to its leading player or players, and away goes its strength, with the consequence of a sacrifice of the capital of the club. The only binding power of the written contract is the player's sense of honor, and experience has shown in many instances that this is not always to be relied upon. But when the club is attached to a strong association, and has it in its power to expel a player for violation of his agreement, and thereby throw him out of all field-work for the season, then the club has a guarantee for the good conduct of its players. It is plain, therefore, that it is to the interest of ever professional club—co-operative or gate-money amateur—to belong to an established and responsible association, and such an institution cannot well exist without the active assistance of nearly every regular professional club in the county. New York Clipper December 30, 1876

One of the chief evils of the profession is the exorbitant salaries demanded by certain of the best players in the country. No remedy for this evil has yet been found. But Colonel John B. Joyce, so well known as the gentleman who engineered the old Red Stocking club, of Cincinnati, through their season of complete victory, has stepped to the fore with a plan. He has thought the matter over, and, together with other baseball men, believes that he “has found the lacking ingredient.” His plan is something like this: The League Association is to be sued as the means of accomplishing the desired end. The modus operandi is as follows: When the League directors meet next year it shall be to form an association of players. Every baseball player in the country, wether professional or amateur, who wishes to play in the League for 1878 shall send in his application, together with his playing record for the year 1877, officially indorsed by the officers of the club, together with a statement of the position he plays. The first thing for the Convention to do on assembling is to determine what cities shall be represented in the League. For instance, we say that Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Louisville, Boston, Brooklyn, and Baltimore should be admitted, then there will be eight clubs to be made up. Let there be eleven men assigned to each club. There would be eighty-eight players to be selected from all the applicants to make up the League. The Convention would then pick out eight of the best pitchers, as shown by their records, eight of the best catchers, eight of the best first basemen, and, in fact, eight of the best men for each position in the filed. After this was done sixteen of the best general players to play as substitute or eleventh man. Then let the association fix upon a certain salary that all the clubs are to pay for men in certain positions. For instance, pitcher, $1,500; catcher, $1,500; first basemen, $1,400, second and third basemen, $1,300, short-stop, $1,350; and fielders, $1,200. Then take the names of the eight pitchers first. Say these are Bradley, Matthews, Devlin, Bond, Manning, Nichols, Nolan, and McCormick. Put the names in a hat and draw lots. Say Chicago got Nolan, Cincinnati Nichols, Louisville, Bradley, and so on. Do the same with the other positions, and draw lots for two substitutes for each club. In this way all the clubs are made up by lots, and the chances are that they will be pretty generally equalized in strength. Then let the best club win for the championship. The players would be bound to play for the established salaries provided, only that each club may add to the players’ salary afterward out of their own funds if they choose. In case of the resignation, death or expulsion of any player, his place shall be supplied by the secretary of the League. The consequence would be complete success. No other cities than those in the League would be able to support a club with higher salaried men than those of the League. So there would be no danger that enough players could not be obtained to fall in with such a movement. Mr. Keck, of the Cincinnatis, offers an amendment to the above. He says let each club be compelled to advance its player’s salary in such percentage each month as his playing shall continue to improve. For instance, the pitcher–if his playing on June is five per cent better than in May, add to his salary for that month five per cent. more money. These plans are at least worthy of consideration and study.

[Harvard vs. Boston 4/14/1877] ...the contortions of Ernst. The latter pitches very well, but his habit of turning his back to the batsman just before pitching is as useless as objectionable. The object of this move is evidently to intimidate the batsman, and so, too, must be that awkward movement of the arms when in the act of pitching. Perhaps there is something gained in this way, but we very much doubt if the loss of time and of control of the ball not more than offset all possible gain. Ernst’s whirl “about face” is a part of his movement in pitching, and the umpire should have allowed “a balk” on the appeal of Jim White, when, instead of pitching, he threw the ball to a base.

[Princeton vs. Athletic 4/14/1877] We are sorry to condemn Weaver [Athletics’ pitcher], but it was very evident that he was not doing his best; instead of putting his swift “curves,” in to the batsman he pitched a slow, winding ball throughout the whole game. It looked as through he was afraid to throw them in, as though he was afraid that McGlinley could not hold them.. Philadelphia Item April 16, 1877

This from the Republic of Sunday last: Weaver has developed a curve that is exceedingly hard to hit. Ferguson says that his delivery is very puzzling, and bothers the best of batsmen. Philadelphia Item May 10, 1877

dissipation on the Indianapolis Club; a hint about Nolan

Early in the year the management of the Indianapolis club made a set of rules to govern the conduct of the players. One of them forbids the use of intoxicating liquors, but the violations thereof have been more numerous than pleasing. The loss of the game yesterday is said to have been owing to the fact that one of the men was unable to play through weakness superinduced by dissipation. It is worse than useless to have good players if their services can not be commanded in times of necessity. Indianapolis Journal April 17, 1877

[Indianapolis vs. Louisville 4/16/1877] Nolan is a hard man to hit, and if he could only be cured of the notion of getting sick whenever he begins to get hit freely, he will yet develop into something formidable. Louisville Courier-Journal April 17, 1877

Bradley’s curves

[Chicago vs. Fairbank of Chicago 4/21/1877] ...the amateurs could not make any sort of show against Bradley’s curves, and struck out with freedom. Chicago Tribune April 22, 1877

We have been looking at the business future of the Athletic club, and we really don’t see how they can afford to play important games at a quarter of a dollar. If the attendance were as large as it sued to be it could easily be done. But with only three or four hundred people on the ground the club will starve to death. If something could be done to awaken enthusiasm, and bring out two or three thousand people, twenty-five cents would be enough. But it looks as if they would be compelled to charge fifty cents, or even a dollar, for important games. The public have themselves only to blame for this state of affairs. Philadelphia Item April 26, 1877

The public should understand that it will be quite impossible to play important games for less than fifty cents.

All the League Clubs are compelled, as we understand, to charge fifty cents. Any smaller price than that would only lead to disaster in the long run; therefore, our citizens will not grumble when they see the matter cannot be helped. Philadelphia Item May 1, 1877

the League demands a livelier ball

[reporting on the NL Board of Directors meeting of 4/26/1877[ The Association also ordered Mr. Mann, the manufacturer of the League regulation ball, to make his balls more lively than those already sent out. It was at first believed that the balls as formerly ordered would be lively enough, but in this they were all mistaken. The change in the ball will not affect the amount of the rubber, but simply the wrapping of the yarn. Cincinnati Enquirer April 27, 1877

There has never been any special admiration for “kedunk” hits and 1-0 games in this city. People who pay an admittance fee want to see somthing going on, and nothing disgusts them more than to see a strong, active man hit a ball a furious blow and then have it hop along toward the short-stop. It isn’t manly, and it isn’t base-ball. It’s some sort of a child’s game. Chicago Tribune April 29, 1877

There is something very much like a misunderstanding among the clubs outside the League about one of the amended rules which govern the game this season. The players and managers have read in the papers that the rule concerning touching players with the ball has been changed so as to provide that the ball must be held after the play, but when they look in the League book about it they don’t find any such provision, and they are puzzled. A few words of explanation will set the matter straight. When the section of the rules which governs the point (Sec. 15 of Rule 6 in the 1876 book) was under discussion at the League meeting it was found to have the following provision:

‘Should the fielder, while in the act of touching the base runner, have the ball knocked out of his hand, the player so touched shall be declared out.’

One of the delegates to moved strike out the above words, saying, “That’s all wrong; let us make the baseman hold the ball; if he drops it he is always calling for judgment; and, besides, it gives the umpire too much latitude, and that is what we want to avoid. I move to make the rule so that the player must hold the ball after the play is made.”

The motion was carried, and the last part of the section stricken out with the clear intention as noted above; but, curiously enough, not a single manager thought to insert a clause qualifying the rule; they all knew what they wanted, and thought they had got it by striking out the offensive provision. The fact that the rule is understood and observed in the same way by all the League managers who put it in its present shape should convince outside clubs that it is proper to follow their example, albeit their intention is rather vaguely expressed in Sec. 15 of Rule 6 of the new rules.

[Indianapolis vs. Cincinnati 10/11/1877] Mitchell [left handed pitcher Bobby Mitchell] had Miller behind the bat again, and developed some of his old-time strength. The Hoosiers got but four base hits off his delivery, and ten men struck out. The sixth and eighth innings each ended by three men striking out in succession, something that has never occurred before in the history of base-ball. Under Miller's guidance and advice Mitchell changed his delivery, standing with his right side toward the home-plate, instead of facing it, as heretofore. The change seems to be a good one. He thereby gains greatly in speed and also in effect.

There has always been a lack of some convenient means of communication between ball-players who want engagements and ball clubs wanting players. The best way, if it were possible, would be to have a central office where both clubs and players could apply for their needs. This will not be possible until a man in whom every club and player has confidence takes up the idea. Meanwhile, The Tribune offers its services, so far as they may serve, to bring the employer and employee into communication.

From this time until the opening of the playing season (May 1, or even later) each issue of The Sunday Tribune will contain in its Base-Ball Department a register of players who desire engagements for 1878, and also of clubs, or associations, which have need of players. The notices by players should be something like the following which refer to players who wish to contract:

FIELDER AND CHANGE CATCHER—A PLAYER who has been in League and International teams, and has a good record as a batter and fielder, wants an engagement for 1878. would prefer the West; could captain a team. Address ONE, care Sporting Department Chicago Tribune

SECOND BASEMAN—A PLAYER WHO WAS WITH a Western club last year would like an offer for 1878; has permission to refer to his late club. Address TWO, care Sporting Department Chicago Tribune.

Each player and club can express best for themselves their wants and fitness. The player can do as he likes about giving his name; many object to it. The Tribune will receive and forward all letters addressed as above.

The charge for inserting the name of a club or a player in the register will be $5 [reduced to $3 the next week], which must be sent with the description. The notice will be allows to stand, and will be published in every Sunday's paper until the applicant orders it withdrawn, or until May 1, or even later, if the applicant wishes.

It is proper to say that The Sunday Tribune has a larger circulation among the ball clubs and ball-players of the Western and Northwestern States than any other paper. Nearly every club keeps it on file, and the player who wishes to make himself known to the best clubs can find no way more sure than to insert his name in the register referred to. Clubs in the Northwest, or in any other section, will have no difficulty in getting into correspondence with the best disengaged players in the way referred to.

At the beginning of 1877 the club and newspaper scorers kept an additional item of play called total bases. This before long fell into disfavor with the papers, because in all telegraphic dispatches it necessitated additional expense. The papers therefore dropped it before the season was half gone, but the official scorer kept it up with regularity until the last game was played. … Following are the figures, arranged in order of merit, as shown by dividing the total bases by the times at bat: …

It will be remembered that the intention of the total-base system was to give credit for helping other players along and to award a premium for earnest base-running and taking advantage of the errors of the other side. Let us see how this worked: In the first place it is noticeable that all the Boston players are away up top; that is, that nine of them are among the first twenty-one, though as far as batting alone is concerned, the same nine are not so close to the top by any means. It is well known that it is Harry Wright's eleventh commandment that a man must run on every hit, and it seems as if the wisdom of his course were vindicated by this showing. … it is quite proper to recommend all the players to compare the batting averages with the total base record and see if the latter does not after all indicate who the sharp and earnest base-runners are. It may be that there is something in the total-base plan, and that it may not have been wise to abandon it before it was tried.

Mr. Pettit of the Indianapolis proposed at a recent meeting of that club a scheme for grading the salaries of professional players in 1879, which is decidedly unique. The proposition empowers the secretary of the League to be the sole judge of the fielding and batting skill of every League player of 1878, the data on which he is to base his estimate of each player’s skill being the averages he makes up from the scores of the championship games played ruing the present season. Following this will come a fixed salary for each grade of players. ... That something should be done to regulate the salaries of professionals, and to drop the fancy figures which have prevailed of late years, there is no question; but this is no way to do it.

[Milwaukee vs. Indianapolis 5/10/1878] Nolan’s pitching yesterday afternoon was something after his old style. He is looking up, and if he can only be induced to keep his temper, may make a man of himself. Indianapolis Journal May 11, 1878

pitchers throwing at batters

There must be some rule to prevent the injury and intimidation of batsmen by pitchers. Two years in succession the League has tried to draw such a rule, and abandoned it because the could not agree on a penalty. It is a great evil, and must be stopped; it gives the unscrupulous pitchers a great advantage over the fair-minded ones, and places too much power in their hands. Bond is the worst of the intimidating pitchers, and Nolan is little better. In the last two weeks' play of the Chicagos they have been hit by the ball from the pitcher and temporarily disabled eleven times. Per contra, Larkin has hit only one of his opponents. Now it cannot be suffered to be in fairness a method of winning games to disable and discourage the batters of either side, and every club is interested in making a law which shall stop the evil. How shall a penalty be inflicted? Chicago Tribune May 12, 1878

It is claimed for Nolan by his admirers that he has more control of the ball than any other pitcher. Then it must be that he bruises up his opponents on purpose. Th plan of having a stout man with an available club to go out and put lump on him would work well with Nolan. Why should he be allowed to do what no other pitcher would do? It is a brutal and ungentlemanly trick to would a player with the ball. Chicago Tribune May 15, 1878

[Indianapolis vs. Chicago 5/20/1878] Nolan hit only two men yesterday, but one of the attacks was a serious and dangerous one. He hit Cassidy on the head, temporarily disabling him. Two of the men in the Chicagos made little speeches to him about what would happen if he bruised them. They were not hit. Chicago Tribune May 21, 1878

Two gentlemen who had a bet asked yesterday of the scorer: “When Hallinan muffed White's fly, but picked it up soon enough to force Geer out at second by throwing it to McClellan, did you score an error to Hallinan?” The answer was, “No: because it was not a play which lost anything to the side; if the ball was caught, there was Geer on first and one out; if it was not caught, there was Shite on first and one out. Unless the side lost something by the play—unless it lost at least one base—why should an error be charged?

[reporting on the Stars’ annual meeting:] George S. Leonard, treasurer, submitted a detailed report of the finances of the club, which showed expenditures above receipts amounting to something like $1,600. The secretary’s report of receipts and disbursements for next season, prepared, he said, with care and based on sound assurances showed that a profit of $3,000 nearly was within reach. The team of ten men are engaged at a cost of less than $10,000, which is considered by other club managers as an extremely reasonable figure. The audiences are estimated at 1,200 per game in other cities, and 500 in Syracuse.

The above cut represents the square bat which was recently tried in New York City with so much success. It is scarce three months since this innovation was proposed through the columns of the Boston Herald. The first impression it made everywhere was that of derision. At the Cleveland Convention, however, Harry Wright confessed to the Enquirer reporter that the idea was his own, and explained why he believed the flat bat would become a necessity. Every body knows that Harry has made base-ball what it is in the United States. He has for twelve years been a living baseball Edison. He eats base-ball, and incorporates base-ball in his prayers. So whenever Harry Wright proposed something new in base-ball he has good reasons to back it up. Thus it was with the flat bat. His arguments on this score were published through the columns of the Enquirer other papers took up the theme, and the first words of ridicule were soon changed to sentiments of conviction and advocacy for the flat bat. It is hard to overthrow the outgrowth of the game, such as underhand throwing; with underhand throwing the ball must be less lively than in old-time days of straight-arm pitching, else the catcher's hands would have to be made of cast iron. So Harry Wright comes along with the flat bat. The best base-ball authority including Mr. Chadwick, of the Clipper, that that next year (1880) will see the new feature most certainly introduced, though it can not be brought into use this season.

Last week we had to comment on the failure of National teams. This week the League falls into line in this respect, much to the disgust of those people who had declared that the disbandment of a League team was something entirely out of the question; but the Syracuse Stars, after fighting hard against bankruptcy, went under on Sept. 10. The Stars have struggled hard for months, with alternate success and failure, under the disabilities of poor field-captaincy, inefficient management, and an inharmonious team. All these drawbacks weighed down their energies and disheartened them in their struggles in the present race. But they bore up well until an opposition attraction in the shape of the rival teams of the State Democratic factions, who selected Syracuse for their series of games for the political championship of New York, came into town, and they succumbed. The disbandment of the Syracuse Stars throws out of the championship record every game except the first six games the Starts played with every other club in the arena.

...

The salaries of the nine, it is said, were p aid up to Sept. 15, leaving the directors losers to the amount of $2,500. The Stars had played 70 championship games this season, winning 22 and losing 48. Now, but 42 of these games will be counted, the Bostons and Cincinnatis being the greatest losers by the Stars’ disbandment, each having five victories less to their credit, Providence four, Cleveland three, and Buffalo and Chicago each two. The Cleveland and Providence nines have two. The Cleveland and Providence nines have each two, and the Bostons, Chicagos and Cincinnatis each one defeat less to their record.

The League “manager” [sic] convened a special meeting of the Association last week at Buffalo to take action upon certain matters bearing upon the interesting of the Chicago Club in particular and the League clubs in general. ... Then, too, there was another snag in the way of the pecuniary success of the Chicago Club’s contemplated tour to the Pacific coast which it was necessary to have removed, and this was that the San Francisco clubs had all done that which barred any League club team from playing them, viz., played with Nolan, a player expelled from a League club. Now, it should be remembered that we protested against the action of the League in inflicting the severe penalty of expulsion on Nolan when his offense was comparatively a small one–disobedience of orders or something of that nature. At any rate, no proof of a charge of dishonest play was brought against him, and for this only should expulsion be meted out as a punishment. Then, again, it should be borne in mind that early this season the League made a great to-do about the action of McKinnon, who had been induced by a League club-official to sign an illegal contract. Bearing these facts in mind, we now proceed to show what was done at this special meeting of the League, held at Buffalo. ...

“Whereas, Edward Nolan, whose expulsion by the Indianapolis Baseball Association of Indianapolis for violation of contract with said Association was approved by the Board of Directors of the National League by resolutions adopted at the last December meeting, ahs made formal application to this Board for a rehearing of the case; and

Whereas, It never appeared or was proven that the said Edward Nolan was guilty of throwing or selling games, or any dishonorable action of that nature, but has in these respects sustained a good character, and now sincerely repents of the conduct which resulted in his expulsion; therefore,

Resolved, That the said Edward Nolan shall be eligible to play in or against any League or League Alliance club on and after this date...”

Now, why was it that similar justice was not done to McKinnon? His expulsion was even more unjust than that of Nolan. But, unluckily, he was not in the way of the Chicago Club’s visit to California. Consistency appears to be a jewel unknown to the managers of the League, to say the least.

[Cleveland vs. Cincinnati 5/14/1880] The home nine was decidedly off, and Clapp particularly so, that player scattering his favors in every inning except the first three and the ninth. A foul tip that cushioned on his victualing department early in the game may have had something to do with it...

A practical joke of quite extensive ramifications was played Monday afternoon by a pool-room-keeper in “Gamblers' Alley” upon a rival establishment. Riley has been in the habit of relying on the telegrams received at Fox's room giving the results of heats in horse races, inning in ball games, and the like. Fox, of the larger pool-room, has received these announcements of innings by telegraph, while Riley, through the agency of a very small boy, who took the figures from Mr. Fox's blackboard as soon as they were placed thereon and ran with them to his employer's place, has been able, at comparatively little or no expense, to be thus only a few seconds behind his rival in telling his patrons of the progress of sporting events. This displeased Fox, and for a long time he cudgeled hi brain to devise means of punishing his rival. He accomplished his desire on Monday. Four games of ball were played upon that day, and, as the combinations in which the 50-cent gamblers buy tickets only take in three of the games, one of the four was left out. The game not placed in the combination ws that pleyd at Troy by the local League Club and that hailing from Chicago. Notwithstanding the game was not included in his combinations, and no pools were sold on it by him, Fox got the score as usual, and as usual Riley's mall boy carried the result of the innings as soon as they were received over to his employer. Riley did have the Chicago and Troy game in his ball combination that day, and about $300 worth of tickets were sold. The result of the game as received at Fox's room and duly transferred to Riley's blackboard was very startling to those who had wagered upon the White Stockings, and the score at the close standing,--Troy, 16; Chicago, 2. The “short-end” purchasers, i.e. those who had betted against Chicago in the hope of receiving large return for their money, were delighted, and very shortly after the close of the game Riley had divided among them the money. There were rumors during the evening that there was something wrong in the matter, but it was not until yesterday morning, when the backers of the “long-end” read in The Tribune the score, “Chicago, 16; Tory, 2,” with the usual interesting description of the game, that they saw that some extraordinary mistake had caused Riley to pay over the money to the wrong parties. Some of them had torn up their tickets in disgust the evening previous and were left without recourse, others who had retained the pasteboard gathered together and demanded of Riley an explanation. By this time he was fully able to make one, and it was to the effect that the wily old Fox from whom he got his information the day previous had very wickedly reversed the order of the result of the Chicago-Troy contest, with a special view to deceiving Riley, and had succeeded admirably. What with the combinations which had been paid to the wrong men and the “auction” bets upon innings and the result during the afternoon, Riley was, as they call it, “in the hole” to the extent of some $800. It is said, however, that he paid up every winning ticket which was presented, but it is safe to assume that at least $1100 worth of tickets had been destroyed by the disgusted holders.

[Rochester vs. National 8/21/1880] ...out of the sixty-two times the two nines went to the bat they were put out twenty-six times by catches, and but four ground-hits were made in the entire game. Mr. Derby charged the weak batting to the dead Ross ball they played with. But this was no excuse whatever. A dead ball is the very ball to test a batsman's skill in the two great essentials of skillful batting, and these are, first, in being able to “face for the hit” properly, and, secondly, to “place” the ball well, after properly waiting for a fair ball, and being ready to hit it when it comes in. … Nearly all of the two nines on Saturday went in for heavy batting. Their sole ambition appeared to be to hit the ball as far out of reach as possible in their efforts to accomplish they they were, time and again, caught unprepared for good balls when they came in, or when they did hit the ball they either sent it in the air, giving chances for catches, or, failing to “face for the hit” properly, they hit the ball direct to some fielder's hands. To “place” for a right or centre field hit when an open space is left in the field for the purpose is something apparently unknown to the majority of batsmen. As fielders, they know where to go and what to do to field the ball, and they field up to a high mark in every position; but as batsmen they are as ignorant of the rules of as the veriest amateur. It is, of course, a difficult thing to do to “place” a ball sent in by a swift curve-pitcher; but it can be done, and high-salaried professionals out to be trained to do it, just as they trained to field skillfully.

Let us see how the abolition of the five-players agreement, or the absence of something of a similar character, would work. Cincinnati, for example, desirous of getting a team that it thinks would win the championship, and being determined to outbid any and all other clubs in order to get the players it wants, enters the field after the 23d of October and begins the engagement of a team for 1880. the local management and the local newspaper advisers agree upon something like this for an outfit: Jones, Gore, and Kelly for the outfield, Will White and Corcoran for pitchers, John Clap and Flint for catchers, Jim White for first base, Burdock for second base, Burns for short-stop, Williamson or Connors for third base, and Hines or Dalrymple for substitutes. This would be a tremendous batting and fielding collection, and might or might not win the championship: much would depend on management, in which respect Cincinnati is lamentably deficient. Anyhow, Cincinnati wants these players, and is going to have them at whatever rate of salaries promised,--payment being quite another affair.

But how about Chicago and Gore, Kelly, Burns, Williamson, Corcoran, and Dalrymple? Presumably Chicago wants to keep these players, and to a certainty Chicago can afford to pay them $2 for every dollar offered by Cincinnati. Boston wants to keep Burdock, Troy wants Connors, Providence wants Hines; more than that, they are going to have them, or else they are going out of the ball business, for a club cannot survive which loses the players having the strongest hold upon the favor of its patrons. Chicago, Boston, Providence, and Troy will pay these players $2,000 apiece before they will let them go. Bu Cincinnati will pay $2,500, and gets them—gets a mean which will cost upwards of $25,000 for salaries alone, or $32,000 when traveling, hotel, and incidental expenses are added. To meet this expense the Cincinnati Club must average $400 per game for eighty games, at home and abroad,--a thing which no club ever did or ever can do. The average will be less than one-half that figure when Cincinnati shall have crippled every other club in the League by taking away their best and most popular players. Result, a net loss of $16,000, which the Cincinnati stockholders must pull out of their pockets and pay into the Club treasury. Will the Cincinnati stockholders do it? Unquestionably they will not. Then the players engaged lose one-half the salaries promised, and have played ball for considerably less than what they would have received had the five-players agreement operated to prevent this senseless competition.

We do not believe the ball-players of the country are so silly and short-sighted as to want to kill the goose that lays for them the golden egg,--said goose being the League, which has been instrumental in elevating and popularizing the game of ball, in creating a demand for players, and in guaranteeing them honest and fair treatment by the clubs employing them.

What is good for the League is good for ball-players, for the day when the League ceases to control the National game in America by wise legislation and judicious business management will see the speedy downfall and obliteration of the game as a grand popular amusement and pastime; and nothing will more surely disrupt the League and reduce base-ball to chaos than a policy which increases salaries beyond a point justified by club receipts. Salaries are already as high as they should be, and the person who advocates a plan that will inevitably increase the present expense of maintaining a club, be he officer, stockholder, player, or newspaper reporter, is no true friend of base-ball. Ball-playing talent is worth what it will bring, and it will bring, in the long run, not what indiscreet club officials are foolish enough to bid for it, but what experience has amply demonstrated the public will pay for it in the shape of patronage, and no more. In many instances this revenue from patronage has not equaled the expense of maintaining the club, and club stockholders, enthusiastic and ardent devotees of the game, have paid the deficit. This will have to do it this year in several instances, and they are willing to do it again, provided the deficit is not too large. How to keep it down to the minimum should be the study of every club management, and no how to make it larger. It was for this that the plan of reserving players was devised, and it is for this it should be continued.

[reporting on the NL special meeting] Mr. Kennett, of Cincinnati, said he would not sign any such agreement [abolishing liquor sales and Sunday ball] or entertain any such proposition. The Cincinnati Club derived too big revenues from those sources to cut them off in this manner. Mr. Hulbert asked him if he could not telegraph to his Directors and gain their consent to the agreement. Mr. Kennett said it would be impossible to find them in less than two days, at least; besides, he did not see what great stew there was about this matter, any way, as it was something that would come up before the annual meeting. Mr. Root said that he had received information, through the Cincinnati Enquirer, that the local Club would not go into the League if such plan was adopted, and he wished Mr. Kennett would tell them whether or not they intended to stay in the League, as this matter would certainly be passed in December.

Mr. Kennett replied that if they had any hopes of scaring him by any such moves they were badly mistaken. They all knew that Cincinnati was opposed to the reservation policy, and that they intend to fight it out, to boot. This liquor matter was of secondary consideration tot hem now. He had come there in the interest of his Club, and he intended to stick to that. He would give no decisions on the agreement matter and did not think he was obliged to.

Mr. Hulbert said that this subject had nothing to do with the five-men policy, whereupon Mr. Kennett quickly replied that he thought that it had a great deal to do with it. He saw the dodge, but it would not work. This announcement fell like a bombshell in the enemies camp, and, on motion, it was decided to adjourn until to-morrow morning at nine o'clock. At this time inquiries were made as to what Clubs would continue in the League, and all present announced that their organizations had decided to retain their membership. Cincinnati Enquirer October 5, 1880

Mr. Kennett said he was willing to have the sale of liquor restricted to the bar under the grand stand, and he would give his word that the Directors would exert themselves to do away with the custom as fast as the prejudice in its favor could be overcome.

To this offer Mr. Hulbert replied that he failed to see how these delegates could accept any such amendment of the original articles, and did not think that they could stultify themselves, having already given their vote for the first agreement.

A resolution was then submitted to the effect that the Cincinnati Club vacated its membership in the League if its representative did not make a formal assent or negative to the agreement prohibiting Sunday games and the sale of liquors on League grounds. Seven delegates voted in favor of the resolution. Chicago Tribune October 7, 1880

[reporting on the NL special meeting in Rochester] Treat, of Buffalo, spoke at length upon the subject, showing what a fallacy it was, not a delegate was present that could say that his expenditures had been decreased by it. He knew that many had paid more in order to keep their men and still they said that it was a move to cut down salaries. Brown, of Worcester, who had been as uneasy as a body with a hot biscuit in his pocket, was the first to give their secret away. With his face wreathed in smiles he congratulated every body with the success of their scheme, and told the Buffalonians that he was sorry that they had lost. Defreest, of Troy, said that they had done something they had before, &c. The fact was they had decided to carry the matter through by a majority, although it was merely a business agreement. It was an insult to Buffalo, and all semblance of courtesy and legality was cast aside to allow two mere villages to retain their men in preference to favoring Buffalo and Cincinnati. The most audacious part of their agreement was, we are informed, signed in order to pacify Soden, of Boston. Snyder last year eloped from them to go to Washington. This year the Bostons want him again, and to keep her solid the conspirators agreed not to approach Charles, and he will remain practically as reserved.

[reporting the NL meeting of 12/9/1880] On Wednesday morning, Dec. 8, when the Nationals were informed of their rejection as a new League club, nothing was said about any charge that they had violated any League rule as a member of the League Alliance. It was, therefore, quite a surprise to them when, on Thursday, they were informed that Cleveland had a grievance against them, on which, if not cleared up satisfactorily and promptly, would involve the immediate expulsion of the Nationals from the League Alliance. It is unnecessary to go into details; suffice it to say that the Clevelands claimed that the Nationals owed them guaranty-money. This was disputed; but the Nationals were willing to give a check for the amount claimed if they were allowed time to ascertain whether their manager regarded the claim as legal. This was not granted them; and as they refused to pay the claim unconditionally on demand, they were expelled from the League Alliance. The Washington delegates assert that there was a hidden motive for this action, and when it leaked out that the manager of the Detroit Club had signed Derby the day the Detroit Club was admitted–something he could not legally do while the Nationals were a League Alliance club–th expulsion business began to have an ugly look. The sequel of the affair must be that either the claim was legitimate, and the Nationals obliged to pay it, or that it was otherwise, and their expulsion illegal. It will be settled at the March meeting in Chicago, and it is to be hoped satisfactorily. New York Clipper December 18, 1880

Boston Club finances

The Boston Base Ball Association held its annual meeting Dec. 15... The report of the treasurer showed a diminution of the receipts of 1880 as compared with previous years of $3,461.50. The falling-off in the receipts was partly offset by a reduction in expenses of $3,165.77. New York Clipper December 25, 1880

Buffalo's big Brouthers played an old but successful trick on Taylor, Cleveland's “fresh” left-fielder. Taylor overran first base, and while returning saw Brouthers apparently throw the ball to Galvin, the pitcher. Galvin faced the batsman, as if to pitch the ball, and Taylor innocently touched first base and stepped off a pace again. Brouther, sho had the ball under his armpit, quietly reached out and touched Taylor. The umpire said “out,” Taylor hung his head and walked home, nine Buffalos “snickered,” and seven hundred Cleveland people said something which doesn't look well in print., quoting the Cleveland Voice

Buffalo's big Brouthers played an old but successful trick on Taylor, Cleveland's “fresh” left-fielder. Taylor overran first base, and while returning saw Brouthers apparently throw the ball to Galvin, the pitcher. Galvin faced the batsman, as if to pitch the ball, and Taylor innocently touched first base and stepped off a pace again. Brouthe4rs, who had the ball under his armpit, quietly reached out and touched Taylor. The umpire said “out,” Taylor hung his head and walked home, nine Buffalos “snickered,” and 700 Cleveland people said something which doesn't look well in print., quoting the Cleveland Voice

[reporting on the AA meeting] The concession to the pitcher of an assist off every foul ball chance offered to the catcher for a put out is something which should have been given to the pitcher long ago. It is certainly as much credit to the pitcher to put a man out on a foul as on a strike out.

While the Cincinnati Club was in the East, they were solicited by Henry T. Luff for an engagement. He had just been released by the Detroits. The Cincinnatis concluded to give him a trial at first base, but he refused to sign on conditions, and said it must be for the season or not at all. For the season it was, therefore. In the absence of an official blank a contract was drawn up in writing, wherein Luff agreed and bound himself to play for the cincinnati Club till October 1 at a stipulated sum per month. Also, to be governed by all the rules and regulations of the American Association. It further stipulated that he should sign an official contract to replace the written one when opportunity presented itself. He played with the Cincinnatis in the East, and on their return to Cincinnati continued to so play. Meanwhile he was several times requested to call on the Secretary and replace the verbal contract by a written one. This he promised to do, but failed to fulfill his contract. Yesterday the official contract, regularly filled out, was put inot Manager Snyder’s hands, with a request that he hunt up Luff and have him sign it at once. At noon he reported that Luff refused to sign the contract, and would give no reasons therefor. The Secretary meanwhile had accidentally discovered that Luff had for several days past been carrying on a correspondence by letter and telegraph with Manager James O’Rourke, of the Buffalo Club. Suspecting treachery, he hunted Luff up, coming across him at the Crawford House. He also and again solicited Luff to replace his original contract. The latter said no, he would play the base until the Club could replace him, and then he would accept his release. He was told that the Club did not want to give him his release. Still he would not sign. He further denied that he was intending treachery to the Cincinnati Club. Finally he said he would probably sign the contract this morning, but he was told that the Board would met at 5 o’clock, and something must be done by that time. Then he told the Secretary he would call before 5. This promise was also broken. When the Board met at 5 o’clock the case was laid before them. They sent for Mr. Luff to appear before them. He appeared, and, in the kindest manner possible, he was asked to consummate his written agreement and sign the contract. He again refused. When suddenly told that the Board knew he had been corresponding with the buffalo Club he acknowledge it and had the gall to say that nothing came of it, as he had put his figures too high for them. He steadfastly refused to sign the contract. When convinced that he had acted dishonorably with them and meant to do so whenever an opportunity should offer, the Club promptly and in his presence expelled him and entered their action upon their minutes. Secretary Williams was notified by wire immediately and also by mail with a full statement of the case and the contract inclosed. Mr. Luff was surprised into acknowledging his negotiations with the Buffalos, and at the same time expressed surprise and wonder how the Club found it out. The Club and profession are well rid of all such as he. A man who will prove treacherous and dishonorable to his employers against his written pledge is not a safe man to play base-ball, however well he can play. There is not another man in the Cincinnati team who would be guilty of such dishonest work. He has made a sad mistake, as he will realize in time. Cincinnati Commercial June 15, 1882 [Luff apologized the next day and was reinstated.

The directors of the Cincinnati Base Ball Club to-day expelled Luff, their first baseman, and engaged Powers to fill his place. The charge against Luff was that he had been in correspondence with manager O'Rourke, of the Buffalo Club, and had under consideration an offer to join that club. Luff admitted the charge, but expressed great surprise that it should have become known. Philadelphia Times June 15, 1882

Luff, who was dismissed yesterday for leaving the Cincinnati, was reinstated to-day. He begged hard, is a good player, and the punishment of dismissal was finally changed to that of a fine. Philadelphia Times June 16, 1882

Just now the papers published in League cities are agonizing over the American Association, and holding it up to ball players as something awful and something that they should severely let alone, if they value self-respect and certain salaries. These articles have been called forth by the inroads made on League teams by the agents and managers of American clubs, and by the League rule prohibiting the engagement of players before October 1st. they are forced to stand idly by and see their best players taken away from them by the American clubs, whose swelling treasuries allow them to outbid the League in the secural [sic] of the best playing talent. There are many other reasons outside of salaries that are depleting the League, and among the number are excessive fines, unjust exactions, and a niggardly spirit that controls League management. In the matter of fines the League has gone entirely too far, and has driven several of its best players into the rival organization. Unjust exactions, such as the deduction of fifty cents a day from players while traveling, the purchase of suits, etc., will also stand responsible for driving players from the League. In the matter of the purchase of suits, the present President of the League has a monopoly, and by League legislation every player is forced to purchase from hi, and at prices fifty per cent. higher than could be obtained at other establishments.

In a single word, the spirit of the League clubs towards their players is to treat them like hired men, with no rights that the League need respect.

The American Association was organized to protect both players and managers, and their policy adopted is most liberal. Managers ask of players their best services, and treat them like gentlemen, and not like slaves. There are no fines in the American for trivial causes. There is no reduction in salaries when traveling. There is no monopoly to toady to, managers furnishing themselves the player's suits, and a player's salary represents just so much money, and is not reduced by fines, as in many cases that could be cited from the League, to just one-half the stipulated amount. This policy is attracting to the American the very best players in the country and the fate of the League can be easily told unless they come down from their high horse. Already there is a movement to right many of the wrongs of the League, and whatever justice players may receive in the future they will have the American to thank for.

There is brewing just now within the American Association ranks something that promises to give trouble of the liveliest description. The champion club, the Cincinnati, is in a rebellious attitude, and liable to get into a position that will make expulsion possible. There has been a manifest disposition in the Pork city to have the Association operated in the interest of the club there, and now the desire of a fresh young lawyer of that city to become the boss—the Hurlbut as it were—of the Americans, has manifested itself stronger than ever. The Cincinnati club have arranged to play with the Cleveland and Providence clubs. During the season, it will be remembered, there was trouble about players taken by the League from the Americans. The Cincinnati club alone carried that trouble, in the case of Wise, to the extent that made it necessary for the Association to enact such rules as forbid its clubs to play with the League teams which have recognized the right of theft of players. To get around this rule the Cincinnati people propose to discharge their players and then hire them over, outside of the Association rules.

President McKnight, of the American Association, said last night that the proceeding would be outrageous and unlawful, and should it be persisted in, he would be earnestly in favor of expelling the club. He has been in correspondence with the Cincinnati people and notified them of this view of the case. They put in the plea that they will have players on salary half a month with nothing to do if this is not accomplished. Now Cincinnati having cleared $12,000 to $15,000 this year can afford to have some idle weeks, but they could easily have filled up the time spoken of with any or all of the other Association clubs. So Mr. McKnight wrote them, but in response received an emphatic statement that they were going to proceed with their plan.

They alleged that the Athletics and St. Louis would do the same thing. President McKnight wrote to both these clubs, and yesterday received a letter from Simmons pronouncing the story a lie as far as his club was concerned, and expressing his determination to aid in expelling any club which would be so false. The Cincinnati people are certainly acting peculiarly, in view of the trouble they caused earlier in the year on the other side of this subject. It is reported that one Stearns, a backer for the club, and Caylor, the Secretary, are at the bottom of the whole thing, expecting to make some money out of the snap. The Philadelphia Item October 1, 1882, quoting the Pittsburg Despatch.

The stockholders of the Worcester Club held a meeting Sept. 28, when it was announced that there was a balance of $650 in the treasury, but that $800 more would be necessary to pay the salaries in full. An effort was made to raise this amount, but it was not successful. The money in the treasury was divided pro-rata among the players–one, to whom $275 was due, got $20, and so on. New York Clipper October 7, 1882

Worcester people talk now of gracefully resigning from the league, thus gaining something of the good will of the other clubs, in case the city should wish a membership in the league at some future time. Troy is also about ready to throw up the sponge. Providence Sunday Star October 22, 1882

The Association should do something to definitely settle the question of the height of a pitcher’s arm–either to fix a penalty to keep it down or allow it, in express words, to go as high as the shoulder but no higher, under a fixed and well-defined penalty. As the League have it, there is no penalty to prohibit a pitcher from throwing over his head, and the higher you allow them to go the more they will encroach upon the privilege. Cincinnati Commercial December 10, 1882

[reporting on the NL meeting] The playing rules were amended to the effect that the pitcher's hand, in delivering the ball, must pass below the shoulder instead of the waist. The Philadelphia Item December 10, 1882

[reporting on the AA meeting] The class 3, rule 23 was changed by leaving out the words, “arm swinging nearly perpendicular by his side,” and the word “waist” was changed to “shoulder,” thereby admitting of any delivery of the ball to the bat below the line of the pitcher's shoulder. The Philadelphia Item December 17, 1882

Justus Thorner vs. Geo. Harencourt et al. Judge Harmon decided this case yesterday. He said, Plaintiff claims that he was a partner with defendants Geol. Herancourt, Aaron Stern, Louis Kramer, Victor H. Long and John R. McLean, in which was known as the Cincinnati Base Ball Club; that he was the owner of a one-eight interest; that Louis Kramer and Victor H. Long each had a one-eighth interest, and that Aaron Stern and John R. McLean each owned a one-fourth interest, O. P. Caylor also claiming to be the owner of the one-fourth interest of John R. McLean; that in the prosecution of the business of the partnership, large profits were earned over and above all expenses, and are now on hand, amounting to about $15,000; that defendants have excluded him from his right in participating in the management of the affairs of the partnership, and are about to divide the accumulated profits among them to his exclusion. He prays an account of such profits, that a receiver be appointed, and that, after ascertaining the sums due the members of the partnership, such sums may be distributed to them accordingly.

The defendants, other than McLean and Long, who have filed no answer, deny that plaintiff is or has been a partner with them, as alleged. It appears from the testimony that on June 28, 1881, a written contract of partnership was entered into, signed by Victor H. Long, Justus Thorner, John E. Price and O. P. Caylor, and articles drawn, providing that each one of these four persons should be an equal partner, and each entitled therefore to a one-fourth interest. It is conceded upon both side, that the sum of money to be put in by Justus Thorner, $100, was to be at the time payment was made, and in fact was furnished by the defendant Herancourt, and that the plaintiff never furnished any of the capital. The same was the case with Mr. Caylor and Mr. McLean, the latter furnishing the money, although Mr. Caylor signed the articles, and it further appears that Mr. Kramer was the real party in interest, although Mr. Long signed the paper.

It appears, too, that Mr. Herancourt was present at the time Mr. Thorner signed the articles, and that it was understood between them, and understood generally, that the real partner was Mr. Herancourt, although the nominal partner was Mr. Thorner. Although, of course, as to third parties, the apparent partner would be held to be the partner, it would be questionable whether, in a court of equity, in a contest between the parties, the real state of facts might not be looked at without regard to the apparent state of facts. But, whether that be so or not, this written article can cut no further figure in the case, because John E. Price died shortly afterwards, and the firm was dissolved. The parties appear, however, to have gone one, rather considering the concern as a joint stock company, or as a mining corporation, such as they have in the Pacific States, where the death of a partner does not dissolve the concern, but whoever buys the deceased partner’s interest steps in and takes his place. So Mr. Stern, who had purchased the interest of Mr. Price, appeared in September, 1881, as the partner in his place, and the concern went on.

Mr. Thorner contends that the one-fourth interest was, by agreement between him and Herancourt, to be their joint property–that is, this is the contention of his counsel–and that his right as such joint owner having been recognized by the Club by suffering him to appear at the meetings, he now has a right to an account. The exact state of the case, however, as detailed in his testimony and that of Mr. Herancourt, is as follows: Mr. Thorner says: “The agreement between me and Mr. Herancourt was that I should go and get up a club, and after the thing was in running order I could retire if I desired to do so, and he would give me half of his entire profits.” He says further that while he and Mr. Thorner were walking down Vine street one day, he remembered distinctly Mr. Herancourt saying: “I will give you twenty per cent. of my profits, if I make any.”

It is agreed, therefore, between Mr. Thorner and Mr. Herancourt that Mr. Thorner is entitled to something for his trouble in getting up the club, but he certainly is entitled to that something on an agreement between him and Herancourt. The testimony does not show that there was ever any agreement between Thorner and the toher parties as to his having a right to a share in the profits of the club, or any agreement between Herancourt and the plaintiff that Thorner should have any right to look to the profits of the club. They were Herancourt’s profits which Herancourt was to share as both say. Herancourt was the real partner. He was so recognized, and, in the very midst of the career of the club, sent a written statement to the club that he was the sole owner, and Mr. Thorner entitled to no interest in the affairs of the club, and, upon the strength of that, at the request of Mr. Herancourt, Mr. Thorner was ignored.

It appears by a decisive preponderance of the testimony that Mr. Thorner continually averred that he claimed no interest in the club; he claimed, so far as the club was concerned, to be acting in the general interests of the game of base-ball, his only expectation for compensation laying in his agreement with Mr. Herancourt.

The only issue appearing in the evidence is an issue, not between the plaintiff and all these defendants, but between the plaintiff and Herancourt. That issue is not made upon the pleadings, and the well known rules of pleading require the issue made to be one which relates to all the parties. It is conceded by both parties that the agreement was between Herancourt and the plaintiff; that Herancourt should share his profits with the plaintiff, and the only dispute between them is as to whether the plaintiff shall have fifty per cent. or only twenty per cent.

The Court can not, on an action for account against all these defendants, proceed to try an issue between two of them only. There is no averment here that Mr. Herancourt is not responsible or that he is insolvent, or in any danger of being insolvent, and, as the plaintiff’s rights depend upon the contract rights of Mr. Herancourt, instead of suing the partnership upon an account, he must sue Mr. Herancourt upon his contract. Whatever profits Mr. Herancourt got, and which he was to share with the plaintiff, he must share with him. Whether half and half, or to the proportion of eighty and twenty per cent, must be determined in an action between them on an issue made for the purpose. The petition must be dismissed. Cincinnati Commercial December 31, 1882

John Kelly on Tuesday last umpired the Eclipse-Cincinnati game at Louisville and showed what one man with sand can do with a crowd and gave a most successful illustration of the virtue of the order rule adopted last winter. A decision he made in the sixth inning didn't suit the hoodlums and a noisier crowd never occupied a ball field. They hooted and called names and pandemonium seemed to have broken loose. Kelly seemed to take no notice, but after about five minutes of the racket, walked up to the pavilion, pointed out two roughs by laying his hands on them and ordered them ejected from the ground. The St. Louis private police yanked the two unceremoniously, while the better part of the crowd stood up and cheered. Kelly had all this time been getting the dead wood on the ringleaders of the men. After this it was like a change from Hades to heaven. The mob were conquered. One man afterward started to say something and Kelly turned his eyes that way. The fellow cut it off short and the crowd game him a laugh. Kelly comes from New York, where he is one of the boys and is not afraid to enforce the rule.

The failure of the Philadelphia club to make a stand against its colleagues in the League has been the source of much regret to the many warm friends of the club. In our judgment the club is composed of players as good as any in the country, and occasionally they prove it by an exhibition that revives hopes of their supporters, but then fall back again to such miserable playing as to invite disgust. All lovers of the game are interested in the club and would like to see it make a respectable showing, but until certain remedies are applied this can never be expected.

…

In conversation with one of the players the latter said: “There is no use talking, we cannot play under Ferguson. He is harsh, cruel and unjust. Fines are inflected for the most trivial offenses and the entire team is in a state of demoralization. We don't object to discipline, but there is such a thing as too much of it. We are treated more like slaves than players.” This in our judgment is the key-note to the whole trouble and if the club is to be saved at all it must be through heroic measures. There are only two courses open: Release the players who are “kicking” or release the manager. The remedy must be applied at once, too, or it will be too late.

It is also evident that the feeling held by the players toward Ferguson has extended to the audiences, and the scene on the ground last Wednesday afternoon was such as is seldom witnessed. Cries of “Lynch Ferguson,” “Somebody hit Ferguson on the head with a bat,” being uttered throughout the game. When players see this the manager's usefulness is at once gone, and he should resign to save his own self respect.

No one holds Manager Fergsuon in higher respect as a gentleman, and a ball player than the writer of this, but it is too evident that as a manger he is a colossal failure. He lacks magnetism, his idea of discipline is false, his domineering tendencies fatal.

Managers Reach and Pratt are suffering by this a much as the public, as the slim attendance at games last week shows. Mr. Reach is deserving of better fortune than this. He is honest and conscientious in his efforts to raise the standard of the game, and is one of the few professionals who have risen from the ranks to a business that is rapidly making his fortune.

To these gentlemen, then, we respectfully submit whether something should not be done at once. The club has many friends, and if it plays good ball, the attendance will be large.