Eagle Base Ball Club of New York
| Nick Name | Eagles |
|---|---|
| Earliest Known Date | April 1854 |
| Last Known Game | |
| Location | New York, Manhattan, NY, United States |
| Modern Address | |
| NABBP Status | |
| Nine Class | Senior |
| Tags | |
| Description | Origins: According to Gregory Christiano, "The origins of the Eagle Club are rife with contradictions. Although 1854 is the generally accepted date, there are some suggestions that the club may actually have been formed earlier and even hints that it may have preceded the Knickerbocker and Gotham clubs. The most noteworthy piece of evidence is a small book entitled By-laws and Rules of the Eagle Ball Club, which was published in 1852 with a cover that states plainly, 'organized, 1840.' In addition, an 1887 history of the club stated, 'A few months after the rise of the Knickerbockers the members of Eagle Hose Cart No. 1 called a meeting and organized a base ball club.' Finally in 1871, the Eagle Club made plans to celebrate its eighteenth anniversary on August 25, which suggests that the club was founded in the summer of 1853." Other Games Played 1840-1854? The most obvious explanation is that the Eagle club were playing different bat and ball games until 1854, supported by a member's later memoirs and by mention in the Knickerbocker records from 1853 of the Eagles reaching out to them to ask for help establishing permanent rules. The Club in 1870: In discussing a 51-5 loss (27-1 after two innings) to the Atlantic Club in 1870, Richard Hershberger explains: "the Eagles were not newbie rubes. Why the mismatch? Because the Eagles also were not really part of the baseball mainstream. They were more akin to the old model of the baseball club as a vehicle for its members to take their exercise together in a socially congenial setting. This isn't to say that they weren't playing to win, but that they weren't organized to win. Not against a club like the Atlantics, who had long since abandoned the social club model. In modern terms, it is the difference between a competitive softball league and a beer league. Both are fine things, but don't mix well." |
| Sources | Gregory Christiano, "Eagle Base Ball Club of New York," in Morris, Peter, et. al., Editors (2013) Base Ball Founders; the Clubs, Players and Cities of the Northeast that Established the Game. Jefferson, NC, McFarland: page 69. Gregory notes that one might assume that the Eagle Club, apparently formed from members of the Eagle Hose Cart No.1 in 1840, played other baserunning (plus plugging) games before adopting Knickerbocker rules in 1854. Table of charter members of the National Association of Base Ball Players [NABBP], in Henry Ellard, Baseball in Cincinnati (McFarland, 2004), page 13. Richard Hershberger Facebook Posting, 5/9/2020, commenting on the Brooklyn Eagle May 10, 1870 account of the Atlantic-Eagle game.
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| Source Image | [[Image:|left|thumb]] |
| Has Source On Hand | No |
| Comment | Edit with form to add a comment |
| Query | Do we know more about Eagle games after 1868? Our game data stops then. Edit with form to add a query |
| Found by | Richard Hershberger |
| Submission Note | |
| Entered by | Ralph Carhart |
| First in Location | |
| First in Location Note | |
| Entry Origin | Sabrpedia |
| Entry Origin Url | |
| Local-Origin Study Groups | |
| Has Supplemental Text |
Win/Loss Records As Far As We Now Know
Warning: Users should not rely on a team's won-loss record as a reflection of its "standing" among all base ball clubs. Team schedules were not balanced, and a good record against mostly weak opponents does not signify a leading club.
| Year | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1854 | 4 Played | 3 Won | 1 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1855 | 7 Played | 1 Won | 5 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1856 | 8 Played | 3 Won | 4 Lost | 1 Tied |
| 1857 | 10 Played | 5 Won | 5 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1858 | 7 Played | 3 Won | 3 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1859 | 14 Played | 9 Won | 5 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1860 | 12 Played | 5 Won | 5 Lost | 1 Tied |
| 1861 | 10 Played | 4 Won | 5 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1862 | 9 Played | 1 Won | 8 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1863 | 7 Played | 3 Won | 4 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1864 | 15 Played | 6 Won | 8 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1865 | 15 Played | 2 Won | 12 Lost | 1 Tied |
| 1866 | 1 Played | 0 Won | 1 Lost | 0 Tied |
| 1868 | 2 Played | 2 Won | 0 Lost | 0 Tied |
Ballgames
Players
Playing Fields
| Field | Years | Edit Association with Club |
|---|---|---|
| Elysian Fields |
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