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2
<p>This game has evolved from the guidance of Daniel Jones in California. It is a blend of baseball predecessor games (citing the Massachusetts Game -- "TMG" below) with aspects of early town ball and cricket.</p>
<p>(A background account is included in the <strong>Supplemental Text</strong> field, below.) </p>
<p>The game's expansion as of 2022 is also included there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From the developer of the game, Daniel Jones, in 2017:</p>
<p><br/>"Some features of 21st Century Townball:<br/> <br/>1. No foul balls (like TMG - the Massachusetts Game).<br/> <br/>2. Stakes, but no base lines (like TMG).<br/> <br/>3. Pegging the runners allowed (like TMG).<br/> <br/>4. No set batting order (can change each round) (unique).<br/> <br/>5. Stakes are 42, 68, 110, 110, 110 feet away, from first to fifth, respectively, in a (Fibonacci) spiral (Similar formation to TMG, but better geometry).<br/> <br/>6. A “zone” behind the batter. If the pitch hits it, you are out (like cricket or stoolball).<br/> <br/>7. If you hit the ball and don’t run, a strike is called against you (similar to cricket with limited overs).<br/> <br/>8. A swing and a miss is only a strike if the catcher catches it (like TMG).<br/> <br/>9. Three strikes and you are out. Third strike hit, batter obligated to run (unique, similar to TMG).<br/> <br/>10. First team to eight runs, win by five, cap at thirteen, wins the game (similar to TMG).<br/> <br/>11. 13 players per side (similar to TMG).<br/> <br/> <br/>Equipment:<br/> <br/>1860 baseball used (developed by Eric Miklich).<br/> <br/>1930’s gloves only (or similar size)<br/> <br/>bamboo bats recommended (because the ball is a little heavier)"<br/> <br/><br/></p>
<p> </p> +
<p>The 24th United States Infantry was on occupation duty in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1867. The first mention of the 24th United States Infantry Base Ball Club is in the <em>Vicksburg Daily Herald</em>, February 6, 1867 - the article announces that the team will play a match base ball game for the championship with the Mississippi Valley Base Ball Club of Vicksburg at the parade ground of the regiment on February 7, 1867, at 1:30 p.m.</p> +
24th United States Infantry Base Ball Club of Vicksburg, Mississippi v Crusaders Club of Vicksburg on 22 March 1867 +
<p>On March 20, 1867, the Vicksburg newspaper noted, "The Crusaders is the name of a new base ball club just organized. We learn that a match game will be played between the above club and the 24th U.S I.B.B. on Thursday next, at half past one o'clock."</p> +
24th United States Infantry Base Ball Club of Vicksburg, Mississippi v Mississippi Valley BBC of Vicksburg on 10 February 1867 +
<p>The newspaper does not have much information about this game, it only states: "The match game between the Base Ball Clubs of the citizens and soldiers terminated yesterday in favor of the latter. The game stood 33 to 24."</p> +
24th United States Infantry Base Ball Club of Vicksburg, Mississippi v Mississippi Valley BBC of Vicksburg on 2 April 1867 +
<p>On March 28, 1867, the Vicksburg newspaper had the following message: "Camp 24th Infantry, Vicksburg, Miss., March 26, '67 - Sir: In behalf of the 24th Infantry Base Ball Club, I beg respectfully to challenge the Mississippi Valley Base Ball Club, of this city, to play a match game for a Ball and Bat, on Tuesday, April 2d, 1867, game to be called at 1 o'clock, P.M., Very Respectfully, Your ob'dt serv't, Richard Buckley, Secretary, 24th Inf. B.B. Club."</p>
<p>On April 3, 1867, the Vicksburg paper gave the score of the game and noted, "The consequence of the advanced stage of the evening, there could only be 8 innings played on each side."</p> +
24th United States Infantry Base Ball Club of Vicksburg, Mississippi v Mississippi Valley BBC of Vicksburg on 7 February 1867 +
<p>The Base Ball Club Championship between the 24th United States Infantry Base Ball Club and the Mississippi Valley Base Ball Club took place on the 24th Infantry parade ground, which was located at the end of Cherry Street across the railroad. The local newspaper noted that "Provision has been made by Gen. Dudley, to seat all the ladies who may be in attendance. The game is well matched on each side, and as many of the players are experts, fine playing may be expected." The day after the game the paper noted, "The Base Ball game passed off yesterday, the citizens club winning by three runs; the game, as we expected, was close and interesting. There were a large number of our citizens present."</p> +
<p><span>"The Twenty-Fifth Infantry Regiment Takes the Field," National Pastime 15 (1995) pp. 59-64 relates that on Xmas day, 1899, at the camp of the 12th Infantry in the Philippines, the 25th played the 12th a match game of baseball.</span></p>
<p><span>There was a Manila Baseball League 1899-1902 among the US soldiers and sailors.</span></p>
<p><span>The National Tribune, June 14, 1900 has a photo of a Marines BBC at Cavite, just outside Manila, and a report of a game on the San Miguel grounds among members of the 20th Infantry.</span></p>
<p>The Kansas City <em>Star</em>, Aug. 31, 1903: "Base Ball in the Philippines. Captain Pershing, now at home on leave of absence after four years service in the Philippines, says that the Filipino boys are beginning to play base ball with zest and enthusiasm. In all the big towns there is a ball nine composed wholly of native players."</p>
<p>John J. Pershing was later CIC of the American army in Europe during World War I.</p>
<p><span> </span></p> +
<p>2nd nines</p> +
2nd Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Division v 3rd Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Division on 25 April 1942 +
<p>Game played by US servicemen in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom.</p>
<p>Today (2022) there are several local baseball teams in Belfast.</p> +
<p>(3 innings – Oraton intra-club game)</p>
<p>(NDA: The nines “played three innings and then stopped, owing to darkness. The 2d nine was ahead.”)</p> +
4
<p>The Raleigh ''Daily Standard'', July 3, 1865, reports that the 47th and 48th New York, of the Union occupying force, will play baseball, nine a side, at the 47th's camp on July 4th.</p> +
<p>A famous photo shows Union soldiers of the 48th NY Infantry playing baseball in Fort Pulaski during the Civil War. The photo is usually dated 1862.</p>
<p>Text from Protoball entry 1862.45:</p>
'"`UNIQ--pre-00000017-QINU`"'
<p>"A ball game appears in the background of photographs of the 48th New York at Fort Pulaski. The Fort, near the Georgia coast, had been taken by the North in July 1862. The National Park Services dates its image to 1862. One shot appears in Kirsch, Baseball in Blue and Gray, page 32, and another, apparently, at the NPS site <a class="external free" title="http://www.nps.gov/fopu/historyculture/baseball.htm" href="http://www.nps.gov/fopu/historyculture/baseball.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.nps.gov/fopu/historyculture/baseball.htm</a> [accessed 6/6/09.] Note: we welcome your interpretation of these photos."</p>
<p>The NY Mercury, Jan. 11, 1863, reported that on Dec. 25, 1862 two picked nines of the 48th NY Infantry played each other. Same, March 22, 1863 says on March 7 picked nines of the same regiment (a unit raised in NYC) played another match game, with the company F nine beating the drummer corps nine 18-14.</p>
<p>Fort Pulaski is between Savannah and Tybee Island. It was a Confederate and Union stronghold at different times during the Civil War.</p> +
The NY Mercury, March 22, 1863 says on March 7 picked nines of the same regiment (a unit raised in NYC) played another match game, with the company F nine beating the drummer corps nine 18-14. +
5
<p>www.fold3.com has WWII Air Force photos, which include a Oct. 16, 1942 photo of the 51st Fighter Group baseball team at Karachi Air Base in India.</p>
<p>US troops were sent to British India in 1942. Karachi (now in Pakistan) was a major supply and air transport base.</p> +
<p>The New Albany (IN) <em>Daily Ledger</em> April, 4, 1863, reprints a letter from a soldier in Corinth, MS, dated March 29, 1863, saying that yesterday a base ball team from the 2nd Iowa defeated a team from the 52nd IL 100 to 77.</p>
<p>See also the Davenport (IA) Daily Gazette, April 18, 1863. See Chronologies 1863.76.</p> +
6
Ogdensburg ''Daily Journal'', May 10, 1864 +
<p>The <em>Brooklyn Daily Eagle</em>, May 2, 1863, headlined "Base ball in camp," reports that on April 19th, the 1st Long Island Volunteers (67th NY) played the 62nd New York.</p>
<p>At this time the 2 units were part of the VI Corps, stationed near Falmouth, VA.</p>
<p>See chronologies 1863.77.</p> +
7
<p>The Quincy <em>Daily Whig</em>, July 24, 1871: "Bushnell, Ill., July 22. The game of base ball played yesterday at this place between the Prairie City and Bushnell clubs resulted in favor of the former, two to one."</p>
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, July 26, 1871, reports on the same game, with the Alerts of Prairie City beating the "71" club of Bushnell 23-10 at Bushnell.</p> +
<p>The first recorded baseball game played in OK was at Fort Sill in 1869, with soldiers of the 7th US Cavalry and 19th Kansas volunteers playing. See Elias, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Empire Strikes Out</span>, p. 1868.</p>
<p>Fort Sill had just been established. It is part of modern Lawton, OK.</p> +
9
<p>The 91st Battalion BBC, stationed in the area, sends out a challenge to local clubs</p> +
?
A
A collection of the most prominent entries in the chronology. (This list is currently being curated, with 90 entries selected so far.) +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Aug. 21, 1870 reports that the Invincibles of Walsh & Hutchinson Co. beat the A. A.'s 32-24. Same Aug. 7. 1870 reports that the A.A.'s beat the Milan Braids 42-34.</p>
<p>W&H sold millinery.</p> +
The C. T. Reynolds & Co. "putty nine" (a paint co.) defeated the A. B. Sands & Co. (drugs) club at the Capitoline Grounds, July 2, 1870, 64-18. +
<p>"A baseball federation (the KNSBSB) was found [in the Netherlands] in 1912, and the Holland Series was established in 1922, the first winner being A. H. C. Quick from Amsterdam."</p> +
<p>Dr. Caleb Guyer Kelly (d. 1960), a Methodist missionary, former Baltimore City College ballplayer, and friend of Ned Hanlon, organized a baseball league in Tunis, Tunisia (then a French colony) in 1921. This eventually led to the "ligue Tunisienne de Baseball." Kelly boasted of forming 107 teams in Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Morocco (all French or Italian colonies at the time) in North Africa, and was known as "the father of North African Baseball." In Algeria teams were formed in Algiers, the capitol, A. S. St. Eugene being (apparently) the first. In 1937 he invited the Pittsburgh Pirates to train in Tunis.</p>
<p>See C. G. Kelly, "Baseball in the Garden of Allah," reprinted in "Muslim World", April 3, 2007, pp. 39-47; "Baseball is Thriving Sport on North African Shores," Dallas <em>Morning News</em>, March 12, 1933; Elias, "The Empire Strikes Out," p. 113; Vlasich, "A Legend for the Legendary. The Origin of the Baseball Hall of Fame," pp. 90-91; St. Petersburg <em>Independent</em>, Jan. 15, 1961; "Bucs Invited to Train in Africa," Springfield (MA) <em>Republican</em>, Dec. 25, 1937; San Diego <em>Union</em>, June 5, 1928. </p> +
<p>Secretary of the Bluff City Base Ball Club, 1867</p> +
<p>Aka Abenaqui. Bellows Falls "Times," July 31, 1868</p> +
<p>The <em>Saline County Journal</em>, Aug. 3, 1876: "The match game of base ball between the Salina and Abilene picked nines was played at Abilene last Thursday. The game resulted in 36 for the Abilene nine to 42 for the Salina nine."</p> +
<p>Ackerley's <em>Early History of</em> K<em>nox College Baseball</em> p. 53 says that in 1878 the Alberts of Knox College defeated the Abingdons of Abingdon College 27-12, citing <em>The Knox Student</em>, Oct. 1878, p. 14.</p>
<p>The <em>Monmouth College Clipper</em>, June 1, 1869 reports that the Monmouth College Club defeated the Abingdon College Club 50-11 at Galesburg on the 29th.</p> +
<p>A club of the "Academy" students, which played the Gallia BBC.</p> +
<p>The <em>Harrisburg Telegraph</em>, Oct. 8, 1866</p> +
<p>The <em>Macomb Journal</em>, July 2, 1869 reports that on June 19th the Academic Club of Macomb defeated the Suckers of Colchester 39-10.</p> +
<p>The <em>Wilmington Daily Commercial</em>, May 22, 1869 reports that on Saturday last, at Odessa, Middletown beat Odessa.</p>
<p>The <em>Middletown Transcript</em> May 22, 1869 reports that the Academic of Middletown played the Defiance Jr. of Odessa.</p>
<p>A junior club? See Middletown <em>Transcript</em>, July 3, 1869</p>
<p>1870 Pop.--915</p> +
<p><span>ANOTHER BASE BALL CLUB -- The members of the Intermediate and Junior classes of St. John's Academy have organized a new club, to be known as "The Academy B. B. C." The following are the officers of the new club: Robert W. Wheat, President; Edward A. Greene, Vice President; Julian T. Burke, Recording Secretary; George H. Bossart, Corresponding Secretary; Albert Bryan, Treasurer; George H. Bossart, Philip R. Summers, Edwin English, Directors; Philip R. Summers, Captain 1st Nine; Eddie E. McGraw, Captain 2d Nine</span></p> +
<p>Egan, "Base Ball on the Western Reserve," p. 20, says that the Academy Club of Collamer played in 1867. </p>
<p>Collamer now seems to be a part of a new city of East Cleveland (not the one annexed by Cleveland in 1872). It was named after Jacob Collamer, a Whig/Republican who was a US Senator from Vermont.</p> +
<p>Academy lost to Institute 41-9.</p> +
<p><span>The Houston Telegraph, April 9, 1861 has an ad (dated April 6) for the new Houston BBC. Says they are to practice Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the "Academy Square." This undoubtedly refers to the Houston Academy grounds. The Academy was bounded by Capitol Ave., Austin St., Rusk Ave. and Caroline St. Modern address: 790 Austin St.</span></p>
<p><span>This is the site of the first organized play in Houston, if not the first match game.</span></p> +
<p>The Arkansas Gazette revealed the members of the Little Rock base ball clubs. Bruce Allardice checked available census reports to determine if they were local players.
</p><p>Of the five directors of the "Accidental" team, four (Frank Compton, Will Field, Al Wassell, and G. F. Kirkwood) were born in Arkansas, and the fifth, Geo R. Brown, was a New York born reporter. The club itself seems all Arkansas-born in the 1850s. Thus, native southerners were playing the Association game in 1875 if not before.
</p> +
<p>The Cheyenne Leader, April 30, 1868, printed a letter "From Fort Fetterman, April 17, 1868...a big base ball match was played a few weeks since, resulting in favor of the Accomodation Club over the Laramie Club." Presumably the two teams were made up of the soldiers at the post, and/or the post sutlers, Indian agents, etc.</p>
<p>From Wikipedia: "Fort Fetterman was a wooden fort constructed in 1867 by the United States Army on the Great Plains frontier in the Dakota Territory approximately 11 miles northwest of present-day Douglas, Wyoming."</p>
<p>Douglas WY is about 55 miles E of Casper WY. Laramie WY is about 125 miles S of Douglas.</p> +
<p>The Cheyenne Leader, April 30, 1868, printed a letter "From Fort Fetterman, April 17, 1868...a big base ball match was played a few weeks since, resulting in favor of the Accomodation Club over the Laramie Club." Presumably the two teams were made up of the soldiers at the post, and/or the post sutlers, Indian agents, etc.</p>
<p>From Wikipedia: "Fort Fetterman was a wooden fort constructed in 1867 by the United States Army on the Great Plains frontier in the Dakota Territory approximately 11 miles northwest of present-day Douglas, Wyoming."</p>
<p>Douglas WY is about 55 miles E of Casper WY. Laramie WY is about 125 miles S of Douglas.</p> +
How did game accounts evolve locally? What were local box-score summaries like?? Was quantification and/or statistics important in the local popularity of the game? +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, July 27, 1867, has an extensive article on the State base ball convention. Among the teams sending delegates was the Achilles BBC of Morrison.</p>
<p>A Thumpers BBC of Morrison existed in 1877. See <em>Chicago Inter Ocean</em>, Oct. 12, 1877.</p>
<p>Morrison, founded in 1855, had 1,981 residents in 1880.</p> +
<p><span>The Toronto <em>Irish Canadian</em>, June 14, 1871 reports on the Excursion of St. Michael's College to Hamilton, Ontario on the 8th. While there the Achilles Club of the college played the Maple Leafs of Hamilton "on the grounds, Upper James St." The college team was leading 29-20 when the game was called after 6 innings.</span></p>
<p>The college was founded in 1852. Is this the first college baseball team in Canada?</p> +
<p>Organized 600723</p> +
<p>The <em>Woodstock Sentinel</em>, June 6, 1878 reports that the Acme Club was formed last week at Cary Station.</p>
<p>Cary had 161 residents in 1880.</p> +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Aug. 22, 1870 reports that the Transits defeated the Acmes 49-9.</p> +
<p>The Janesville <em>Gazette</em>, Sept. 9, 1876, in its "Base Ball" column, mentions the Acme's of Clayton, Illinois, defeating the Atlantics of Brooklyn, NY, 4 to 1, in a game played at Clayton Sept. 6th.</p> +
<p>Half-Day had a post office as early as 1836. the unincorporated area was annexed by Vernon Hills in 1993.</p> +
<p>The <em>Waukegan Weekly Gazette</em>, June 8, 1867 announces a meeting of the Acme BBC at Fireman's Hall. The club formed June 24. George B. Warren is president, T. Henry Lindsey, Secretary. Gives a list of members. Appears to be a successor to the Waukegan BBC.</p>
<p>Same June 29, 1867 has a long report of a game between the Acme and Lake Shore BBCs, won by the latter 108-83. Gives a box score.</p>
<p>The Chicago <em>Tribune</em>, July 27, 1867, mentions the Acme Club of Waukegan sending delegates to the state baseball convention.</p>
<p>The Springfield Daily Illinois State Journal May 14, 1868 reports on a state baseball convention which included delegates of clubs from Bloomington (Empire, Bloomington), Waukegan (Acme, Lake Shore); Champaign (Empire); and Geneseo (Pioneer).</p> +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Sept. 28, 1867, reports that at the Lake County Agricultural Fair in Libertyville, the Lake Shore defeated the Acme (both of Waukegan) 60-15.</p>
<p>The <em>Waukegan Weekly Gazette</em>, Sept. 28, 1867 reports on this game, and labels it for the championship of Lake County.</p>
<p>These teams had met before, with the Acme winning 58-40. The <em>Waukegan Weekly Gazette</em>, July 20, 1867</p> +
<p>The Spalding Scrapbook, NYPL, has an 1868 article listing five games played by the Williston BBC of East Hampton in 1868, against the Active of East Hampton, the Union of West Hampton, and the Woronoco of Westfield.</p> +
<p>The Indianapolis <em>Daily Journal</em>, Dec. 1, 1866 reports that on the 29th the Western Star BBC played the Active BBC, with the Active quitting after two innings. Both are junior teams.</p>
<p>The <em>Cincinnati Enquirer</em>, July 19, 1867 reports that the Actives of Indianapolis are to play the Star City Club of Lafayette "tomorrow" for the state junior championship. "Today" the Actives lost to the Tippicanoe 38-34.</p> +
<p>The <em>Sycamore True Republican</em>, Sept. 9, 1882, Sept. 20, 1882 says the Kirkland base ball club is to play Sycamore at the county fair.</p>
<p>Same, July 28, 1883 says the Kirkland BBC beat Genoa last Saturday at Genoa. Same Aug. 4, 1883 says Genoa beat Kirkland at Kirkland.</p>
<p>The <em>Rockford Daily Gazette</em>, Aug. 15, 1883 calls this Kirkland team the Actives. They lost to the Rockford Actives 44-4 on the 14th.</p>
<p>Kirkland was platted in 1876 and incorporated in 1882.</p> +
<p>Beginning as a Junior Club in 1856, they transitioned to Senior competition in 1864.</p>
<p>Changed name to Jerome Park BBC in 1867?</p> +
<p>Active Base Ball Club of New York: Senior</p>
<p>Alert Club of South Orange: Junior</p> +
<p>Active Base Ball Club of New York: Senior</p>
<p>Alert Club of South Orange: Junior</p> +
<p>Senior</p> +
<p>Senior</p> +
<p>Senior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>Senior</p> +
<p>Senior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>Senior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>Active 2 (xxx)</p>
<p>Onalaska 2 (xxx)</p>
<p>(scheduled)</p> +
Active Base Ball Club of New York v Picked ten from Highland & Hudson River clubs on 29 October 1859 +
<p>Active appears to be a junior club at this time.</p> +
<p>Senior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>Both Jr. clubs</p> +
<p>(21 HL; 7 innings?)</p> +
<p>Near the Excelsior grounds</p> +
jr vs sr. 2nd nines +
<p>Active Club of Albany: Junior</p><p>Clinton Club of Albany: Junior, 2nd Nine</p><p>Home team Active Club of Albany defeated away team Clinton Club of Albany</p> +
<p>The Alton <em>Telegraph</em> Sept. 7, 1866 reports the Active of Alton played the Prairie of Litchfield on Aug. 30th.</p> +
<p>The <em>Baltimore Sun</em>, Feb. 21, 1867, has an article on the MD state baseball convention and lists the clubs sending delegates. Among these was the Active Club of Baltimore.</p>
<p>Baltimore <em>American</em>, Sept. 27, 1866 calls this club a junior one.</p> +
<p>Banksville is in North Castle town(ship).</p> +
<p><em>Red Hook Journal</em>, Aug. 24, 1860, prints a letter from Barrytown, Aug. 22, 1860, reporting that "We Barrytonians have organized a base ball club" with L. L. Stillman, president and V. L. Coon, corresponding secretary. [ba]</p>
<p>Dutchess County</p> +
<p>The <em>Lincoln Daily State Journal</em>, Aug. 17, 1875 mentions the Active BBC of Beatrice.</p>
<p>The <em>Daily Nebraska Press</em>, July 14, 1870 mentions a baseball game played on the 4th of July in Beatrice. This may be the Actives.</p>
<p>Beatrice was founded in 1857.</p> +
<p>Troy <em>Daily Times</em>, Nov. 8, 1870 lists their games for that year.</p> +
<p>See games tab</p> +
<p>The <em>Terre Haute Weekly Express</em>, July 3, 1872 reports that "The Active base ball club of Brazil challenges the state..."</p>
<p>Brazil is just east of Terre Haute.</p> +
<p>Our readers will remember that the “Actives of Brookfield extended an invitation to the various Base Ball Clubs of North Missouri to come to this place and play with the on the 4<sup>th</sup> of July, for a silver-mounted rosewood bat. Three clubs accepted the invitation – the “Amateurs” of Brunswick, the “Grand Rivers” of Chillicothe, and the “Hesperians” of St. Joseph. As it was impossible for each of these clubs to engage the other on that day, it was arranged that in the morning, the “Amateurs” and “Hesperians” should engage each other, and, in the afternoon, the “Grand Rivers” and “Actives” should try their hand – the two winning clubs to engage at some future time. The “Hesperians” were the winners in the morning, the score standing 43 to 25; the “Actives” came off victorious in the afternoon – score 70 to 25. It was left to some future time to decide whether the “Hesperians” or the “Actives” was the better club. That “future time” was last Thursday...</p>
<p> At 2:30 P.M. on Wednesday, the first nine of the “Actives,” together with three reserves, and a large number of our citizens, took the cars of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad for the scene of contest...On the following morning the Captain of the “Hesperians” called on the Captain of the “Actives,” and all the necessary arrangements for the game were made. After dinner the clubs repaired to the grounds of the “Hesperians,” near the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad depot. The grounds were crowded with spectators. Men, women and children – representing every grade of society – were there, and it is probable, that, during the entire game, which lasted over four hours, there were fully one thousand people proscut. [Final score was Active 47; Hesperian 44]</p>
<p>-Brookfield (Mo.) Gazette, July 24, 1867</p>
<p>See the listing of junior clubs in Brooklyn in 1858, at Chronologies 1858.47.</p>
<p>Existed in 1857? See Chronologies 1857.49.</p>
<p>Aka Active Jr. Club of Brooklyn</p> +
<p>Junior</p><p>Draw</p> +
<p>Junior</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Aug. 25, 1866</p> +
<p>The <em>Wilmington Daily Commercial</em>, July 16, 1870 reports that last week the Active Club of Camden defeated the Magnolia Club of Camden 62-57.</p>
<p>Same, Oct. 24, 1870 reports that the White Stocking Club of Milford defeated the Active of Camden 43-27 for the championship of Kent County.</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, May 21, 1866 lists the clubs attending a New England Junior club meeting: Active of Chelsea, Independent of Brookline, Aetos of Charleston, Irving of Cambridge, and from Boston, Beacon, Clifton, Aquila, Somerset, Wachuset, Upton, Sheridan and Atlantic Jr.</p> +
<p><span>Brunson, "Black Baseball" p. 212</span></p>
<p><span>Aka Alert BBC</span></p> +
<p>The Chicago <em>Tribune</em>, Sept. 25, 1869 reports that the Active Sr. and Jr. clubs are to play each other. Same, Sept. 13, 1870, reports that the Active Club is to meet tonight.</p> +
<p>The New York Clipper, Sept. 22, 1866</p>
<p> </p> +
<p><em>Cincinnati Daily Gazette, </em>July 9, 1868 reports that the Clifton Club defeated the Active of Cincinnati in Clifton Monday 37-25.</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper,</em> May 18, 1872 cites the Paris American Register, April 14, 1872 of April 9th/10th games in which the Columbia Base Ball Club of Berlin played the Active Club of Dresden. Both clubs were formed of Americans resident there. Gives a box score.</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Aug. 4, 1866</p> +
<p>The <em>Evansville Daily Journal</em>, Oct. 28, 1867 reports that the Actives of Evansville are to play the Pee Wee of Henderson, KY, both junior clubs.</p> +
<p>Frederick <em>Examiner</em>, June 9, 1869 reports that the Active Club has reorganized for 1869.</p> +
<p>The <em>Fremont Weekly Journal</em>, Aug. 2, 1867 reports that the Actives defeated the Clippers 23-17 on the Croghan Club grounds.</p>
<p>A junior club? Fremont <em>Weekly Journal</em>, July 3, 1868</p> +
<p><span>Brunson, "Black Baseball" p. 215</span></p> +
<p>Great Falls MFG Co. was located in Somersworth</p> +
<p>The <em>Daily Albany Argus</em>, Sept. 14, 1867 reports that the Eagles of Albany defeated the Actives of Greenbush 51-33.</p>
<p>Greenbush, Bath and East Albany are now a part of Rensselaer.</p> +
<p>See games tabulation</p> +
<p>Active 1 (xxx) 24</p>
<p>Young America 2 (xxx) 21</p>
<p>(5 innings)</p>
<p>(PSOT (1): “By this it will be seen that the Young America Club was fairly beaten, and yet they refused to deliver the ball.”)</p>
<p>(PSOT (2): “Having seen in your issue dated the 23d inst., an article relative to the match between the Active and Young America Base Ball Clubs, wherein it is stated that after having been fairly beaten, the latter would not give up the ball, allow me to state, that although the Young Americas were beaten, still the Actives were not entitled to the ball, as, on account of the darkness, the umpire called time before the fifth inning was concluded. The Young Americas offered them the ball on the fourth inning, but they would not accept it, maintaining that five innings had been played, notwithstanding the umpire had given his decision to the contrary. Furthermore, the Young Americas played them without their regular catcher, thus giving their opponents an almost irreparable advantage over them.”)</p> +
<p><em>Bloomington Weekly Pantagraph</em>, July 15, 1868 gives the box score of a game where the Enterprise of Minonk defeated the Active of Hudson 44-38.</p> +
<p>The <em>Louisville Courier Journal</em>, Aug. 28, 1887 has a long article (from the Chicago Herald)--the reminiscences of an "old timer" who talks at great length about the Grove City team's game and loss to Chicago 111-5 in 1870. The narrator says he was a member of the "Actives" club of Kankakee.</p>
<p>He says that Grove City's pitcher, Bob Laparle, had terrorized the "sluggers" of Chebanse, Aroma, Watseka, Gilman, Manteno and Momence, but was knocked around by the Chicago team. </p>
<p>This reminiscence is not enough IMO to establish baseball in Aroma, etc. by 1870.</p> +
<p>See games tabulation</p> +
<p>The <em>Louisville Daily Courier</em>, Sept. 24, 1867 under the headline "Base Ball in Oldham County" reports on a Sept. 21st game in La Grange for the county championship, between the Oldham Club of Ballardsville and the Active of La Grange, won by the Oldham 104-60.</p>
<p>La Grange was founded in 1827. It had 612 residents in 1870. Ballardsville is today an unincorporated community.</p> +
<p>see ballgames</p> +
<p>"Logan County. Atlanta, Aug. 10--Editor Pantagraph. Last Friday our base ball club went to Lincoln to play the Actives and were defeated by 31 to 19--A return match is to be played here today." <em>Bloomington Pantagraph</em>, Aug. 11, 1871.</p> +
<p>The Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia says that the Active Club existed in Little Rock from 1869-73.</p> +
<p>The Los Angeles Herald, Jan. 30, 1876 mentions the Active BBC.</p>
<p>Same Jan. 20, 1876 says this club was formed last night.</p>
<p>The Active played the Confidence almost immediately. See same, Jan. 30, Feb. 9, 1876.</p> +
<p>Egan, "Baseball on the Western Reserve" says in 1867 Lowellville had the Active club.</p> +
<p>The New York Clipper, Sept. 22, 1866</p>
<p> </p> +
<p><span>Brunson, "Black Baseball" p. 220</span></p> +
<p><span>The </span><em>Memphis Public Ledger</em><span>, July 23, 1867 reports on a game between the Atlantic and Active BBCs.</span></p> +
<p>The <em>Daily Milwaukee News</em> Oct. 23, 1866: "Base Ball Match" The Badger Boys base ball club and the Active base ball club are to play today.</p> +
Formed by a merger of the Washington and Shamrock Clubs. +
<p>The <em>New Orleans Times Picayune</em>, Sept. 17, 1867 has the Active Club defeating the Onward 31-20. Same 11-21-67 has the Active defeating the Semmes 73-15.</p> +
<p>(<em>Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times:</em> “At the conclusion of the game both clubs adjourned to the spacious dining hall of St. John’s College, where they participated in a bountiful collation, illustrating the hospitality of the members of the Rose Hill Club.”)</p> +
<p>(postponed, due to severe rain)</p> +
<p>Active Club of Newark: Junior, 2nd Nine</p><p>Empire Club of New York: Senior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>Active of New York, not Newark? [ba]</p> +
<p>Junior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>The <em>Middlesex Journal</em>, Sept. 21, 1867</p> +
<p>Daily Iowa State Register Oct. 18, 1866 reports on a state baseball tournament involving the Active of Ottumwa.
</p><p>Ottumwa IA (1860 pop. about 1,600; 1870 pop. about 5200)is about 75 miles SE of Des Moines and about 110 miles SW of Davenport IA.
</p> +
<p>The <em>Star of Pascagoula</em>, June 22, 1877 complained that there was no base ball club in that town. Same, July 13, 1877 reports that the Active Baseball Club of Pascagoula was formed on the 7th, with W. A. Krebs, president and Charles E. Sarrazin, captain. The club played an intersquad game that afternoon.</p>
<p>The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, Oct. 18, 1878 reports that this Active Club defeated the Nationals 28-14 at the "Seashore."</p> +
<p>For the Junior Championship of Paterson</p> +
<p>The <em>Petaluma Weekly Argus</em>, March 26, 1870 reports the Active and Sonoma BBCs of this city are to play at the Active Club grounds, the D Street Plaza.</p>
<p>The San Francisco <em>Chronicle</em>, Oct. 2, 1869 mentions that Petaluma has a BBC, presumably this one.</p> +
<p>The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 13, 1863 reports that the Active and Satterlee clubs are to play on the old Hamilton grounds, 38th and Market Sts.</p> +
<p>Junior</p><p>Home team Active Club of Philadelphia defeated away team Continental Club of Philadelphia</p> +
<p>Active Club of Philadelphia: Junior</p><p>Satterlee Club of Philadelphia: Senior</p> +
<p>The <em>Portland Daily Press</em>, Oct. 26, 1864 reports on a game between the Osceola and Active Clubs.</p>
<p>The Portland <em>Daily Eastern Argus</em>, Oct. 12, 1868 reports that recently the Actives and North Stars of Portland played on the Eons grounds.</p> +
3rd match game. Osceola 2nd nine +
<p>The Quincy <em>Daily Whig</em>, May 5, 1870, reports that on April 29th the Occidental Jr. beat the Actives 33-7. Gives a box score.</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, Aug. 1, 1866 has the Active of Quincy playing Dorchester. Same Aug. 15, 1866 has the Active playing the Mechanic of Quincy.</p> +
<p>The <em>Racine County Argus</em>, July 6, 1871 reports that the 2nd nine of the Actives of Racine defeated the Actives of Milwaukee 40-30.</p>
<p>The Daily Milwaukee News, May 24, 1870 have the Actives playing the Eckfords.</p> +
<p>A junior club? See Reading Times, Oct. 27, 1869</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, Sept. 17, 1866 has the following clubs forming a MA Rules Base Ball Assn.: Excelsior of Upton, Peabody of Danvers, Alpha of Ashland, Wyoma of Lynn, Liberty of Danvers, Active of Salem, Wencehuse of Lynn, Union of Danvers, Warren of South Danvers, Warren of Randolph, Kearsarge of Stoneham.</p> +
<p><span>"The members of the Active Base Ball Club met on the commons yesterday for practice. Messrs Craven and Packard are the organizers of the base ball club."</span></p>
<p><span><em>Savannah Daily News & Herald</em>, Oct. 10, 1867</span></p> +
<p>The St. Charles Valley Chronicle, July 5, 1889, reports that the Actives were formed in 1868.</p>
<p>The Aurora <em>Beacon</em>, July 8, 1869, reports that on July 4th in St. Charles, the Actives of Chicago played the Actives of St. Charles.</p>
<p>The Naperville <em>Clarion</em>, Sept. 21, 1870, under the headline "Base Ball," reports that the Naperville BBC beat the Actives of St. Charles 50 to 27 at St. Charles.</p>
<p>Same, Aug. 24, 1870 reports that Naperville was to play St. Charles.</p>
<p>The Chicago Tribune, Oct. 2, 1875, mentions the Socials of St. Charles playing Geneva in baseball at the Kane County Fair.</p> +
<p>This club attended the April 22, 1868 meeting of the state baseball association. See <em>Daily Missouri Republican</em>, April 23, 1868</p>
<p>Jeff Kittel's "This Game of Games"<em> </em>blog says this club existed in 1869.</p> +
<p>The Sterling Gazette, Aug. 26, 1871 reports that the Actives of Sterling, juniors, played the senior Spiders of Rock Falls. Gives a box score.</p> +
Summit Actives defeated a picked nine of Lyons 21-6 +
<p><em>New York Clipper</em>, July 13, 1867</p> +
<p>Thevenin is/was in Gallia County.</p> +
<p>—A base-ball match between the Union club, of Lansingburgh, and the Active club, of Troy, will probably take place on the play-ground at Batestown, on Wednesday afternoon of this week.</p>
<p>“Lansingburgh.” <em>Troy Daily Times.</em> August 31, 1864: 3 col 3.</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>—A base-ball match between the Union club, of Lansingburgh, and the Active club, of Troy, will probably take place on the play-ground at Batestown, on Wednesday afternoon of this week.</p><p>“Lansingburgh.” ''Troy Daily Times.'' August 31, 1864: 3 col 3.</p>
Batestown is a neighborhood in Troy +
<p>The Arizona Citizen (Tucson) Nov 30, 1877 reports that yesterday the Active BBC played on the grounds east of the school house.</p>
<p>The school house was on Congress St. east of Ochoa.</p> +
<p>Active Club of Utica: Junior</p>
<p>Eckford Club of Utica: Senior</p> +
<p>The Washington <em>National Republican</em>, Oct. 22, 1867 reports that the Active Club of Washington defeated the Oxford Club of Georgetown 31-13 at Vinegar Hill.</p> +
For city junior championship +
<p>The Chicago <em>Tribune</em>, Sept. 25, 1869 reports that the Active Sr. and Active Jr. clubs are to play each other.</p> +
<p>The <em>New Orleans Times Picayune</em>, Oct. 19, 1869 has the Active Star defeating the Comet Jr. 40-27.</p> +
<p>The Saratoga Springs <em>Daily Saratogian</em> Sept. 26, 1867, reported that the Hickorys of Saratoga visited the Actives of Ballston "on Monday," losing 67-14.</p> +
<p>The <em>Cedar Rapids Times</em>, Sept. 8, 1870, under the headline "Base Ball" reports that the Actives of Clinton beat the Westerns of Keokuk 69-23 on Friday, then beat the "Champion club of Iowa" at Des Moines 23-20.</p>
<p>It is unclear from the article whether "Champion" was the name of the club, or whether they were playing a club that claimed to be champion. Probably the latter, as the Actives of Clinton had defeated the Crescents of Des Moines and won the state baseball tournament held in Des Moines Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 1870.</p>
<p>The Chicago Tribune, July 6, 1870 reports that the Active of Clinton beat the Franklins of Mt. Vernon 43-25 on July 4th.</p>
<p>Clinton <em>Semi-Weekly Herald</em>, July 28, 1870 reports on a junior club in Clinton called the Actives. Perhaps the junior wing of the same club?</p> +
<p>The [NYC] <em>Spirit of the Times</em>, June 27, 1874: "The game of the plains.--June 7 the good people of Lincoln, Dakota were treated to a fine game of ball at the hands of the Actives of that place and a strong picked nine." The Actives won 17-10 in 9 innings.</p> +
<p>The [NYC] <em>Spirit of the Times</em>, June 27, 1874: "The game of the plains.--June 7 the good people of Lincoln, Dakota were treated to a fine game of ball at the hands of the Actives of that place and a strong picked nine." The Actives won 17-10 in 9 innings.</p> +
<p>The Fayetteville (TN) Observer, Aug. 12, 1875, notes the Actives of Lynchburg are to play the Hornets of Fayetteville “another game” “tomorrow evening.”</p>
<p>Same, May 25, 1875, reports that Fayetteville is to play Lynchburg next Saturday at Mulberry village.</p>
<p>Lynchburg TN (current pop. 5700) is about 80 miles NW of Chattanooga. Fayetteville (current pop. about 7000) is about 15 miles SW of Lynchburg.</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>The Chicago <em>Tribune</em>, Sept. 5, 1867, reports on the baseball tournament on the Rock Island County Agricultural Society Fair. Among the teams playing were the Scott of Davenport, Iowa, the Wapello, Quickstep, and Live Turtle of Rock Island, Peoria of Peoria, Actives of Moline, the Black Hawk of Camden Mills, the Olympics of Hampton, and the Athletics of Coal Valley.</p> +
<p>The San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin May 12, 1873 says the Actives of Napa lost to the Silver Star of San Francisco 55 to 20 on Saturday.
</p><p>Napa, CA (1870 population about 1,900) is about 40 miles N of San Francisco.
</p> +
<p>Played at the Meadows, Toll Gate Turnpike</p> +
<p>San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin, July 18, 1870 says the Actives of San Bernardino are challenging the Phoenix of Los Angeles.
</p><p>San Bernardino CA (1870 pop. about 1300) is about 55 miles E of Los Angeles.
</p><p><br/>
</p> +
<p>The <em>St. Louis Globe-Democrat</em>, July 22, 1875 reports that the Actives of Taylorville lost to the Socials of Morrisonville 42-10. Same Sept. 15, 1875 reports that in the rematch at Morrisonville, the Socials won 31-14.</p> +
<p>The Chicago <em>Inter Ocean</em>, Sept. 4, 1875, under the headline "Base Ball--The Sycamore Tournament" covers a five-team base ball tournament played at Sycamore, IL, 8-30 to 9-2. Among the teams competing were the Actives of Oregon.</p> +
<p>Both teams were comprised of soldiers with the Seventh Cavalry, U.S. Army, under the command of Lt. Col. George Custer.</p>
<p>The Actives represented Company L, and the Benteens Company H.</p>
<p>The Seventh Cavalry was on what was known as the Black Hills Expedition, having left their post at Fort Abraham Lincoln, near present day Bismarck, ND earlier in July, 1874.</p>
<p>Many of the soldiers/players participating in the game were either killed or wounded at the Battle of the Little Big Horn two years later in July, 1876.</p>
<p>Custer SD (1880 pop. about 270) is about 35 miles SW of Rapid City SD and about 30 miles E of the Wyoming border.</p> +
<p>See https://scvbb.org/tag/19th-century-baseball/</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Oct. 15, 1870, reports that on the 30th ult. the Unions of Fort Leavenworth beat the Ad Astra Club of Atchison 36-13.</p> +
<p>The <em>Utica Morning Herald</em>, June 10, 1861 reports that on June 11 at Watertown, the Adams BBC of Adams will play the Zouave BBC of Potsdam.</p> +
<p>Peverelly (1866) p. 470 says the Uncas of Norwich played the Adelphi of Norwich on Sept. 24, 1866</p> +
<p><span>Philadelphia City Item, Oct. 7, 1865. See Protoball 19C clippings.</span></p> +
<p>In 1866 a Dixie club composed of university students defeated Gate City of Atlanta. The <em>(Athens) Southern Watchman</em>, July 17, 1867 welcomed “the advent of Base Ball Clubs in our community.” Mentions three clubs already formed, the Franklin, Adelphia, and University (obviously formed around the University of Georgia students, the original name of the school being Franklin College). The Franklin has already played an intra-squad game, among spectators who knew “nothing” about the game.</p>
<p>Athens GA (1870 population about 4200) is about 60 miles NE of Atlanta.</p> +
<p>The <em>Boonville Weekly Register</em>, May 20, 1871 reports the Riverside Club of Evansville beat the Adelphia Club of Mt. Carmel, Ills., at Evansville last Wednesday 56-12.</p> +
<p>Military</p> +
<p>a new club</p> +
<p>The Adriatic lost to the Maple Leaf Oct. 29, 1870 at the Mystic Club grounds</p> +
<p>Bronx</p> +
<p>(deciding match)</p> +
<p>Adriatic (Newark) 42</p> <p>Lone Star (Jersey City, N.J.) 19</p> <p>(PSOT (3): “The Stars did not shine very bright.”)</p> +
<p>(return match from last season)</p> +
Adriatic 2nd nine +
<p>(scheduled)</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, June 7, 1862</p>
<p>Reorganized 1865. See Philadelphia <em>Press</em>, Sept. 27, 1865</p> +
<p>Adriatic Club of Philadelphia: Senior</p><p>United Club of Philadelphia: Junior</p><p>Home team Adriatic Club of Philadelphia defeated away team United Club of Philadelphia</p> +
<p>Junior</p> +
<p>Junior</p> +
<p>(return match)</p> +
<p>Newark Daily Advertiser - 10/20/1857. Name changed to Niagara Club - Newark Daily Mercury, 9/24/1858
</p> +
<p>Originally the Wyoming Jr. BBC. Changed name to Adroit June 1866.</p> +
<p>The<em> Buffalo Commercial</em> June 11, 1869 gives the game between the Queen City and Adroit BBCs.</p> +
<p>Peverelly [page 113] reports that the Alert Club of Cumberland MD played the Advance, also of Cumberland, on 10/27/1866, winning 61-25.
</p> +
<p>The New York Clipper, Sept. 22, 1866</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>The Saturday Evening Press (of Menasha, WI) May 28, 1867 reports that the adjoining towns of Neenah and Menasha "are about to organize a base ball club in each town."</p>
<p>Same, July 23, 1867 says Neenah and Manasha are to play Saturday.</p>
<p>Same, Oct. 22, 1867; on Friday last, the Badgers of Appleton beat the Aegis of Menasha 42-40.</p> +
<p>Southwark is a neighborhood in south Philadelphia</p> +
<p>The Page County Democrat (of Clarinda), June 11, 1870 reports that on the 18th the Villisca and Clarinda BBCs will play. Same Aug. 12, 1870 calls them the Aerial BBC of Villisca.</p> +
<p>The Effingham <em>Democrat</em>, Aug. 5, 1873: "Base Ball is all the rage.... On next Saturday, the Plugs are to play the Aetna B.B.C. a match game.</p> +
<p>President - W. Klein</p>
<p>Treasurer - Samuel Sibbs</p>
<p>Field Captain - S. Sibbs</p>
<p>Secretary - Theo. Canton</p>
<p>Organized in the Thirteenth Ward</p> +
<p>The San Francisco <em>Chronicle</em>, Sept. 18, 1870: "A game of base ball was played September 15th between the first nine of the Opposition and the second nine of the Aetna Base Ball Club." The Opposition won by 7 runs.</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>This is different from the 1861 Aetna club.</p> +
<p>Chicago <em>Tribune</em> Aug. 9, 1867 reports that yesterday the Aetna beat the Atlantic 2nd nine 54 to 40.</p> +
<p>Ellard book has lots on this junior club</p> +
<p>The <em>Daily Alta California</em>, Oct. 30, 1869 prints a letter from San Jose which reports that the Aetna Club of Santa Clara College beat the Star Club of San Jose in a base ball game by 31 runs.</p> +
<p>The St., Louis Globe Democrat, March 9, 1868 mentions the Dirigo and Aetna BBCs. An "Etna" BBC is mentioned in the St. Louis <em>Missouri Democrat</em>, July 23, 1867</p> +
<p>The Sacramento <em>Daily Union</em>, May 10, 1875: "Dixon. The match game of base ball between the Silver Stars of Dixon, and the Aetnas, of Vacaville, was won by the latter."</p>
<p>Both towns are in Solano County.</p> +
<p>The <em>Springfield Republican</em>, Nov. 5, 1866</p>
<p>The Hartford <em>Connecticut Courant</em>, Nov. 9, 1867, reports on the 2nd state baseball convention. Among the teams listed in the article were the Marion and Riverside of Norwich, the Hockanum of Manchester, the Star of Wallingford, Oceanic of Mystic, and the Aetna of Windsor Locks.</p>
<p>The Springfield [MA] <em>Republican</em>, Sept. 11, 1867 mentions the Eagle Club of Windsor Locks losing a game to Thompsonville. It is unclear which of these two teams might have been the older.</p> +
<p>Wolcottville is now Torrington.</p> +
<p>The Chicago Tribune, Nov. 7, 1869 reports that the Aetna Jrs. lost to the Active Jrs. 21-5.</p> +
<p>The city of Gary was founded in 1906. However, on the site of modern Gary, the Aetna Powder Plant operated, about 1 mile west of Miller Station. According to Lane's "Gary, Indiana: A Pictorial History," p. 18, the plant had a team that played other teams in the area by 1897.</p>
<p>Seymour's "Baseball: The People's Game" v. 3 p. 230 notes Steel Company teams playing in 1914.</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, May 21, 1866 lists the clubs attending a New England Junior club meeting: Active of Chelsea, Independent of Brookline, Aetos of Charleston, Irving of Cambridge, and from Boston, Beacon, Clifton, Aquila, Somerset, Wachuset, Upton, Sheridan and Atlantic Jr.</p> +
<p>Is this the "Colored" BBC of New London, mentioned in the Mariettian [Marietta, PA] June 22, 1867?</p> +
<p>Peverelly (1866) p. 506 lists the Agallian Club of Middletown.</p>
<p>The <em>Hartford Courant</em>, Oct. 3, 1865 mentions the Agallian BBC of Wesleyan U., Middletown.</p>
<p>The club was composed of Wesleyan U. students. See the Middletown <em>Constitution</em>, Sept. 26, 1866</p> +
<p>The Agallian was the club of Wesleyan University. Yale considers this game the first baseball game played by Yale College.</p> +
<p>The <em>Ipswich Bulletin</em>, Sept. 27, 1867 announces the formation of two BBCs in that town--the Agawam, and the Franklin.</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Nov. 3, 1866</p> +
<p>Junior</p>
<p>Home team Agile Club of Philadelphia defeated away team McClellan Club of Philadelphia</p> +
<p>From an online account of the Detroit-area club later called the Eclipse Club:
</p><p>"The Northville [later Eclipse] club went on to play two more matches in the fall of 1867, defeating the 'Agrestic' Club of Farmington and . . ."
</p><p>Farmington is a northern suburb of Detroit, about 20 miles from downtown. "Agrestic" apparently means rural/rustic/unpolished.
</p> +
<p>The Agriculture Park was the home of the Capital club, as well as Sacramento's first pro club, the Altas, 1886-88. It was between 20th and 22nd, B and H Streets.</p> +
<p><span>"Baseball arrived in Aguascalientes in hand with the railroad </span><span>at the beginning of the 20th century. A group of Mexican and American railroad workers on the Mexican Central Railway </span><span>held a baseball game in March 1902. The teams, the Aguascalientes Mexicans and American Railways, played the first game in the state on the railroad's land."</span></p>
<p><span>Note--this ballgame and/or its date may be apocryphal.</span></p> +
<p>[A] A boys’ game reportedly played in Hawaii before the game of base ball was introduced in the 1860s. As described, its rules were consistent with those of [[wicket]], but no running or scoring is mentioned.</p>
<p>[B] See also item [[1855c.10]]:</p>
<p>"In 1855 the new game of wicket was introduced at Punahou [School] and for a few <a id="PXLINK_1_0_1" class="pxInta">years</a> was the leading athletic game on the campus. . . . [The] fiercely contested games drew many spectators from among the young ladies and aroused no common interest among the friends of the school."</p>
<p>"One game they all enjoyed was wicket, often watched by small Mary Burbank. Aipuni, the Hawaiians called it, or rounders, perhaps because the bat had a large rounder end. It was a forerunner of baseball, but the broad, heavy bat was held close to the ground."</p>
<p>[Through further digging, John Thorn suggests the migration of wicket to Hawaii through the Hawaii-born missionary Henry Obookiah. At age 17, Obookiah traveled to New Haven and was educated in the area. He may well have been exposed to wicket there. He died in 1818, but not before helping organize a ministry [Episcopalian?] in Hawaii that began in 1820.</p>
<p>See also John Thorn's 2016 recap is the supplementary text to [[1855c.10]].</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>These teams played earlier in 1863. See Rochester Union and Advertiser, May 26, 1863</p> +
City where played unclear +
<p>When Jack Brenner, a University of Washington English professor, traveled to Bulgaria as a Fulbright lecturer in 1988, he was astonished to see a group of young men playing baseball on a soccer field in Sofia. By that time, the Akademic Baseball Club had already be formed and Brenner began working with the club, led by Yuri Alklay and Georgi Dimitrov, who had roughly translated the rules of the game into Bulgarian. Brenner's involvement must have been very welcomed, as Alkalay, Dimitrov and their teammates were using a vegetable crate as a catcher's mask before the American secured the group proper equipment."
</p><p>Josh Chetwynd, Baseball in Europe (McFarland, 2008), page 199.
</p> +
<p>(old fashioned base ball)</p><p>(12 innings)</p> +
<p>The Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 21, 1867, says the "Reserves" of Hudson played the Akron BBC on June 19, Akrom winning 53-41.</p>
<p>Akron OH (1860 pop. about 3,5000; 1870 pop. 10,000) is about 35 miles S of Cleveland and 12 miles S of Hudson.</p> +
<p>The <em>San Antonio Express</em>, April 17, 1867 noted the formation of the Alamo Base Ball Club with 18 members. In November 1867 the Alamo played a game against the officers of the US Army garrison.</p>
<p>The San Antonio Express, Oct. 17, 1965 and the San Antonio Light, Feb. 13, 1898 give a lot of history of this early club. They say it was organized by banker J. S. Lockwood on April 21, 1867, and was the first organized club in the city. It played the garrison club Nov. 2, 1867 at the Alamo Plaza. The score was 24-16, but the newspapers (SAE 11-2, 11-11-67) didn't report who won.</p>
<p>Joseph Seaman Lockwood (1843-1926) grew up in New York City. He was a prominent banker in San Antonio.</p>
<p>This club may have disbanded, for the <em>San Antonio Express</em> Dec. 2, 1870 reports that a (new?) "Alamo Base Ball Club' has been organized.</p> +
<p>The San Antonio Express, Oct. 17, 1965 and the San Antonio Light, Feb. 13, 1898 give a lot of history of the Alamo club. They say it was organized by banker J. S. Lockwood on April 21, 1867, and was the first organized club in the city. It played the garrison club Nov. 2, 1867 at the Alamo Plaza. The score was 24-16, but the newspapers (SAE 11-2, 11-11-67) didn't report who won.</p>
<p>First match game in San Antonio</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>Site of first match game in San Antonio</p> +
<p>The <em>Pittsburgh Daily Post</em>, June 14, 1860 mentions the Duquesne BBC and the Alaquippa [sic] BBC.</p>
<p>Aliquippa was a city near Pittsburgh, now part of Pittsburgh.</p> +
<p>Ellard book says this club existed in 1868</p> +
<p>The Hawaii Gazette, Oct. 27, 1880, mentions the Honolulu BBC playing a nine of the USS Ticonderoga. The home team won, and the newspaper mentions that the landsmen usually best teams of out-of-practice visiting sailors. Same Nov. 10, 1880 mentions the Alaska BBC playing the "Town" (presumably, Honolulu) BBC.</p>
<p>Could this be a ballclub of a ship named the Alaska?</p> +
<p>The Portland <em>Oregonian</em>, Sept. 1, 1873, reports on a state base ball convention. Among the clubs sending delegates was the "Albany of Albany," represented by H. C. Clement. </p>
<p>Same, June 15, 1875, mentions the "Willamette Club, of Albany" beating a picked nine of Albany and Salem players 30 to 25, at Albany.</p> +
<p>1856 and thereafter. Said to be in Greenbush, near the Greenbush Ferry.</p>
<p>Other games played on the "Parade Ground."</p> +
<p>Albany (Albany) 31</p> <p>Excelsior (West Troy) 28</p> <p>(8 innings)</p> +
<p>Ackerley's <em>Early History of</em> K<em>nox College Baseball</em> p. 53 says that in 1878 the Alberts of Knox College defeated the Abingdons of Abingdon College 27-12, citing <em>The Knox Student</em>, Oct. 1878, p. 14.</p> +
<p>Albion 2 (xxx)</p> <p>Mohawk 1 (xxx)</p> +
<p>Same as Albion Club of Brooklyn?</p> +
<p>Same as Albion Club of Bedford?</p> +
<p>(scheduled match)</p> +
<p>(4 innings)</p>
<p>(BDE: “The Albions in this match failed to furnish a ball, as was their place, being the challenging club, and the Favoritas had to furnish the ball themselves.”)</p> +
<p>(scheduled)</p> +
<p>A "colored" club.</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Sept. 8, 1866</p> +
<p>The Baltimore Sun, Aug. 17, 1866, reports that on the 14th the Alerts beat the Young Excelsior 73-27, and on the 16th the Imperial defeated the Erie 49-25.</p> +
<p><em>Bloomington Daily Ledger</em>, Aug. 9, 1870 has an ad from the Alert club, challenging any other juvenile club in the state. Same Aug. 11, 1870 has the Alerts beating the Socials 28-19. Same May 24, 1871 repeats the challenge, and gives the roster of the team.</p> +
<p>Alert Club of Brooklyn: Junior, 2nd Nine</p><p>Columbian Club of Brooklyn: Junior</p> +
<p>Junior</p><p>Home team Alert Club of Brooklyn defeated away team Concord Club of Brooklyn, (8)</p> +
<p>Junior, 2nd Nine</p> +
<p>(return match)</p>
<p>(PSOT: “Seven even innings were played, when the Niagaras suspended the game, unwilling to abide by the decision of the referee (who was chosen by themselves). The game was declared in favor of the Alert …”)</p> +
<p>(6 innings)</p>
<p>(PSOT: “At the 6th inning, the Niagara suspended play, with the Alert at the bat, and but two hands out.”)</p> +
<p>Alert 2 (xxx) 34</p>
<p>Powhattan Jr. (xxx) 7</p> +
<p>(6 innings)</p> +
<p>(6 innings)</p> +
<p>The<em> Buffalo Evening Post</em>, April 4, 1869 mentions the election of officers of the Alert BBC.</p>
<p>The Excelsiors, Alert and Adroit played for the city junior championship in 1869. the Excelsior winning.</p>
<p>The <em>Buffalo Morning Express</em>, May 18, 1866 reports on an election of the Pacific BBC, formerly the Alerts. Unclear if this is the same team.</p> +
<p>Campello was a parish in North Bridgewater</p> +
<p>The Springfield <em>Register</em>, July 2, 1868, reports that the Athletic Club of Springfield beat the Alerts of Carrollton 49 to 16 on July 1st.</p> +
<p>The <em>Charleston Daily News</em>, Sept. 21, 1868, gives the box score of a game between the Carolina and Germania BBCs, played "at the west end of Broad Street". The Carolina won, 26-9.</p>
<p> The game was umpired by J. J. Blake of the Alerts. This Alert team is mentioned in the <em>NY Clipper</em>, Aug. 29, 1868. The Alert defeated the Savannah team in a game in Sept. 1868 watched by 3,000 spectators. Jos. Hilton was president, Jno. Y. Savage VP. See <em>Charleston Courier</em>, Sept. 10, 1868. The club was formed May 18, 1867, adn was admitted to the National Association in Dec. 1867. The <em>Charleston Courier</em> Dec. 19, 1868 gives a history of the club, and its won-loss/scoring records.</p> +
<p>The Chicago <em>Tribune</em>, Sept. 19, 1870 reports that the Stars beat the Alerts 8 to 4.</p> +
<p>Morris, <em>Base Ball Pioneers</em> p. 126 mentions the Alert Club of Cleveland existing in 1866.</p> +
<p>The <em>Columbia Daily Phoenix</em>, June 23, 1868, has an ad for the meeting of the Alert Base Ball Club.</p> +
<p>See Peverelly, page 113.</p>
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Dec. 22, 1866 has this club sending S. H. Funderberg and R. Shriver as delegates to the national convention.</p>
<p>The <em>Baltimore Sun</em>, Feb. 21, 1867, has an article on the MD state baseball convention and lists the clubs sending delegates. Among these was the Alert Club of Cumberland.</p>
<p>It appears this club formed as the Tally-Ho BBC. See the <em>Cumberland Civilian and Telegraph</em>, Sept. 21, 1865</p> +
<p>Tally-Ho 1st eleven 30, 2nd eleven 9</p> +
Tally-Ho (Alert) first nine 27, 2nd nine 15 +
1st nine 28, 2nd nine 20 +
1st nine 34, 2nd nine 20 +
<p>The Alerts of Dallas City defeated the Muffins of Carthage 39-36. Warsaw Bulletin, May 27, 1871.</p> +
<p>See Peverelly, page 110, and M. Wright, The NABBP, page 135.
</p><p>Danville PA is in central PA, about 70 miles N of Harrisburg.
</p> +
<p>The August, 1867 baseball tournament in Detroit featured the Commercial, Alert, and Creighton Clubs of Detroit.</p>
<p>Detroit Free Press, Aug 18, 1868 has a game report of a junior club called tghe Alert. Same club?</p> +
<p>The Alert Club of Elmira NY is listed in Peverelly [1866]. It may well have formed earlier.</p>
<p>This club sent D. B. Hill as a delegate to the 1866 National Baseball Convention. This was David B. Hill, the city attorney, later governor of New York and US Senator. See New York Clipper, Dec. 22, 1866.</p>
<p>See ballgames.</p>
<p>The <em>Elmira Telegram</em>, Sept. 12, 1915 has a long article on baseball in Elmira in the 1860s. It discusses at some length the Alert and the Excelsiors. Gives the officers of these clubs.</p> +
<p>According to the Chemung County Historical Society, the first organized baseball game played in Elmira was April 26, 1866, between the Erastus Ransom Alerts of Elmira and the Chemung Union club. The game was played where (in 1976) the Howell Box Company stood.</p>
<p>Erastus Ransom was a local lawyer. Elmira is in Chemung County.</p> +
<p>The <em>Fremont Weekly Journal</em>, Aug. 2, 1867 reports that the Dexter of Fremont are to play the Fostorias today on the Croghan Club grounds in Fremont. The Findlay Jeffersonian Nov. 1, 1867 mentions the Alerts of Fostoria losing to the Omega of Portage 59-57.</p> +
<p>The Greenville Journal, Aug. 14, 1867 reports that Columbuis and Indianapolis clubs played on the grounds of the Alerts of this place.</p>
<p>Same June 17, 1868: Alerts of Greenville vs. Quaker City of Richmond, Indiana. Gives a box score.</p> +
<p>Peverelly (1866) p. 506 lists the Alert Club of Hartford.</p> +
<p>Heidelberg College was founded in Tiffin in 1850.</p> +
<p>Approximate date</p> +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Aug. 20, 1871 reports that the Alerts of Jacksonville beat the Griggsville 27-26.</p>
<p>Jacksonville Sentinel, Aug. 19, 1870 reports that the Alert BBC has received numerous challenges.</p> +
<p>New York Clipper - 9/19/1857
</p> +
<p>The <em>Middlesex Journal</em>, Aug. 6, 1870</p> +
<p>The Woburn<em> Journal</em>, July 8, 22, 1876</p> +
<p>The <em>Richmond Dispatch</em>, Sept. 21, 1866 says the Westham BBC of Sidney played the Manchester Alerts at Marx's Park, home of the Alerts.</p>
<p>Same Aug. 8, 1866 says the Dixie BBC of Manchester formed. Their field is in Marx's Addition. Same Aug. 11, 1866, Dixie changes their name to Alerts.</p>
<p>Pres.--E. J. Mann. Emmet Jackson Mann (1837-92) was Lt. Company I, 6th VA, with Solomon Marx.</p>
<p>VP--James A. Gentry. James Alexander Gentry (1840-93) was corporal in Company I, and in the 1860s a newspaper reporter.</p> +
<p>Alerts v. Muffing nine. Box score given.</p> +
<p>The <em>New Orleans Times</em>, March 25, 1867 reports that the Normans Club played the Alert (2nd nine) of New Orleans.</p> +
<p>Peverelly (1866) p. 506 lists the Alert Club of Norwalk.</p>
<p>Aka Alert of South Norwalk. <em>New England Base Ballist</em>, Aug. 27, 1868</p> +
<p>The Los Angeles <em>Herald</em>, July 14, 1878: "Local Brevities ...In a match game of base ball" between the Alerts of Pasadena and the Nameless of this city, the Nameless won 29 to 12. Game played at "Boyle Heights".</p> +
<p>See games tabulation</p> +
<p>The <em>Peoria Daily National Democrat</em>, July 8/9, 1869, reports on a game between the Fort Clark Jr. and the Alert BBC, won by the former 34-25.</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>Peverelly (1866) pp. 504-505 lists the following clubs as being from Philadelphia and members of the National Association: Alvin, Alert, Amateur, Athenian, Armstrong, Arctic, Awkward, Bachelor, Chestnut St. Theatre, Commonwealth, Dirigo, First Ward, Gymnast, Kensington, Korndaffer, Leisure, National, Orion, Junior Randall,Raleigh, Rittenhouse, Typographical, Western Market--plus other, well known, teams, such as the Athletic, Equity, Harry Clay, Keystone, and Olympic.</p> +
<p>Senior</p><p>Home team Alert Club of Philadelphia defeated away team Club of Philadelphia</p> +
<p><em>Pittsburgh Commercial</em>, Aug. 13, 1866</p>
<p>This may be the Alert Club of Mt. Washington, today a part of Pittsburgh. The <em>Pittsburgh Commercial</em>, Sept. 10, 1866 reports that the Alert of Mt. Washington played the Fearless of Temperanceville.</p>
<p>Mt. Washington was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1872.</p> +
<p>The <em>Louisville Daily Express</em>, Aug. 16, 1869, reports that the Plainville Ohio Alert Club denies having played a "negro club." They will play the Eagles of Louisville "tomorrow afternoon at Cedar Hill."</p> +
<p>The <em>Vermont Transcript</em>, Sept. 13, 1867, lists the base ball clubs attending a tournament in Burlington. Among the clubs are the Arabs and Atlantics of Whitehall, NY, the Eagles and Crescents of St. Albans, the Clippers and Alerts of Poultney, the Ethan Allens, the Winooskis, and two Burlington teams, the Burlingtons and the Homes.</p> +
<p>The <em>Quincy</em> <em>Daily Whig</em>, July 24, 1871, reports on a base ball game in Bushnell on the 22nd where Prairie City beat Bushnell two to one.</p>
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, July 26, 1871, reports on the same game, with the Alerts of Prairie City beating the "71" club of Bushnell 23-10 at Bushnell. The Alerts beat Macomb 412-35 next month. See the <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Aug. 20, 1871.</p> +
<p>The Reading Times, Aug. 9, 1866 says the Alert Club recently organized with D. P. Harden as president.</p> +
<p>Dutchess County</p>
<p><em>Red Hook Journal</em>, Aug. 24, 1860, reporting on local base ball: "A club has been formed in this village."</p> +
<p>(<i>Porter’s Spirit of the Times:</i> “The Alerts are a young club, having been organized but three months. <span> </span>We have played but two matches, and been victorious in both, with clubs older and more experienced.”)</p> +
<p>(<i>Porter’s Spirit of the Times:</i> “The Alerts are a young club, having been organized but three months. We have played but two matches, and been victorious in both, with clubs older and more experienced.”)</p> +
<p>Club formed in 1870</p> +
<p>New York <em>Clipper</em>, Sept. 1, 1866 reports on an Alert Jr. Club. Did this club have sr. and jr. branches?</p> +
<p>The <em>Rockford Weekly Gazette</em>, April 13, 1871 reports that the Alert BBC of Rockford recently organized. Same April 22, 1871 has them losing to the Forest City of Rockford 25-3. Same June 29, 1871 has them losing to the Plough Boys of Stillman Valley 31-6.</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, Sept. 18, 1866 has the Alert of Roxbury playing the Essex of Andover.</p> +
<p>"... which was won easily by the Alerts, who in four innings scored 60 to their adversaries 4. The game was a result of a challenge from the Essex.</p> +
<p>The Sacramento Daily Union, April 20, 22, 1867, May 31, 1867, has the Alert Club playing the Capitals. Same, March 30, 1867 reports that the High School club had changed its name to the Alert.</p> +
<p>New club formed. Sag Harbor <em>Express</em>, May 9, 1867</p> +
<p>jrs</p> +
<p>The New York Clipper, Sept. 22, 1866</p>
<p> </p> +
<p>See games tabulation</p> +
<p>Alert (Troy)</p> <p>Alert (West Troy)</p> <p>(scheduled)</p> +
<p>Alert 2nd nine (Troy) 37</p>
<p>Empire 1st nine (?) 27</p> +
<p>(scheduled)</p> +
<p>Alert (Troy) 21</p> <p>Roanoke (Albany) 7</p> <p>(<i>Troy Daily Whig:</i> “The Troy boys were pitted against competitors older and larger than themselves, but they achieved a signal victory. If the Alerts will but continue their practice and act together, they will have a strong club that will reflect credit on the “muscle” of our city.”)</p> +
<p>Alert (Troy?) 40</p> <p>Zouave (Troy?) 24</p> +
<p>The Washington <em>National Republican</em>, June 12, 1867 reports on a game between two "colored" clubs, with the Monumental beating the Alert 33-20. The Monumental is probably the Alexandria club of that name.</p>
<p>Same, July 9, 1867 reports that two "colored" clubs, the Alerts of DC and the Pythians of Philadelphia, recently played a match in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>The Alerts are mentioned in Morris, Base Ball Pioneers p. 266 as playing in 1869. Brunson says this club stated in 1866.</p> +
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Unique Base Ball Club of Chicago, a colored club that has gained considerable notoriety in the West as base ball players are now on a tour for the championship. They arrived in Washington last week and on Monday met and defeated the Alerts, by a score of 24 to 18. On Tuesday they met the Mutuals (thus far champions), and were terribly worsted, the score standing at close of eighth </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: medium;">innings - Mutuals 33; Unique 11...</span></span></p> +
<p><span>The Chicago </span><em>Daily Inter Ocean</em><span>, June 28, 1876: "The Fourth at Hoopeston... There will be ...a base ball match between the champion clubs of Watseka and Danville." The <em>Chicago Tribune</em> July 5, 1876 reported that the Alerts of Watseka beat the Brickbats of Danville 19 to 6 on the 4th.</span></p>
<p><span>Watseka (inc. 1865) had 1,551 residents in 1870. It was originally named Middleport.</span></p> +
<p>See games tabulation.</p> +
<p>Alert (West Troy) 25</p> <p>Alert (Troy) 23</p> <p>(<i>Troy Daily Whig</i> (3): “The Alert Base-ball Club of this city covered themselves with glory in their match on Friday with the West Troy Club, composed of lads much older and larger than themselves. Their play is said to have been so excellent that it would have done honor to the old heads of the Victory Club, and although the Alerts were beaten by two runs, they are entitled to all the honors of victory.”)</p> +
<p>The Sacramento <em>Daily Union</em>, April 10, 1875: "Woodland Items... there will be a match game of base ball on Saturday between the Capitol Jr. Club of Sacramento and the Alerts of this place."</p>
<p>Woodland, formerly Yolo City, in Yolo County, was established in 1861.</p> +
<p>The Wyoming (IL) <em>Post</em>, Sept. 5, 1874, says the Alerts of Wyoming played Toulon last Monday. Same Sept. 12, 1874 says Wyoming has 6 baseball clubs.</p> +
<p>The Richmond Times, Nov. 21, 1866 says the Alert Jr. of Manchester are to play the Stonewall of Church Hill (Richmond).</p> +
<p>(return match)</p>
<p>Muffin nines</p> +
<p> on President St. between Smith and Hoyt</p> +
<p>(home-and-home game – 6 innings)</p> +
<p>(Only six players on each team.)</p> +
<p>According to the autobiography of classical scholar Ernest Sihler, the Alerts were one of two clubs active at Concordia Gymanasium, a Fort Wayne educational institution. Sihler says baseball came to Fort Wayne in the autumn of 1865. Sihler left Concordia in 1869 to continue his education in St. Louis. Sihler himself was the Alerts' center fielder.</p>
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, June 20, 1866 reports on a game between the Fort Wayne Kekionga and the Alerts of Concordia College. [ba]</p> +
<p>The <em>Grand River Republican</em>, Thursday, June 16, 1870: "Base Ball--A Friendly match game of Base Ball, between the Independent 9 of the Alerts of Trenton, and the Grand River College 9 of Edinburg, was played Saturday last, resulting in our Trenton boys winning by a score of 66 to 27."</p> +
<p>Aleut Baseball, called a "Sugpiat novelty," has been played on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The Sugpiat are a Native population.</p>
<p>Although called baseball, its rules resemble the Russian game [[lapta]], and players point out that the game differs from modern baseball in having only two safe-haven bases, retiring runners by throwing at them, and lacking a strike-out rule. The area was once a Russian colony, and hundreds of residents are reportedly of Russian descent. An airplane landing strip was the site of a game observed in 2007 and described in 2010. The game is associated locally with Easter Sunday, with some games played in the dawn light after Easter services.</p>
<p>Attributes of Aleut baseball include:</p>
<p>[] there are no umpires</p>
<p>[] two large safe zones for runners at the ends of the field </p>
<p>[] two "home" areas for batting near the ends of the field</p>
<p>[] sides take turns batting</p>
<p>[] runners score one points when reaching an opposing base, and another for a safe return.</p>
<p>[] multiple baserunners after any hit ball</p>
<p>[] caught flies put the side out.</p>
<p>[] soft tosses to batters</p>
<p>[] baserunners can pick up balls thrown at them and try to plug members of the fielding side</p>
<p>[] games can last several hours. Some games end when one side passes an agreed number of points (runs).</p>
<p> </p>
<p> <strong>Note: </strong>Schoolchildren play a form of kickball resembling American baseball, using kicked rubber balls in place of batted tennis-style balls.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p> +
<p>https://s3.amazonaws.com/pastperfectonline/images/museum_269/007/20060703129.jpg</p>
<p>Alexander G. Babcock was born in New York and during the 1850s played for NYC-area clubs, including Atlantic of Brooklyn. However, when war broke out Babcock went south and joined the Confederate Army, eventually becoming First Sergeant of John Singleton Mosby's 43rd Virginia Cavalry, better known as Mosby's Raiders. In the photo of Mosby's officers linked above, Babcock is the man on the right. Remarkably, Babcock's fighting knife, engraved with his name, rank and regiment, has survived and was recently offered at auction: https://www.icollector.com/item.aspx?i=6969066</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After the war Babcock settled in Richmond and took up the occupation of ice dealer. He also resumed his prewar avocation of ballplayer. He first founded the Richmond Club, quite likely the first in the city, and then founded a sort of standing All-Star team, the Pastime Club, of which he wass the captain and first baseman.</p>
<p>At his death in 1894 Babcock was interred in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery together with many other of Virginia's notables, including US Presidents and Confederate generals, perhaps not unfittingly for Richmond's baseball pioneer.</p> +
'"`UNIQ--pre-00002B50-QINU`"'
<p>The match game of ball between the Independents of Alexandria and the Clippers of this place, at Osakis on Saturday last, commenced at 2:30 p.m., by the Clippers going to bat. After a few skirmishes our boys were decided "whitewashed." The Independents then taking the bat made five tallies, followed by three for the Clippers. The second inning the Ind. made their largest score and saved them from defeat. In the fourth inning they were "whitewashed" making them somewhat (?) resemble the Anglo-American race to a distant observer. After the first few innings our boys gained steadily on the Ind. as may be seen by the score below. We will have to say that there was some very poor playing on both sides, and therefore the game was not as scientific as was anticipated. The following is the score:</p>
<p>Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9</p>
<p>Independents 5 9 3 0 2 3 1 3 4 - 30</p>
<p>Clippers 0 3 2 3 1 3 2 7 4 - 25</p>
'"`UNIQ--pre-00002B51-QINU`"'
'"`UNIQ--pre-00002B52-QINU`"' +
<p>The Los Angeles <em>Herald</em>, March 6, 1881: "In a game of base ball at San Gabriel yesterday, the Stem Winders of Downey City beat the Alhambra Club by a score of 24 to 2."</p> +
<p>Queens</p> +
<p>(PSOT & SOT: only five players listed on each team)</p> +
<p>Saguache (fd 1874) had 325 residents in 1880.</p> +
<p>The Washington Standard [Olympia] June 17, 1871, reports the Alki BBC was formed on the 14th with R. G. O'Brien as president.</p> +
<p>The Seattle Daily Intelligencer, June 14, 1877 reports a meeting of this club, John Levy [see bio], president.</p>
<p>Same Aug. 9, 13, 1877 has the Alkis playing Port Gamble at the Dawanish race course. The Alkis won 32-17. Article gives the roster of the two clubs.</p>
<p>The Dawanihs race course was in Georgetown, which was annexeed by Seattle in 1910;</p> +
<p>The Seattle Daily Intelligencer, Aug. 9, 13, 1877.</p>
<p>Georgetown was annexed by Seattle in 1910. The race course was established in 1872, along the Dawanish river.</p> +
<p>Zeiler, "Ambassadors in Pinstripes: The Spalding World Baseball Tour" p. 145 says that the tour stopped at Glasgow March 21, 1889, and played a game on the West of Scotland Cricket Club grounds, with the All-Americans winning 8 to 4. Zeiler, cites the <em>Sporting Life</em>, March 22, 1889.</p> +
<p>Game played during the Spalding World Tour.</p>
<p>Belfast was then part of Ireland which was part of the UK. Northern Ireland came later.</p> +
<p>(all star game – return match)</p> +
<p>(all star game)</p> +
<p>(All Star game)</p> +
<p>The Washington <em>National Republican</em>, Sept. 12, 1867 mentions the All Right and Pioneer BBCs. The latter may be the Alexandria Club of that name.</p> +
<p>The <em>New York Clipper</em>, Dec. 1, 1866</p>
<p>The <em>Baltimore Sun</em>, Feb. 21, 1867, has an article on the MD state baseball convention and lists the clubs sending delegates. Among these was the Alleghany Club of Cumberland.</p> +
<p> </p>
<p>"Pittsburg, Oct. 10</p>
<p>"Dear Spirit: Quite a large number of our citizens visited Alleghany, on last Friday, to witness the game of Base Ball, so long talked of, between the Pittsburg and Alleghany clubs. The match was played by thirty men, equally divided, and consisted of three innings; but as it was dark before the Alleghanians finished their innings, they would not continue the game, so the Pittsburg boys had to give in, after making nine runs in their third inning, and ten men still in [see note, below]. The result of the game was as follows."</p>
<p>[A box score shows Alleghany scoring 25, 24, and 49 runs in its three innings; Pittsburg scoring 31, 37, and 9 runs.]</p>
<p>"At the conclusion of the game there was some grumbling. The Pittsburgers wanted the game to be played out; nor would they have commenced their third inning, only that they expected to finish the game. The umpire, however, gave in his cohesion to the course that was followed, and ordered the game to be concluded on Saturday afternoon, a report of which I will give next week."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Note</span>: Protoball's interpretation is that the game used all-out-side-out innings, and at the time of suspension only five of the fifteen Pittsburg club had been put out.</p>
<p>As described by Peter Morris in <em>Base Ball Pioneers </em>(McFarland, 2012), in 1904 the <em>Pittsburgh Post</em> reprinted the 1857 game account, and added the observations of a surviving participant, Michael Lynch. Lynch said that the match was the "first baseball game played in Alleghany county, under the regulation rules and upon a regulation diamond," which Morris suggests may have meant that despite non-Knick rules for team size, innings played, and inning format, Knick field markings were employed. Lynch recalled use of a "soft, rubber ball" that curved in flight and was hit to great distances. </p>
<p>Some Protoball queries, 2015: [1] Is there evidence that the game was completed? [2] Are we sure that the game used all-out-side-out innings? [3] Do we know of other similar games -- 15 players, AOSO innings, rubber balls, variant field layout, etc. -- in this region? [4] What is the "next day" account the Morris adverts to? [5] Was October 9 a Friday in 1857?</p>
<p>The <em>Daily Pittsburgh Gazette</em>, Oct. 10, 1857 page 3 carries an account of this game, giving a list of the players. Headlined "The Match of Base Ball." I checked the next 2 issues of the Gazette,, but they don't mention that the game was ever resumed. [ba]</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Alleghany 98</p>
<p>Pittsburgh 77</p>
<p>(suspended in third inning due to darkness; game was scheduled to be completed on Saturday afternoon)</p>
<p>(<em>Porter’s Spirit of the Times:</em> “The match was played by thirty men, equally divided, and consisted of three innings.”</p>
<p>The <em>Daily Pittsburgh Gazette</em>, Oct. 10, 1857 page 3 carries an account of this game, giving a list of the players. Headlined "The Match of Base ball"</p> +
<p>President - James Cargill</p>
<p>Secretary - William Bowers (No. 2135 Sharswood Street)</p>
<p>Treasurer - John Young</p>
<p>Field Captain - George Simons</p> +
<p><em>Pittsburgh Daily Post</em>, Sept. 20, 1860: "The Benedicts and Bachelors of the Allegheny Base Ball Club played a match on West Common, Allegheny, on Tuesday afternoon..."</p>
<p>Same, June 17, 1860, reports that on the West Common, Allegheny City, the first and second nines of the Duquesne Base Ball Club played a game. Same, June 18, 1860 says the Duquesne beat the Aliquippa 34-15 at All Commons, Friday.</p>
<p>Same, March 26, 1861 says this club has reorganized and elected new officers. It plays at the West Common.</p>
<p>On Sept. 18 and 19, 1865 this club, the Enterprise and Lincoln clubs of Pittsburgh, and the Athletics of Philadelphia, played a baseball tournament on the "west common" (i.e. western part of the "common" of Allegheny, entered as "east common" for field listing). The Philadelphia team won easily. See New York Clipper, Sept. 30, 1865.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh annexed Allegheny in 1907</p> +
<p>Senior</p> +
<p>(Allegheny Base Ball Club intra-club game. Married 27, Single 27)</p> +
Bachelors vs. Benedicts, the latter winning by 2. Said to be the third such match this year. +
<p>Allegheny (Allegheny, Pa.) 27</p>
<p>Duquesne 26</p>
<p>(return match)</p> +
<p>Allegheny (Allegheny, Pa.) 32</p>
<p>Duquesne 31</p> +
<p>Allegheny (Allegheny) 50</p>
<p>Fort Pitt 13</p>
<p>(Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times: “a match game … between the first nine of the Alleghany Base Ball Club and the fist nine Fort Pitt (or members of Fort Pitt and other clubs, but played as members of one club, gotten up for the occasion).”)</p> +
<p>Allegheny (Allegheny, Pa.) 34</p>
<p>Keystone 22</p> +
<p>Allegheny (Allegheny, Pa.) 28</p>
<p>Pioneer 19</p> +
<p>See Morris, "Base Ball Pioneers" for more on this team.</p> +
<p>The Allegheny and Phil Sheridan Clubs, both "colored," play on the Veto Club grounds. St. Louis Missouri Democrat, Aug. 21, 1867. See also Brunson, "Black Baseball, 1858-1900"</p> +
<p>Millville is today part of Brunswick. Col. Allen owned the Eagle Mills here.</p> +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Aug. 14, 1870 reports that the Allen & Mackey nine defeated the Singer Sewing Machine nine 44-9.</p> +
<p>The Red Stockings of Decatur beat the second nine of the Alligators of Decatur 43 to 15 on July 26th. <em>Nashville Union and American</em>, July 28, 1875.</p>
<p>The game site, at Tuscumbia AL (pop. about 8000 now) is in the NW corner of the state and about 110 miles NW of Birmingham. It is about 40 miles W of Decatur (1870 pop = 675, 1880 pop = 1000)and about 5 miles S of Florence AL (1870 population 2000, 1880 population 1300).</p> +
<p>From Protoball Entry #1860.56 – Three Hartford CT Base Ball Clubs on the Move</p>
<p>The Alligator, Rough and Ready, and Independent Base Ball Clubs announced meetings on a late October day. Hartford Daily Courant, October 27, 1860. Accessed via subscription search, May 21, 2009.</p>
<p>Same Oct. 11, 1860 has the Alligator Club playing the High School (Rough and Ready) BBC an 8 on 8 game at the park, to 25 tallies.</p>
<p>We do not know if these clubs played by Association rules.</p>
<p>Query: Hartford was wicket country; but do we know of any earlier base ball clubs in the area?</p> +
<p>"It is generally acknowledged that the Cubans introduced baseball to Puerto Rico shortly before the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898. A newspaper box score appearing in June 14, 1896, documented the first reported game as Borinquen, the Carib Indian name for the island, played Almendares, a team of Cuban expatriates. The newspaper deemed the game 'dangerous for human beings and a silly form of entertainment."</p>
<p>Thomas E. Van Hyning and Franklin Otto, Puerto Rico: A Major League Steppingstone.</p>
<p>"Puerto Rico's baseball origins stretch back nearly as far as those of any of its Caribbean rivals. The first known game on Borinquen (as the island is called by its natives) have been placed as early as 1897, the same year in which the long-time colony achieved independence from Spain."</p>
<p>Peter C. Bjarkman, Diamonds Around the Globe (Greenwood Press, 2005), page?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.puertadetierra.info/noticias/beisbol.htm">http://www.puertadetierra.info/noticias/beisbol.htm</a> says the game was June 2, 1896, won 22-11 by the Puerto Rican team.</p> +
<p>The Alpena BBC was the first club in Alpena County MI. Alpena MI (current pop about 10,500) is in northeastern MI, about 225 miles N of Detroit.
</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Herald</em>, Aug. 1, 1860 reports that the Alpha Club of Ashland accepts the challenge of the Benicia of Milford to a game under the MA rules.</p>
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, Sept. 17, 1866 reports on a meeting at the Parker House in Boston to form a MA Rules Baseball Association. The clubs sending delegates were the Alpha Club of Ashland, Excelsior of Upton, Wyoma of Lynn, Liberty of Danvers, Active of Salem, Wencehuse of Lynn, Union of Danvers, Warren of South Danvers, Warren of Randolph, Peabody of Danvers, and Kearsarge of Stoneham. This suggests that several localities resisted adopting the NY Rules even at this late a date.</p>
<p>The Worcester <em>Massachusetts Spy</em>, July 6, 1859 has the Waverly of Framingham losing 102-75 to the Alpha of Ashland, in a game of 67 innings.</p> +
Scheduled. MA rules +
<p>The <em>Baltimore South</em>, July 31, 1861 mentions the Alpha BBC of Baltimore.</p> +
<p>The Chicago <em>Tribune</em>, July 27, 1867, has a big article on the state baseball convention, with 54 clubs represented. Among the clubs was the Alpha Club of Chicago. with delegates O. G. Gibbs and F. S. Wright. This club played an 1867 game against the Chicago Club at Wright's Grove.</p> +
<p>The Washington <em>National Republican</em>, Oct. 16, 1867 reports that the Alpha BBC defeated a picked nine 31-17 at Dill's Lot, Georgetown.</p>
<p>The locus of the Alpha club isn't given, but since they played in Georgetown, it is presumed they were based there.</p> +
<p><em>Harrisburg Telegraph</em>, Aug. 9, 1866</p> +
<p>The <em>Middlebury Register</em>, June 18, 1867 reports that the Chester BBC has challenged the Alpha Club of Springfield.</p> +
<p>The <em>Boston Daily Advertiser</em>, June 19, 1867.</p>
<p>Washington Village was a village near Dorchester that was annexed by Boston in 1855.</p> +
<p>The <em>Albany Evening Journal</em>, Oct. 10, 1864 reports on a game between the Alpine and the Hiawatha BBCs.</p> +
Haverhill annexed Bradford in 1897. Bradford had 2014 residents in 1870. +
<p>The <em>Chicago Tribune</em>, Aug. 3, 1870, has a long (and humorous) story of a game at Ogden Park (at the corner of Ontario and Michigan, where the White Stocking often played) between two teams of the social elite, the Alpines and the Sugar Loaf. 2000 spectators watched the "wealthier class of Chicago gentlemen" play, including a shortstop who stopped grounders with his ample stomach, by rolling on the ground in front of them!</p> +
<p>Emmittsburg had 706 residents in 1870</p> +
<p>Tholkes RIM</p> +
<p>(<em>Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times:</em> “The afternoon was cold and unpleasant, and not at all calculated for base ball pastime.”)</p> +
<p>(<em>Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times:</em> “A single match game …”)</p> +
<p>(“fly game”)</p> +
<p>(7 innings)</p> +
<p>Alpine (NY) 20</p>
<p>Union (Elizabeth City, N.J.) 17</p>
<p>(NYT: “The Alpine Club played their first Base Ball match, since their organization at the beginning of the season …. The Alpine Club is composed of young men connected with the Jane street Methodist Episcopal Church, who take pleasure in healthy out-door exercise. … There is no reason why the next match of this young club, should not be graced with the presence of some of their fair friends, who would no doubt be highly pleased with the doings of their brethren.”)</p>
<p>(NDA: The Alpine Club “members belong to the Jane street Methodist Episcopal Church, who think that religion and healthful out of doar [sic] exercise are not incompatible.”)</p> +
<p>Alstyne's Prairie was between 12th and 18th Sts., and Broadway/Chestnut Sts., just opposite modern Quincy University.</p> +
<p>At 1867 CA baseball convention. See Seymour R. Church, "Baseball 1845-1871"</p> +
"BASEBALL IN ILLINOIS. – The Alton [IL] Base-Ball Club . . . a meeting was held on the evening of May 18, to organize a club . . . . The Upper Alton Base Ball Club . . . sent us a challenge, to play a match game, on Saturday, the 19th of June, which was accepted by our club; each side had five innings, and thirteen players each, with the following result: The Alton Base-Ball Club made 224 rounds. The Upper Alton Base-Ball Club made 90 rounds." "Base-Ball", Porter's Spirit of the Times, Volume 4, number 20 (July 17, 1858), p. 309, columns. 2-3 Alton IL is a Mississippi River town 5 miles north of St. Louis. Missouri. Jeff Kittel in his "This Game of Games' website thinks that this team probably played town ball, having fund a reference to the organization of the Alton team and mention that it was playing the game of ball that had been around for many years. +
<p>From Protoball entry #1858.42 – In Downstate Illinois, New Club Wins by 134 Rounds</p>
<p>"BASEBALL IN ILLINOIS. – The Alton [IL] Base-Ball Club . . . a meeting was held on the evening of May 18, to organize a club . . . . The Upper Alton Base Ball Club . . . sent us a challenge, to play a match game, on Saturday, the 19th of June, which was accepted by our club; each side had five innings, and thirteen players each, with the following result: The Alton Base-Ball Club made 224 rounds. The Upper Alton Base-Ball Club made 90 rounds." "Base-Ball", Porter's Spirit of the Times, Volume 4, number 20 (July 17, 1858), p. 309, columns. 2-3 Alton IL is a Mississippi River town 5 miles north of St. Louis. Missouri.</p>
<p>Jeff Kittel in his "This Game of Games' website thinks that this team probably played town ball, having fund a reference to the organization of the Alton team and mention that it was playing the game of ball that had been around for many years.</p>
<p>The <em>Alton Weekly Telegraph</em>, June 3, 1858 says this club was organized "Monday last," with J. H. Hibbard as president. They will play a game "this afternoon" at the "State House Square" in Alton. Mentions that "base ball" has long been played. They have about 60 members, and will play every Friday.</p>
<p>Same June 24, 1858 (and Alton Daily Courier, June 21, 1858) reports on the game with Upper Alton.</p> +
<p>From Protoball Entry #1858.42 – In Downstate Illinois, New Club Wins by 134 Rounds</p>
<p>"BASEBALL IN ILLINOIS. – The Alton [IL] Base-Ball Club . . . a meeting was held on the evening of May 18, to organize a club . . . . The Upper Alton Base Ball Club . . . sent us a challenge, to play a match game, on Saturday, the 19th of June, which was accepted by our club; each side had five innings, and thirteen players each, with the following result: The Alton Base-Ball Club made 224 rounds. The Upper Alton Base-Ball Club made 90 rounds." "Base-Ball", Porter's Spirit of the Times, Volume 4, number 20 (July 17, 1858), p. 309, columns. 2-3</p>
<p>1) One of the A. B. B. C., “Base-Ball in Illinois,” <em>Porter’s Spirit of the Times</em>, vol. 4, no. 20 (17 Jul 1858), p. 309, cols. 2-3</p>
<p>(2) “Base-Ball in Illinois,” <em>New York Clipper,</em> [?] Jun 1858</p>
<p>Alton IL is a Mississippi River town 5 miles north of St. Louis. Missouri.</p> +
<p>Peverelly (1866) pp. 504-505 lists the following clubs as being from Philadelphia and members of the National Association: Alvin, Alert, Amateur, Athenian, Armstrong, Arctic, Awkward, Bachelor, Chestnut St. Theatre, Commonwealth, Dirigo, First Ward, Gymnast, Kensington, Korndaffer, Leisure, National, Orion, Junior Randall,Raleigh, Rittenhouse, Typographical, Western Market--plus other, well known, teams, such as the Athletic, Equity, Harry Clay, Keystone, and Olympic.</p> +
<p>Junior</p><p>Home team Alvin Club of Philadelphia defeated away team Alert Jr. Club of Philadelphia</p> +
<p>Junior</p>
<p>Home team Alvin Club of Philadelphia defeated away team Holmesburg Club of Philadelphia</p> +
<p>A picked squad of the best players in Philadelphia, created to face the visiting Eckfords of Brooklyn.</p> +