The Evening critic., 1884-11-17
OUR NATIONAL GAME.
How Baseball Developed Iuto q
EaEaunna

Science.
Baseball really originated In New York city
IN 1914, when party OF gentlemen 80 modi.
fed the old game OF town ball as to create
new game, which they gave tho name OF base.
ball. on tho 23d OF September OF that year
these gentlemen formally organized the
Kickerbocker Baseball Club ana adopted
series OF playing rules. Up to 1915 sort OF
rules, but 1t was little more than a school
boys diversion. The olympic Club, of Phila-
delphia, had been organized In 1888, but
played nothing but town ball until 1860, when
baseball was adopted In Its stead.
In New England, about thirty years ago,
there was game called the New Eagland
ball, which was thrown overland to the bat,
while In the New York game OF baseball, as
then played by the Knickerbocker, Eagle,
Gotham and Empire clubs, large elastic ball
was pitched to the bat.
Tho original rules OF the game were very
few and Incomplete. The bali was much too
large and heavy, being allowed n circumter-
enco OF ten inches and weight OF six and
quarter ounces, Just an inch In size and an
ounce in weight greater than the present
limit There was no Limitation to tho length
OF bat. In tho year 1868 two important new
rules were made, one recurring the pitcher to
stand in q space elk feet by three, and tho
other requiring the umpire 10 call balls and
give the batsman his fret base after three had
| been called. Until December Ia, 1864, fair
| ball, II caught on the first bounce, put tho
striker out, but on the aDove date the National
| Association OF Baseball Players did away with
| inc DOunu CulsLh bACtpt lOul Dull5. IOEly-
i've feet was the distance from the pitchers
| position 10 the home. plate until 1868, when 1t
| was moved i've feet farther back.
on June 10, 1916, In Hoboken, N. j., there
| took place, between the Knickerbocker and
| Now York CLUBS, the first game ever played. 1t
| consisted OF only four innings, tho rule then
| being that the club first making twenty-one
| runs in even innings was the winner. Tho
| ilrst match game that ever occurred In phlla-
delphia was played by the Equal aud Wlnoaa
| clubs on June IL, 1860, and the ilrst game In
San Francisco look place February % OF tho
The baseball championship was fret con-
| tested in 1868. a rivalry had sprung up be-
| tween the New York clubs already mentioned
and the Atlantic Club, Of Brooklyn, the result
being three series OF championship games was
| cities, the New Workers winning two 10 the
latter's one. There were no more important
iSasgsT isei, When @ picked nihes Of New Wy York and
| Brooklyn again contested for supremacy,
Broyklyn winning.
| brooklyn, wrested the title OF championship
| from the Atlantic and held 1t throughout the
| succeeding season OF 1865, in which year they
| been duplicated but once, and that by the Gin
cinnati Club in 1860, under the management
OF Harry Wright. Tho Atlantlcs regainod the
| title In 1864 and hold II for period OF three
years, their most powerful rival being the
| Athletic Club, OF this city, which had deyel.
oped Into an organization OF wonderful
In 1866, though the Athletics encountered
the best clubs In existence, they were defeatet
only twice, once by the Atlantlcs, OF Brooklyn
| ana once by the Union Club, OF Morrisanlai
| y. The feeling with regard to the respect
i've merits OF the Athletics and Atlantics rau
very high between this city and New YORK, anc
when they met here on October /, 1856, tC
play their long-talkedof game for tho cham
pionship, the number OF people. present, In
Guiding those outside as well as inside tae IN
closed grounds, was estimated at 10000, 4
being, beyond all question, the largest attend
ance ever gathered together at any sporting
event In this country.
closely inside the incloeure that after one In
ming had been played II was found utterly I'm
possible TO continue me game, and afier 4,
postponement was reluctantly made to Oc
toher %, on tho same grounds In THIS city
| on that occasion, 10 preclude the obstruction
Of the field by o crowd, the prlco Of admission
| was placed att the largest sum ever charged
| for admission 10 a baseball match, yet 200,
people eheerfully paid It, and ave or six NOR
When the Athletics had rolled up 81 TO j. ro
| their opponents, and seven innings had beei
played, tho umpire was compelled, by rail
and darkness, 10 call the game. dispuu
over the gate money prevented another nn'
decisive match between the clubs that season
Tho following year, 1867, the Ausntics wer
destined 10 lose tho championship 10 IN
Unions, OF Morrlsanla, who defeated them. .tw
games out OF three. During the next two ssa
sons this merely nominal championship Wa
constantly shifting between the two prlnclpa
clubs OF New York and Brooklyn, but the rea
champions were tho Athletics, OF this city, II
1860, these clubs having the best records o
their respective years. In 1870 tho Atllntlcs
of Brooklyn, were the iirst u SHAFT ar the un
broken chain OF victories which tho Clncln
natl Club, or Red Stockings, as they wer
called, hRd won tho previous season.
Tho first game between the clubs, In tn
| year above named, took place Juno H. on tn
Capitolino grounds, Brooklyn, n. ", tho Ath
letics winning by 70 Z, eleven innings. IN
return game, played I'm Ciucinnatl Septembs
., resulted In victory for tho Olnclnnatls b.
score OF IA to ., whilo tho third and decisive
game was played In this city October ~, an'
resulted In a victory for the Athletics BY
score OF II tot.
Prior 10 1868 the National Association o
Baseball players prohibited the compensatory
| OF players, but this rule was 80 frequentl!
eyaded that II was thought best TO abrogate 1
IN that year and establish In It's stead one dl
| yiding baseball players into professionals anC
| amateurs. 80 numerous had the profoBsiona
J clubs become by 1871 that on March IL OF tina