The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-07-14
ORIGIN OF BASE BALL.
FORTY-EiGHTY YEARS AGO THE
GAME WAS BORN.
The Initial Concert Was In Hoboken, ~.
J.-It Was First Rounders, Then Town
ball, Then Base BaiI-Piayed at FIRST
Only by Gentlemen Amateurs
The National Games.


took place at Hoboken, n. j., on
June ~, lS+9. There Is lack OF def
mite information, but IL may pretty
safely be stated that Captain Anson
was there aud playing. The game
OF base ball had originated nearly
nine mOnths before. IL had grad
ually grown out OF the old English
schOolbOy game OF rOunders Like
man, base ball is the result OF evolu-
zion. FOUNDERS evoluted into town
ball." In the latter sport instead Of
bases there were corners" These
were unattended, and runners were
put out b. being h wish the ball
thrown directly al them by the field.
ers. The ball was much softe than
the modern base ball. and was COM
posed wholly OF rubber. In the early
forties a Iarty OF New Yo kers as
sembled every Wednesday and Satu =
day on a vacant lot, then a long way
out OF town, and now covered by the
Madison Square Garden. 70 play
townball. After time some OF
them felt that the sport might be
greatly Improved. 1t was finally de.
cided TO substitute "bases" for 'cor-
ners," TO use a ball with hard rub
Der center, wound with yarn and
covered wi h leather. to place men TO
qua d the bases, and 10 change the
name 'Townball" TO "base ball"
On September %, ls+5. these gentle
men organized the first base ball
club and called IL the Kni kerbocxer.
Thus our national game was born.
There were soon number OF base
ball clubs in and around New York,
and the first match game Was be-
tween the knicxerbocker and New
YORK clubs. 1t comprised only four
innings the rule then being that the
club first making twenty .one runs
In even innings was the winner.
GROWTH OF THE GAME.
The growth OF base ball in other
parts OF the country was ve-y slow.
TOwnball continued to be played,
and It's vOtaries did not take to base
ball. Rase ball was not played in
Philadelphia-only ninety miles from
New York-until 1860. fifteen years
after it's b rth In this city. In that
year the Olympic Town ball Club, OF
that city. organi ed ia ls33 'Stcided
to play base bali instead thereafter
The first base ball match in Phila.
delphia took place June IL, 1860, be-
tween the Equity and Winona clubs
San + rancisco's trst match took
place on February 22, 1860 Base
ball was not played in the.Sew Eng
land States until five or six years
q ter It's birth, and then only in
such mod lied form that IL was
called 1.-The New England game" In
cent adistinction to 1.-The New York
game" The originators OF ou; ma
tional game were gentlemen who
played base bail merely. for recrea-
tiOn, and we C anxious that IL should
remain gentlemen's game. AS
clubs multiplied throughout the
country IL became necessary 70 estab-
lish some general Organization. with
authority To control and egulate the
interests OF the sport and its play
ing rules
Accordingly there was 10 med the
National Association OF Base Ball
Players, In which any club was en-
titled to men bership with the privi-
lege OF sending delegates TO the an
nual meeting. The playing rules
adopted ~ this organization were
the standard ones 70 the game, and
were Obserxed bY all clubs Almost
the first rule made by this National
Association positively debarred from
mem bership any club in which there
was man who played base ball for
hire or emolument OF any kind. Con-
sequently base ball II, urished between
the years 1866 and 1871. as never be-
fore or since. There were hosts of
clubs, and in every large city many
matches were played daily, usually
upon me vacant lot, the attendance
frequently numbering from 10, 900 TO
%, 900 people.
In the city Of Allegheny, Pa,
alone there were five different base
ball grounds within stones throw
OF each other. and on almost every
day during the base ball season there
was match on each OF these grounds
aud the same Is true OF other large
cities at that time.
The introdu tion OF professional
players was gradual. The rivalry be-
tween clubs became so great that in
order 10 strengthen itself and win
victory over some rival each would
leave nothing undone 10 secure the
best players Thus inducements
were held out 10 men who had
shown an unusual aptitude for the
game TO innuelce them TO play only
with a particular club. A wealthy
gentleman, or instance. desiring to
see his club In the f.vnt rank would
offer some young man OF rare ball
playing ability position in his bust.
ness or counting house, with pri.
vote understanding that his CON-
mercial duties were merely nominal,
while his real ones were 10 play ball
Thus there were numerous clubs In
the country which were virtually
professional long before professional
playing was openly permitted. and
while the stringent law against IL