The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-01-25
HISTORY OF BASE BALL.
A1r. A. 6. Spalding Tells Of Origin and DE
velo[ornent.
Velopnent.

In an address before the Young
Men Christian Association training
school at Springfield, Mass, recently,
A. G.. SpaldiDg, the foremost author
ity on the subject in the country,
spoke upon "The Origin and Early
History Of Base Ball" His talk con-
tanned much heretofore unpublished
history, and is reproduced in part as
follows:
"Whiie there is more or less Of a
family resemblance in all games Of
ball, I consider base ball quite as
much American il it's origin, develop
ment and evolution as cricket is Of
English origin, both being recognized
as the national games in their respec
tive countries. Some authorities
claim that oase ball came from the
old English Juvenile game Of 'roun-
ders, but am decidedly of the opin-
ion that it was a national evolution
from the old Colonial game of onc
old cat. 'One old cat, was played
by three boys-a thrower, q catcher
ond batsman. The latter, after strik-
ing the ball, ran to goal about 30
feet distant, and, by returning to
the batsman's position without being
put out, counted one run or tally. {"
"New York city may properly be
called the home of base ball, for it was
FIRST played in that city in 1842, but
in desultory sort of way, and with
out any organization or printed play
ing rules. In 1916 the first base ball
club was organized in New York city,
known as the Knickerbockers and
this club formulated and published
the first rules Of the game in that year.
Five years later the Gotham Club, Of
New York, was organized. and l., 1914
the Eagles and Empires, of New York,
came into the game, and matches be-
tween these clubs were played on the
Elysian Fields of Hoboken, N. j.,
and attracted considerable public in
interest. The Knickerbocker Club
continued to make rules of the game
until 1857, when a convention Of ball
players was held in New York city,
which resulted in the permanent or
ganization, in 1858, Of the National
Association Of Base ball Players, con.
sisting of twenty-five charter club
members, oil from New York city and
Immediate vicinity. This association
made the playing rules and governed
the game until 1871, when the first
National Association Of professional
base ball players was organised, aud
since that time the professional ele-
ment has formulated the playing rules
and governed the game.
Base ball clubs continued to mul.
tiply quite rapidly from the .organi-
cation Of the National Amateur Asso.
citation, in 1858, to the breaking out
Of the Civil war, in 1861, but the
game up to this time was confined al
most entirely to New York city and
immediate vicinity. The New York
soldiers introduced their now base
ball game into the army, and it soon
became favorite camp pastime in
both armies. While those two mag
niicent armies OF the North and South
could not agree upon national policies
Of government, both could agree on
base ball, and at the close OF the war
the soldiers Of both srmiss carried tho
game to'every town and hamlet in the
United States, and in 1866 base
ball became furor throughout the
country. So it will be seen that base
ball has its patriotic side, and was
one Of the direct results of the Civil
war, and the game can date its birth
as the national game Of the United
States from that war.
II am indebted for my fret &C.
quaintsnce with base ball to dis
sabled Illinois soldier returning from
: the war in 1868, when, as lad of 13,
/ listened to his account Of base ball
as played in the camp, and under this
old soldiers coaching I became mem
Der of boys club in Rockford, ILL.,,
which I believe was one Of the frat
base ball clubs organized in the West.
From 1865 to 1875 base ball clubs
srrang up everywhere, and the rivalry
between cities became intense. The
National Club Of Washington was the
first Eastern club to make an extend
ed trip through the West, in 1867,
and met with one defeat, and that at
the hands Of the Rockford Club, Of
which I had the honor to be the pitch
y er. The result Of this game was the