The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-24
ORIGIN OF BASEBALL.
The Old Colonial Game Of One Old
Cat and Its Development.

Nineteen hundred and five completes
the sixtieth year of the life of baseball,
for it dates its birth from the organiza-
ton of the original Knickerbocker Base
ball club Of New York city, September
IS, 1915, at which time the first playing
rules Of the game were formulated and
published by that club.
There seems to be q conflict of opln-
ion as to the origin Of baseball. think
the game has arrived at an age and at
a point in its development when this
raooted question should be settled in
some comprehensive and authoritative
way and for an time.
Some authorities, notably Mr.. Henry
Chadwick, claim that baseball is of
English origin and was a direct de-
scendant Of the old English juvenile
pastirne called FOUNDERS while 9TH
ers claim that it was entirely Of Anneri-
can origin and had nothing whatever to
do with Founders or any other foreign
game
While I concede that Mr.. Chadwick's
Rounder theory is entitled to much
weight because of his long connection
with baseball and the magnificent work
he has done in the upbuilding Of the
game for upward of SO years, yet am
unwilling longer to accept his Rounder
theory without something more con-
vincing than his oft-repeated assertion
that baseball did originate from
FOUNDERS
For the purpose of settling this ques-
ton [ hereby challenge the Grand Old
Man of Base Ball to produce his proofs
and demonstrate in some tangible way,
If he can, that our national game de-
rived its origin from FOUNDERS.
Mr.. Chadwick who, by the way, is of
English birth, and was probably rocked
in a "Rounders'' cradle, says, in support
of his theory, that there is but one field
game now in vogue on this continent
which is strictly American in its origin,
fa old Indian of
Lacrosse, now known as the Canadian
national game. Baseball originated
from the old English schoolboy game of
FOUNDERS, as plainly shown by the fact
that the basic principle of both games
is the field use of a bat, ball and
bases.
I have been fed on this kind of 'Roun-
der pap" for upward Of forty years, and
I refuse to swallow any more of it with
out some substantial proof sauce with
it.
In 1874 I visited England with the
Boston and Philadelphia. Athletic Base
ball clubs and while these clubs were
playing exhibition games before English
audiences it was not uncommon to hear
expressions like this: WHY it's Moth
ing but our old game of Founders that
we used to play with the gals when we
were byes."
Again, during our baseball trip around
the world in 1889 we heard similar ex-
pressions in the English colonies of New
/ Zealand, Australia, India and in Great
Britain I made many inquiries of many
people about this game of FOUNDERS
/ but never could get a very intelligent
1 explanation Of it and seldom could find
anyone that would admit that they had
ever played the game
/ After I had seen and played in a
game of FOUNDERS I could quite IN
derstand why it had been so difficult
/ to find anybody that would admit that
they had ever played FOUNDERS, and
for q good deal of the same reason
1 that a grownup man might be IN
willing to admit that he had ever
/ played Drop the Handkerchief, ,"
! ''Copenhage %Ring Around the
Rosy or any other Of FOUNDERS sis
ter pastmes-
1t come about in this way: When
our acknowledgements baseball party
arrived in England in 1889 we were
again tainted with the similarity of
our game to FOUNDERS, generally
/ spoken in derision and intended to be-
little baseball. and finally becoming
/ desperate 1 issued a public challenge
in behalf of our Chicago and All
American baseball teams to play a
match game of FOUNDERS with any
Rounder club in Great Britain if there
really was such a. club or such a game
This challenge was accepted, and a
game of FOUNDERS was arranged and
played in Liverpool in March, 1889,
between the Champion Rounder club
of England and q picked team Of our
American Base Ballers as they
called US. I was the feeder" for our
team Of eleven men
A one inning Rounder- match 1.-TWO
innings constitute a full game). to be