The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14
BAsEBALDs ORIGIN.
How MIR. Peek sustained Mr, Uhldvlck
Against Mr. spaldnT


To THE EDIroR or The SrN Sir. I Va,
highly amused on reading In THE srv the
very interesting article headed "Ar,hcoloey
OF Baseball, I'm which my old friend tps
worthy president OF the Metropolitan An.
letlo Association endeavors 20 bring into
public notice through tho columns nf m.
paper which shines for all the Coutroys,sr
in which I am now engaged with my ,outn.
full friend Albert @. Spading. now Of Cali.
fornia, relative 10 the origin Of our fully estsh-
llshed national game Of baseball Nv mn.
bernian friend, notice. very shrcvdly select,
The Sun as the vehicle Of his communicate
In order 70 obtain an Endorsement OF his story
from that paper. With characteristic VII
and humor and with the telling sarcasm ~
a Dean Swift, he tells a story full Of iuters,t
TO every veteran hall player In the land
His quotations from tho six PAGE artIc,.
I'm Spalding's Baseball Guide for 100. a hoo,
l have edited for the last twenty four veer.
on What l. the OrWnalOf Baseball written
by Mr.. Spalding, are however, somewhat uU.
lucky for his side OF the story. For Instance
he says: Even now they are hunting for one
Dickie Pearce" of the old Atlautlcs 10 testify
In their behalf. ] can inform the d.stn.
guish0d Commission" right now Just aboy,
what the once renowned shortstop would
tell them, and IN a short puraErtph too
Years ago I asked Dick PCarCc how II va
he became Il baseball player and Dca said
The way OF II was this. You remember our
old pitcher. not Matty O'Bripu. but tia al
Fat fellOW-l forget his name. bur he weighed
nearly 800 pounds Well he asked me one DAY
70 90 out 10 Bedford to see his club play hsi'
and, though / knew nothing OF ball ulayinS
IN those days, ] went with him 10 see 4 game
The held was next to the grounds of the Old
Long Island Cricket Club at Bedford toos
part IN the practise game. and when found
that the best fun Of II was the 'shy.ug' OF The
ball at the base runners 70 put them out by
q VIII Ia D. FFta hall la o
] at once took an interest In the game. and
finally Joined the club"
IL happens that the only attractive fe7tur.
ofthe FOUNDERS game is this very point of shy.
ing y the ball at the runners, which 20 iirkIal
Dick Pearce. fact, II vas NOT until tho ~
that the FOUNDERS point OF play 90 question
was eliminated from the rules Of The game.
as played al Hoboken from 1915 10 1851
Here Is an interesting fact which ! quote
from the Guide on tho subject which ia
pointer in tho same direction. The incident
In question happened last fall In Mr. SpaN.
inR's New York Office. where had chat with
my young friend Albert on the origin ~ our
American game. While We wcr" arguing
the veteran sport. Mr.. Andrew Peck nov
a wealthy real estate owner In Irooklyn-
dropped tn and Mr.. Shading asked, When
did YOU first play halls
'Ios. about 1877 Or lSis- Then Mr.. sroidirsS
asked him, What was the game called them
Why. ,rounders, said Mr.. PEGS We
f 60 l nPs heP bus99 3 v as 5 Sn49ng SAD
for2 was getting the best OF the old man
on his FOUNDERS theory"
But viii not longer occupy your va'ush's
space with more Of the urOof hold 70 sustain
my argument as regards the origin Of our
grand game Of ball, but will ait the action
Of the distinguished members OF Brother
SpaldinR's commission. when ] hope 10 meet
NY old friends Senators Rulkeley and Cor.
man and point ont TO them the errors OF Mr.
Spalding's views on the subject
BRooEtvN Nav -