The Washington herald., 1909-04-25
FIRST COLLEGE
BASEBALL GAME
Amherst Beat Williams Fifty
Years Ago,
THE DETAILS ARE ABUSING
Amherst Boys Wore Blue Ribbons,
While Opponents Only Attempt at
Uniform Proved TO Be Belts. on
Which College Name Was In
scribed-Score Is 7s TO %.

-fDN t-o-~ Lltc @JiltSe season llds dStii
opened. II is interesting 10 know thai
fhis year IS the 6ftieth anniversary Of
the beginning Of intercollegiate baseball
What were the conditions under which
il was started and how was It receive,
by the public? Extracts from old news
papers dated July /. 1853. answer these
questions and give an amusing account o.
the first game Of intercollegiate baseball
which vas ever played This took place
between Amherst and Williams, at Pitts
6eld. on July l, 1859. and vas woH by
Amherst by a score Of 73 TO g. There
are now hanging in Amherst College tro-
ply room the two balls which were used
gin this game. which bear the following
inscription: The veritable balls used IN
the first game OF intercollegiate baseball
ever played. July ], 1853. amherst vs. VII
liams. won By Amherst
This Is how il came about At a
meeting Of the college directly after
morning prayers, at which Mr. Smead. OF
the senior class. presided. Mr. Chahin
made a molten that Amherst challenge
Williams TO a friendly game Of ball to
be played al some intermediate spot on
OF before July f." which was passed by
a strong majority. A committee was
appointed Of John 7. Clahln. senior class;
Walker, junior class; H D. Hyde. sopho-
more. and T TOmson. freshman. to make
arrangements for the game A challenge
was Immediately sent and accepted for
thirteen picked men OF each college TO
meet on July =.
To Draw Up Rules.
\ delegation from Williams was to meet
that from Amherst at Chester Factories.
and draw up rules and regulations for
the game. Mr.. Hyde. Of Amherst. met
the two Williams delegates. but nothing
was agreed on. on Mr.. Hyde's return ne
gotiations were carried on by mail fo<
two weeks. until al last it was amicsbly
settled that each party should use its cwn
ball. and il must always be caught on
me ny, Sixty-hve runs 10 be the limit
Of the game The Pittsfeld baseball club
offered its grounds for the game. and
July was appointed as Che date
There was but one drawback 10 the
game All Williams College was 20 be
presenb including the faculty. while Am
herst allowed only the players 20 go.
Il is interesting 20 note the manner OF
selecting the team for this game. The men
were chosen by ballots from the students
at large There was no long period
Of daily practice and no elimination from
the squad at various times.
On Thursday afternoon Amherst's sew
enteen picked men started for Pittsheid.
SO
Tie. soon the Williams boys began pour
inC into town until II seemed as If VIII
Jams must be deserted. Old men and
Vcmea, young men and maidens. propri-
etors Of female schools with their pupils.
The great square Of the ball ground was
surrounded five or six deep.
The appearance Of the teams on the
field must have been very amusing, al
though there was some attempt al uni
formitv OF dress. as "the Williams team
were al dressed alike and wore belts
marked Williams. but the appearance Of
the Amherst team was decidedly undress
The only attempt al a Uniform was the
blue ribbon which each man had pinned
or his breast"
Il seems that The question OF profes-
sicnalism entered even into the first
herst thrower was the professional black
smith, who had been hired for the Occa-
SION" A bystan6er remarked that the
story must be true, as nobody but
blacksmith could possibly throw for three
and a half hours as he did
The Amherst ball weighed two au9 one
half ounces and was about six inches in
circumference It was made by Henry
IEebard, OF North Brookfeld, and was
considered work Of art at the time
The Williams ball was about seven
inches in circumference. weighed about
two ounces. and was covered with light
cosored leather, so as 10 make il difiCult
10 see by the batters.' 80
Get an Early start.
Before i o'clock the game was started.
with Amherst having the first inning.
and at the end OF the second round the
score stood Amherst ]. Williams Q. This
success called out from the Williams stu
dents a long universal clapping and
when any one Of the comrades
gained a tally. Amherst grew desperate
and al the end Of the third round stood
even. At the end OF the fourth Amherst
leo. and continued 10 DO so until the end
OF the game. sometimes having three tai
,ies 20 one for Williams.
After four hours OF steady PLAYING. in
which twenty-six rounds had been play
ed with no intermissiOn and with unabat- /
Cd interest on the part Of the spectators.
the game was decided finished and Am
herst was declared the winner By the
score Of 7S 10 g.