Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1911-05-26

Alfred ]. Reach and Fifty Years OF Base
ball as a game and Business.

Through the courtesy of THE ZENITH,
a magazine published by the Marshall
Wells Hardware Co., of Duluth, Mimi
we are enabled to give our readers
very interesting account of the history
of the national lame, which was writ
ten expressly for that magazine by +.
Harvey Middleton:
When. away back in 1912, number
of sport-loving gentlemen gathered TO-
gether on the vacant ground upon
which in later years the Madison
Square Garden was to be erected, In
order 20 indulge in quiet game OF
baseball, they little thought that they
were destined to 90 down in history as
the pioneer players of a game that
would afterward enchant, delight and
amuse millions of people in this coun-
try, without regard of age, class or sex.
They little supposed their pastlme
would bring into existence a profession
providing the sole means OF livelihood
for thousands Of men, the recreation
and physical development of hundreds
of thousands, and business involving
the investment of countless millions OF
dollars for equipment and grounds.
No, they did not dream of any such
outcome to their Innocent enjoyment
of the game they played as boys In
meadow or vacant lot, and If you had
told them that in twenty years or so
all America would Oe working itself
into . frenzy over that same game, they
would probably have laughed at you.
Baseball was so little known at that
time that they had difficulty in finding
enough men to make up two teams,
and it was frequent experience for
PLAYERS to wait while one or two en-
thusiasts hustled among the curious
audience which always gathered to
watch their antics, to find volunteers
FOR all the petitions. And, caustic
sometimes were the comments of the
spectators who were shocked at seeing
grown men wasting their time upon
such frivolous amusement. Land
sakes alive, men, with whiskers, play
ing ball" old ladies would oXclaim in
dignantly.
True sports, however, they continued
to gather at least once a week at Mad
ison Square, and finally, in 1S45, at
the instance of Alexander Cartwright,
formed a team which they called The
Knickerbocker. Thus was formed the
first baseball club. In the twelve years
that passed between this time and the
call of the first convention of clubs,
baseball gradually worked its way into
favor in New York and Brooklyn, and
many smaller towns got into the field.
Then the fever began to spred, and fl
nallv in order that the matches might
he played between clubs of different
cities, it was proposed TO plan uniform
rules, and in 1857 the National Associa-
ton of Baseball Players was organized.
Right here lie where Alfred j. Reach
comes into our story,-a man who in
his youth was known as the highest
development of ball player, and who
atteaded that convention with a ban
dagsd finger which he had broken in
a strenuous game the day before; and as
hs took . prominent part in the forma-
tion of the rules out of which first class
baseball has grown, we may safely say
that he was one of the fathers of our
national game This veteran of 1857
was the greatest second baseman of his
dav He was one of the few left-han
aers who ever made a great reputation
- his position. Old time fans still
talk of the many wonderful plays he
,oade ON balls hit to the left of him.
Hs was very fast, and because of being
left handed, could scoop up ball to
Abe left of him, and snap it to first
rvbile on the run, without having to
slow up or turn around.
Soon after attending the convention
of ball players he went to Philadelphia
. star member Of the Athletic Club,