The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-01
BELIEVE BASEBALL
ASNATIONAL SPORT
DUE TO GOLD RUSH
BY RoBT. A. DONALDSON
UNITED Press staff correspondent)


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. The
spread of baseball as a national pas
time probably is due to the California
gold rush of 1S49
This is the belief of number of fol-
lowers of the sport, who have recent
ly been digging into the life and career
of Alexander Joy Cartwright, the faith
er of organized baseball.
Cartwright, who was born in New
York City in 1920, drew up the first
set Of rrles' and organized the first
baseball club, the New York Enicker-
bockers, which played the first game
of organized baseball on June 10, 1886,
at Elysian Fields, in Hoboken. The
Knickerboekers- had been organized
year when the first game was played
against temporary club styling them
selves the New York Club
The game in those days went to the
first team obtaining 81 aces" The
final score of the initial game was %
to in favor of the New York Club"
Cartwright spent the first 81 years
of his life in New York, where he was
first employed in brokers' office, and
later in a bank. He was member OF
sporting club which played form of
baseball known as FOUNDERS or Vari-
ously as oneold-cat, two-old-cat, and
townball, on a spot near where Madi-
son Square Garden now stands. The
growth of the city drove them to Muir
ray Heights and later crowded them
from there in 1915. 1t was then that
Cartwright called a meeting of young
men to consider hiring playing field.
A committee was formed, and instruct
ed Cartwright to draw up set of rules
for the game. A few days later, under
his direction the Kniekerbocker team
was formed. Elysian Fields was Sc
leeted as playing ground.
On those grounds Cartwright drew
a diamond on the dust, and explained
the game he had formulated from the
old game of FOUNDERS.
Taught the Game Enroute.
Early in 1S49 the gold rush to Cali
fornia started. and Cartwright heard
the call. On March 1. 1849, he joined
a party of adventures who were
crossing the plains. They proceeded
to Pittsburg, where during stay
while supplies were bought, he taught
the game of baseball to the young
men Of the town 1t was an imme-
date success. During stops at St.
Louis and Independence, Mo, he also
introduced the game.
At Boundary, just before starting on
the long journey across plains and
mountains, he wrote in his diary:
April 2S-During the past week we
have passed the time in finishing the
wagon covers, slowing away property,
varied by hunting. fishing, swimming
and playing baseball. / have the ball
l. - hot nd
in forming the Knickerbocker club
back home"
He carried the ball and the book of
rules with him all the way on the
long journey. When he arrived al
Fort Suffer, where Sacramento, Calf.
now stands, on July 4. he wrote in his
diary.
"AIl have is the clothes am wear
ing, my journal, the original baseball,
the book of baseball rules, my rifle
and ammunition"
He found time to introduce the game
both at Fort Suffer and San Francisco.
Honolulu Plays.
During the trip he had suffered
great privation, and was sick for
time. In San Francisco a physician
advised him to go to the Sandwich
islands for his health. SO, on Aug.
II. 1919, he sailed for Honolulu, where
he arrived, still Carrying his baseball
and book of rules. He introduced the
game in the Hawaiian islands
In 1853 he returned to San Francis
co, where he met his wife and chill
dren, who had come around the Horn
and returned to Honolulu to settle per
manently. He entered business fol
himself as a whaler's agent, and re
NAMED in the islands until he died IN
1892.
His grave is in the Nuuanu cemetery
there. It is marked by a small monu
ment. His grandson is still a resident
of that city. Lovers of the national
sport in the islands are now consider
ing some appropriate monument to the
father of the national game, to be
erected at his final resting place.
Sport historians believe that Cart
wrieht's trip across the continent, anc
his introduction of the game in cities
from Atlantic to Pacific, and even mid
Pacific, has done much to give the
game the national character it has to