Evening star., 1940-05-12
Professional Busebun
Pioneers
BY Frederic J. Hasktn.

VAC 6o4AAC "a OdSCUdA Wy hUllCI A<OuUlSe
day and that action stimulated the
minds Of good many people interested
in sport and history in combination.
Local historians began looking around
in old records to find out what their
communities had done and 1t seems that
the Maryland Historical Association has
come forward with the best bit Of re-
one Of the best stories to tell.
Actually the American national pas
time goes farther back In time for It's
origins than mere century. The old
English game Of FOUNDERS was one Of Its
ancestors and also the North American
Indians had q hitting g-and-rrmning ball
game. But baseball as it Is known today
comes down from Doubleday and from
Alexander Cartright, who, 95 years ago,
framed the first rules rules which have
not been very materially altered since.
The New York Knickerbockers organ
lied the first baseball nine in Cartright's
time, but 1t was an amateur team and,
until after the Civil War, all baseball
clubs were composed of amateurs. At
the close of that struggle there were 81
such teams playing fairly regularly In
the United States.
The war over, men need something
else to occupy their minds, SO Cincin-
natl organized the first professional
baseball team, which was called the Red
Stockings. At this time Baltimore had
team known as the Baltimore Pastimes.
It was an amateur organization, but the
Cincinnati outfit had to play somebody,
so 1t came to Baltimore and, on June a.
1859, met the Monumental City team, by
this time known as the Marylands, and
won by q score of At tot.
This touched the pride Of Baltimore
and efforts were made to strengthen the
local team. The result was that Balti-
more entered upon baseball history
which remains particularly interesting
because today the city is notable for
being q million population community
which has no membership In either
major league. But in the past the city
was in the old American Association In
the 80s, in the National League in the
90s. in the American League in the
190Os and afterward in the short-lived
Federal League. During that brilliant
chapter Of baseball history Ned Hanlon's
Baltimore Orioles won three consecutive
pennants and Jack Dunn's Orioles won
seven consecutive International League
pennants.
The various Baltimore teams produced
three OF the greatest figures in all base
ball history-John McGraw, Willie Keel.
er and Babe Ruth, each player outstand-
ing in his particular role. A number Of
milestones in the game were marked by
the Baltimore teams. For example, In
October, 1884. Baltimore and Indianap-
oils played the first double-header in
professional baseball history and speak
ing of double-headers, in August, 1903,
Iron Man McGinnity pitched and won
three double -headers within the month,
a record which has never been excelled.
1t was in 1891 that John McGraw came
to Baltimore to play second base No one
knew what the future held for this play.
er. What was more important at the
time was that Harry Vanderhorst,
brewer who built the Union Park ball
grounds, imported Ned Hanlon from
Pittsburgh. He did an extraordinary
piece of team organization. He got
Hughie Jennings from Louisville, Joe
Kelly from Pittsburgh, Steve Brodie
from st, Louis and Dan Brouthers and
Willie Keeler from Brooklyn.
The Giants were In last place when
young McGraw took charge and In four
years he won the pennant. As this
comes down to what is practically cur
rent history, fresh in the minds of most
baseball fans nothing further need be
said about Muggsy McGraw. but the
Maryland Historical Association has no
little pride in the realization that it was
Baltimore which set him on the path
way to fame.
There was deal Of politics in profess
sional baseball in those early days as
there is now. For example, Harry Gold
man, prosperous Baltimore fan, at one
time sent McGraw to see a Cincinnati
newspaper man named Ban johnson to
talk about the formation Of q new base
ball league. There had been a Western
Baseball Association, a rather loosely
knit affair. The persuasion Of Harry
Goldman and, Of course, McGraw re-
suited in enlisting the enthusiasm Of
Ban johnson and thus was born the
American League-largely Baltimore's
doing. It was Goldman who induced
Connie Mack to enter the American
League.
So it is a curious commentary that
later, at a business meeting In New
York. McGraw was not even invited to
attend, although in the same hotel at
the time, and that Ban johnson gave
the Baltimore Orioles franchise to an
upstart New York crowd called the
Yankees!
The Maryland Historical Association
usually concerns itself largely with such
profound matters as the affairs Of the
signers Of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. Maryland Colonial history and all
the wealth Of fascinating Free State lore,
but, when challenge is apparent, It
does not hesitate to arise and invite at
tention to . Maryland outfit which wrote
imperishable baseball history-the Balti-
more Orioles.
Keep Ne Remembering
(To MY Mother.)
never knew the love you gave, the