Full Description
By 1871, the popularity of baseball had spread so thoroughly across America that one writer observed, "It is as much our national game as cricket is that of the English." While major league teams and athletes that played after this prophetic statement was made have been exhaustively documented and analyzed, those that led the game during its pioneer phase from 1850 to 1870 have received relatively little attention. In this welcome work, leading historians of early baseball provide profiles of more than fifty clubs and their players, from legendary teams such as the Red Stockings of Cincinnati and the Nationals of Washington to forgotten nines like the Pecatonica (Illinois) Base Ball Club and the Morning Star Club of St. Louis. Engaging narratives bring these long-ago clubs back to life, stimulating more research on this fascinating era and creating a standard reference source for all who study America's national pastime.
Contents
Table of Contents
General Introduction: The Spread of Baseball in the 1860s (Peter Morris)
Timeline of the Pioneer Era (Robert Tholkes)
Note on Sources and Usage (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER ONE: CONNECTICUT AND MAINE E
Introduction (Richard Hershberger)
Pennesseewassees of Norway, Maine (Peter Morris)
Charter Oaks of Hartford, Connecticut (David Arcidiacono)
Quinnipiacks of West Meriden (Michael Bielawa)
Mansfields of Middletown (David Arcidiacono)
Bridgeport's 1866 Clubs (Michael Bielawa)
E CHAPTER TWO: UPSTATE NEW YORK E
Introduction (Richard Hershberger)
Hudson Rivers of Newburgh (Peter Morris)
Victory Base Ball Club of Troy (Peter Morris)
Unions of Lansingburgh (Troy "Haymakers") (Peter Morris)
Excelsiors of Albany (Peter Morris)
Utica Base Ball Club (Scott Fiesthumel)
Syracuse Base Ball Club (Peter Morris)
Central City Base Ball Club of Syracuse (Peter Morris)
Ontarios of Oswego (Peter Morris)
Flour City, Live Oak, Olympic, and Lone Star
Clubs of Rochester (Priscilla Astifan)
Niagaras of Buffalo, Prewar (Peter Morris)
Niagaras of Buffalo, Postwar (Peter Morris)
Cliftons of Buffalo (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER THREE: WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND EASTERN OHIO E
Introduction (Peter Morris)
Mountain Base Ball Club of Altoona (Peter Morris)
Allegheny Base Ball Club (Peter Morris)
Forest City Base Ball Club of Cleveland (Peter Morris)
Independents of Mansfield (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER FOUR: CINCINNATI AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Introduction (Peter Morris)
Live Oaks of Cincinnati (Greg Perkins)
Buckeyes of Cincinnati (David Ball)
Cincinnati Base Ball Club ("Red Stockings") (David Ball)
Western Unions of Cincinnati (Greg Perkins)
Eagles of Brooklyn, Kentucky (Greg Perkins)
Covington and Copec Clubs of Covington (Greg Perkins)
Holt Base Ball Club of Newport (Greg Perkins)
E CHAPTER FIVE: MICHIGAN E
Introduction (Peter Morris)
Franklins of Detroit (Peter Morris)
Detroit Base Ball Club (Peter Morris)
Early Risers of Detroit (Peter Morris)
Daybreaks of Jackson (Peter Morris)
Kent Base Ball Club of Grand Rapids (Peter Morris)
First Nationals of Hancock (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER SIX: INDIANA, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, IOWA AND MINNESOTA E
Introduction (Peter Morris)
Summit City Base Ball Club of Fort Wayne (Robert E. Gregory)
Excelsiors of Chicago, Prewar (Peter Morris)
Excelsiors of Chicago, Postwar (Peter Morris)
Byron (Illinois) Base Ball Club (Peter Morris)
Forest City Club of Rockford (Peter Morris)
Pecatonica Base Ball Club (Peter Morris)
Olympians of Beloit College (Fred Burwell)
Mutuals of Janesville (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER SEVEN: MARYLAND AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA E
Introduction (Peter Morris)
Excelsior/Pastime Base Ball Club of Baltimore (Peter Morris)
Marylands of Baltimore (Peter Morris)
Olympics of Washington (Peter Morris)
Nationals of Washington (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER EIGHT: ST. LOUIS E
Introduction ( Jeffrey Kittel)
Cyclones ( Jeffrey Kittel)
Morning Stars ( Jeffrey Kittel)
Unions ( Jeffrey Kittel)
Empires (Jeffrey Kittel)
E CHAPTER NINE: LOUISVILLE AND ATLANTA E
Introduction (William J. Ryczek)
Louisville Base Ball Club (Peter Morris)
Gate City Base Ball Club of Atlanta (Peter Morris)
E CHAPTER TEN: SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA E
Introduction (Angus Macfarlane)
Eagles of San Francisco (Angus Macfarlane)
Pacifics of San Francisco (Angus Macfarlane)
Cosmopolitans of San Francisco (Angus Macfarlane)
Wide Awakes of Oakland (Angus Macfarlane)
General Bibliography
About the Contributors
Index
