MARYLAND STATE BASE BALL CONVENTION

The formation of the Maryland State Base Ball Convention was naturally sparked in Baltimore. In December 1866 the NABBP met. Three of the strongest city clubs joined: Pastimes; Marylands; Enterprise. With over 200 clubs represented at the meeting, it was easy to see that the sport was exploding. The Baltimore men wanted a state collection that promoted the welfare of the sport in Maryland that matched the enthusiasm and organization seen in New York.

They also met “for the purpose of adopting a uniform system of rules for the government of the game,”[i] that is, instilling the New York rules. Thus, games could be played in every corner of the state under a common understanding of rules and decorum.

These three Baltimore clubs along with George Gratton, a New Yorker, formulated and carried out the statewide initiative.[ii] They met at Gratton’s store on January 14, 1867 to discuss plans for the new organization. On February 20, over thirty Maryland clubs met at Sanderson’s Opera House on North Gay Street. They included:

• Active of Baltimore
• Alert of Cumberland
• Allegheny of Cumberland
• Antietam of Cumberland
• Annapolis of Annapolis
• Associate of Baltimore
• Arctic of Baltimore
• Calvert of Baltimore
• Carroll of Uniontown
• Chesapeake of West River
• Chesterfield of Queen Anne County
• Church Hill of Carroll County
• Continental of Carroll County
• Dorchester of Milton
• Enterprise of Baltimore[iii]
• Excelsior of Frederick
• Excelsior of Sudlersville
• Friendship of Anne Arundel County
• Independent of West River
• Maryland of Baltimore
• Mechanics of Frederick
• Mountain City of Frederick
• Mount Washington of Baltimore County
• Monumental of Baltimore
• Mutual of Baltimore
• Nameless of Frederick
• Olympian of West River
• Patapsco of Westminster
• Pastime of Baltimore
• Recreation of Millersville
• Severn of Annapolis
• South River of Davidsonville
• Star of Friendship of Anne Arundel County
• Towson of Towsontown
• United of West River

Al Reach and a Philadelphia reporter were honored guests at the meeting. A constitution and bylaws were adopted and officers named: William Griffith, president; F.L. Griffith of Anne Arundel County, first vice president; J.H. Keedy of Hagerstown, second vice president; W.P. Vaughan of Baltimore, recording secretary; Gratton, corresponding secretary; T.R. Bayly of Baltimore, treasurer.

The MSBBC met again on October 16 at the same location. As so often happened during club meetings, new officers were elected. More importantly, ten new clubs were added to the roster:

• Claybourne of St. Michael’s
• Dexter of Baltimore County
• Eureka of Baltimore
• Govans of Govanstown
• Havre de Grace of Havre de Grace
• Kent Island of Kent Island
• Lake of Baltimore County
• Oakland of West River
• Paragon of Baltimore
• Prince George of prince George County

Many of the MSBBC clubs joined the NABBP in 1868. The convention would meet again on October 21, 1868.

FRANK SELLMAN

Charles Francis Sellman was born on January 21, 1851[iv] in Baltimore to James C. and Mary, nee Fonerden, Sellman. James was a merchant. Charles was known as Frank from his early childhood.[v] By 1867, he was playing with the first nine of the Pastime club. Two years later, he joined the Maryland club, a team which had recently declared its intent to field a professional nine.

In 1871, Sellman ended up with the Fort Wayne club with several other members of the Maryland team. In all, he appeared in 37 games in the National Association over each of its five seasons, playing for a different club each year mainly at catcher and third base. Between these stints, he played ball locally in Baltimore. For example, he also played for the Pastimes in 1871.

Throughout his time in professional ball, Sellman played under the name “Frank C. Williams.” It was no secret in baseball circles that he was playing under an assumed name, suggesting that it may have been done for personal/family reasons. An interesting box score appeared in the Brooklyn Eagle on August 4, 1870. It shows Williams and Livingston listed in quotes, which demonstrates that even New York writers knew that Sellman was playing under an alias.

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[i] Baltimore Sun, 8 February 1867, page 1

[ii] This is clear in two classified ads published prior to the first Maryland State Base Ball Convention, Baltimore Sun 14 January 1867, page 1 and 30 January 1867, page 2

[iii] A box score from 1867 lists the Enterprise nine as: Gorman; Welsh; Ofley; Wachtel; Houghey; Goldsmith; Taylor; Braden; Gould.

[iv] Familysearch.com

[v] Per the 1860 U.S. Census

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