Posts Tagged ‘baseball history’

 

September 3, 1869

In Philadelphia – Olympics of Philadelphia versus the Pythians of Philadelphia

Milwaukee Sentinel 9/4/1869

Wilkes Spirit of the Times (New York)  9/1869

The game was played at the Olympics park at 25th and Jefferson Streets. The Olympics were the city’s oldest club – dating back to 1832 – orginally a Town Ball club.

Col. Thomas Fitzgerald was an editor for the Philadelphia City Item and a former president of the Athletics of Philadelphia. He first tried to schedule a Pythians v. Athletics game but the latter wasn’t interested.

A white team called the City Items of Philadelphia played the Pythians in Philly on September 16 with the Pythians winning 27-17 (at the Athletics ground). The City Items were obviously Fitzgerald’s club, a mediocre one. Three of his sons helped fill out the roster.

Octavius Catto played second base and shortstop for the Pythians. On the Olympics – Harry C. Schafer at 3B.

In October, the Olympics defeated the Alerts of Philadelphia, a black club, 56-4. The Olympics were 5-10 in NABBP competition in 1869.

 

 

Adoption of the New York Game, Baseball History

A modest summary of Chapter 3 of Peter Morris’ But Didn’t We Have Fun?: 

The New York game was almost exclusively confined to the New York area as late as 1858. It swept throughout the nation by the end of 1861. How and Why? 

Of course, the nation was already playing and intimately familiar with bat and ball games; hence, the introduction of the game of base ball wasn’t anything strikingly new. 

REASONS FOR THE SPREAD OF THE NEW YORK VERSION

A) The Knickerbocker rules were initially published dailies beginning in December 1856. Thus, the guidelines and subsequent modifications could be readily attained and reviewed by interested localities throughout the nation. Morris shows that in at least one city – Detroit – this is the method in which base ball was first undertaken. 

Newspapers also permitted one community to follow and judge their sports, its practices and competition and competitive talent across the nation, sweeping from east to west. 

B) In addition to the print media, the push for the new game – often called the ‘regulation game’ because of its formalized rule structure – usually occurred because someone stood up and coaxed (and instructed) others to try it. 

Who were they? 

Initially: 

1) Displaced New York and New Jersey residents (or those who may have spent some time there) who were familiar with the game. 

2) College youths who played the New York version at school and then returned home or relocated, thus, fanning out across the nation. 

Eventually: 

3) Any American who moved for personal, military or business reasons throughout the nation. This became much more common with the building of the transcontinental railroad system which reached as far west as San Francisco in 1858. 

What is surprisingly missing in Morris’ analysis is the traditional belief in the value of the Civil War in the quick adoption of the game. To this, he points out the fact that the transition had already taken place for the most part before the first shots of the war in 1861. 

The Civil War, in fact, did have some effect in much the same way as 1, 2 and 3 above; however, its effect just wasn’t in the pivotal first era of the game’s adoption which tradition has led us to believe. 

ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE RULES OF THE NEW YORK VERSION 

The attractiveness of the rules and structure of the Knickerbocker game and their auxiliary benefits hastened the adoption of base ball in communities far and wide. 

A) The formal structure of base ball, with its set rules and regulations, made it more acceptable for men to play this traditional children’s game. (As some might say in another of our forums, it’s all about the male ego) 

B) The elimination of soaking – throwing the ball at a runner – was in and of itself attractive. (The less black and blue, the better the game will do) 

C) Additionally, the elimination of soaking permitted the use of a firmer ball which as we know travels farther. (Chicks dig the long ball). Men also like the long ball and their own prowess of hitting it. 

In relation to (A) above, a firmer ball requires more skill, consequently displaying base ball as an acceptable manly endeavor. The softer ball (of the soaking era) showed the game to be more of a school yard hunt and chase with everyone running about in a small area (due to the fact that a softer ball doesn’t travel as far). 

D) The inconsequential nature of the foul ball in base ball enabled play to take place on a smaller field (which is obviously easier to come by). 

E) Base ball broke from cricket and its parliamentary nature and its obvious English feel. 

ADVANTAGES OF FORMALIZED RULES 

A) Formalized rules cut down on pre-game hashing out of rules and other issues which could be tiresome and lends itself to bickering and confusion. 

B) Obviously, preset, formalized rules and regulations facilitate play between two clubs and, in the big picture, between differing communities that would otherwise play a vastly different game. In essence, formal rules eliminate much of the confusion and arguments that would typically hamper competition between clubs – especially between clubs from differing communities. 

C) Much of the country lacked a formalized, engrained ball game (outside the English cricket) outside Massachusetts (the Massachusetts game) and strong townball cities like Philadelphia, Cincinnati and St. Louis. Regional variants (and there could be a lot of them) prevailed in other areas; however, these games prohibit an area from identifying (thus relating and judging) their talents via competition against outlying others. How could Cincinnati and New York compare/contrast themselves and compete on an even ground? 

Here is where the Civil War comes into play. Each community consisted of men who were adherents of their regional style of play – some that even formed and adhered to formal, established clubs and associations. The Civil War – as war does – pulls men from their community. This leaves a gap for others to fill. Without this patriarchal adherence to the traditional style of play, a new game – the regulation game – can grab a foothold. 

Thus, the war led to the virtual extinction of previous formed associations. The New York version was the replacement. By the end of the war every major urban center had made the transition for good. It would soon overtake the rural areas, Connecticut and the South.

 

Night Baseball

Night baseball is not a new idea.  Games had been played under artificial lights since September 2, 1880, at Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts, a scant year after Thomas Edison invented the incandescent lamp.

Various Negro league, minor league and college teams all predate the majors, using a crude lighting system to attract after-work crowds. Al Spalding installed lights at Chicago’s Lakefront Park in 1883 but no National League contests were played under the stars.

Likewise, the Brooklyn Federal League franchise installed light towers at Washington Park for the upcoming 1916 season, but the league folded prior to Opening Day

Eventually, night baseball became a staple in the industry, but not right away.  It had its detractors including the crabby Landis and Phillip Wrigley who fought it until his death.

It is obvious today that night games would draw a larger crowd.  After a while, it was obvious then, too.  Sentiment prevented many from jumping on the bandwagon.  Eventually, all benefited.  The following parks installed lights:

1935 Cincinnati - Crosley Field

1938 Brooklyn - Ebbets Field

1939 Philadelphia - Shibe Park (Both the A’s and Phillies)

Cleveland - Municipal Stadium

Chicago - Comiskey Park

1940 New York - Polo Grounds

St. Louis - Sportsman’s Park (Both the Browns and Cardinals)

Pittsburgh - Forbes Field

1941 Washington - Griffith Park

The remaining franchises had to delay night baseball until after the war. 

The first major league regular season night game took place on June 15, 1935 in Cincinnati and drew a healthy 20,422 fans.  Innovator Larry MacPhail brought the lights to the majors.  He is also responsible for the second team, Dodgers, to host evening ball. 

Connie Mack initiated the first night game in the American League on May 16, 1939 with 15,109 spectators in attendance.

The first night World Series game did not take place until the fourth game in 1971.  It was so successful that Bowie Kuhn ordered all weekday World Series games to be played at night the following year.

 

The New York Yankees and the Kansas City A’s had an unusual partnership.

Through their American Association farm club, the Yankees owned the rights to the Kansas City territory prior to the A’s shifting there from Philadelphia in 1955. As such, the A’s were required to indemnify the Yankees for their departure from the city. Graciously, the Yankees eventually waived these payments.

The A’s new owner Arnold Johnson was an executive for the company that owned the Yankees’ American Association ballpark and their major league park, Yankee Stadium. Johnson coveted the close relationship he had with Yankee owners Del Webb and Dan Topping.

This translated into a questionable bond and trading relationship between two major league clubs. It wasn’t unprecedented in baseball history, though; Yankee owners tapped another of their buddies, Harry Frazee, for talent after the First World War.

Prior to that, a method known as ’syndicate ball’ – combining the best players off two rosters – built the first dynasty of the 20th century, the Pirates, and other pennant winners.

During the A’s first five seasons in Kansas City, Johnson made sixteen trades with the Yankees which netted the Yankees – aka the ‘parent club’ - Ryne Duren, Roger Maris, Bobby Shantz, Ralph Terry and Clete Boyer, among others.

Boyer’s case was a little unusual in that it was going to require a bonus to sign the young ballplayer. Under Major League Baseball rules during that time Boyer would have to spend two seasons on a major league roster.

The Yankees, as perennial pennant contenders, couldn’t waste a roster spot on an unseasoned player. Harsher criticism, fueled by the seemingly improper relationship between the A’s and Yankees, suggests that an agreement was made with Kansas City in 1955 wherein the Yankees would pickup the tab for Boyer and he would gain major league experience in K.C. In effect, this made Boyer the Yankees’ property but a member of the KC A’s. As if on cue, when New York felt Boyer was ready, he was sent to the Yankees in June 1957.

World War II created a manpower shortage for the major leagues. Some older ballplayers stayed longer than they should have and others were brought back. On the other end of the spectrum, some of the youngest men in baseball hisotry made their debuts during the war.

The following players were brought up at a young age to help fill the depleted rosters:

Joe Nuxhall, 15 years old

Carl Scheib, 16 years old

Tommy Brown, 16 years old

Putsy Caballero, 16 years old

Rogers McKee, 16 years old

Eddie Yost, 17 years old

Granny Hamner, 17 years old

Eddie Miksis, 17 years old

Erv Palica, 17 years old

Cass Michaels, 17 years old

Charlie Osgood, 17 years old

Art Houtteman, 17 years old

Roy Jarvis, 17 years old

Gene Patton, 17 years old

Chris Haughey, one game on his 18^th birthday

Marvin Price was barely fourteen when he made his debut with the Chicago American Giants of the Negro American League in 1946.  The first baseman eventually found his way into the Baltimore Orioles organization.

For decades now, many have thought that Sandy Nava, the first Mexican-American player in major league baseball history, was in his thirties when he joined the major leagues in 1882, as the enclopedias have listed his birth date as April 12, 1850.

Nava was born Vincente Simental. Here he is in the 1860 US Census living in San Francisco.

Ancestry.com, California, SF District #2, page 198 of 253, line 12

He’s living with his mother Josefa and brother Octivano. Though the family name seems to say Simentas, it was Simental. Note that Vincente is 3/12 years old or 3 months. The Census information was inputted in July 1860.

Also, notice the family above, also from Mexico. Their family name seems to be close to “Nava,” the name that Vincent or “Sandy” adopted upon joining the Providence Grays.

A couple of baseball history bad raps have been dished out on the TV series Law & Order and its off-shoots.

First, the District Attorney played by Fred Thompson stated that Bob Gibson was well known to doctor the ball. The writers must have confused Gibson with Whitey Ford or others of the same era.

Second, on Law & Order Criminal Intent, Vincent D’Onofrio mentioned that he saw Willie Mays one time and he seemed to be a pretty unhappy guy. Seems Mays was also being confused with other men in baseball history who were more politically active on the race issue – like Hank Aaron or Frank Robinson.