From the New York Sunday Mercury: Answers to Correspondents-“Of course a player can wear gloves if he likes. A half glove covering the palm of the hand and first joints of the fingers is excellent in saving the hand of the catcher and first baseman.”

ByThis Day in Baseball

From the New York Sunday Mercury: Answers to Correspondents-“Of course a player can wear gloves if he likes. A half glove covering the palm of the hand and first joints of the fingers is excellent in saving the hand of the catcher and first baseman.”

Forest City of Cleveland travels to Philadelphia‚ and while playing an exhibition game against the Experts of Philadelphia‚ their substitute C Elmer White‚ chasing a poorly thrown ball‚ runs into the fence and breaks his arm.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Forest City of Cleveland travels to Philadelphia‚ and while playing an exhibition game against the Experts of Philadelphia‚ their substitute C Elmer White‚ chasing a poorly thrown ball‚ runs into the fence and breaks his arm.

After 6 innings of play at Troy‚ NY‚ the ball becomes ripped. The umpire decides that it is unfit and calls for another. The Kekiongas‚ winning at the time 6-3‚ refuse to allow another ball to be used and refuse to continue to the game because of the reputation of the Haymakers using illegal balls in the past. The umpire (Isaac Leroy or Ed Tighe depending on the source), after five full minutes of ordering Fort Wayne back on the field, calls the game a 9–0 forfeit in favor of the Haymakers.

ByThis Day in Baseball

After 6 innings of play at Troy‚ NY‚ the ball becomes ripped. The umpire decides that it is unfit and calls for another. The Kekiongas‚ winning at the time 6-3‚ refuse to allow another ball to be used and refuse to continue to the game because of the reputation of the Haymakers using illegal balls in the past. The umpire (Isaac Leroy or Ed Tighe depending on the source), after five full minutes of ordering Fort Wayne back on the field, calls the game a 9–0 forfeit in favor of the Haymakers.

Former Civil War General Abner Doubleday purchases baseball implements for the amusement of the men and a Magic Lantern

Former Civil War General Abner Doubleday purchases baseball implements for the amusement of the men and a Magic Lantern

ByThis Day in Baseball

Former Civil War General Abner Doubleday‚ now a Colonel in command of the 24th U.S. Infantry’s “Colored Regiment”‚ Fort McKavett‚ TX addresses a request to General E.D. Townsend‚ Adjutant General‚ U.S. Army‚ Washington‚ D.C.: “I have the honor to apply for permission to purchase for the Regimental Library a few portraits of distinguished generals‚ Battle pictures‚ and some of Rogers groups of Statuary particularly those relative to the actions of the Colored population of the south. This being a colored regiment ornaments of this kind seem very appropriate. I would also like to purchase baseball implements for the amusement of the men and a Magic Lantern for the same purpose. The fund is ample and I think these expenditures would add to the happiness of the men.”

The eagerly awaited series opens between the White Stockings and the Mutuals before 10‚000 at the Union Grounds in Brooklyn. Five of the old Eckfords play for Chicago while 5 of last year’s Atlantics play for the Mutuals. Fielding decides the game‚ as Chicago makes 19 errors to 7 for the Mutuals. New York wins 8-5.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The eagerly awaited series opens between the White Stockings and the Mutuals before 10‚000 at the Union Grounds in Brooklyn. Five of the old Eckfords play for Chicago while 5 of last year’s Atlantics play for the Mutuals. Fielding decides the game‚ as Chicago makes 19 errors to 7 for the Mutuals. New York wins 8-5.

June 1 – Opening their National Association season, The Mutuals beat the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois 7-3 before 2,000 at Union Grounds in Brooklyn.

ByThis Day in Baseball

June 1 – Opening their National Association season, The Mutuals beat the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois 7-3 before 2,000 at Union Grounds in Brooklyn.

The heavily favored Mutuals are soundly defeated by the Haymakers of Troy‚ in Brooklyn‚ 25-10. Lipman Pike‚ the Troy 2B‚ collects 6 hits.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The heavily favored Mutuals are soundly defeated by the Haymakers of Troy‚ in Brooklyn‚ 25-10. Lipman Pike‚ the Troy 2B‚ collects 6 hits.

In Boston, Mort Rogers introduces a scorecard with a picture of Harry Wright on the front. Each Red Stockings home game would feature a different player so that spectators could collect them and have a full set of Boston’s players by season’s end. This marketing strategy would be used throughout the 19th century and would ultimately evolve into Tobacco cards and, eventually, Baseball cards.

ByThis Day in Baseball

In Boston, Mort Rogers introduces a scorecard with a picture of Harry Wright on the front. Each Red Stockings home game would feature a different player so that spectators could collect them and have a full set of Boston’s players by season’s end. This marketing strategy would be used throughout the 19th century and would ultimately evolve into Tobacco cards and, eventually, Baseball cards.

The first professional game ever played in Boston is played between the Red Stockings and the visiting Haymakers before 5‚000. Boston has Harry Wright playing SS in place of his injured brother George. George will miss half the games played by the Reds‚ severely hampering their pennant chances. Troy wins 29-14‚ making 24 hits to Boston’s 13. None are for four bases. The Boston Evening Journal notes the pivotal 7th inning: “The Haymakers now went to the bat‚ and by some heavy hitting‚ assisted materially by the fielding errors of the Bostons‚ scored eleven runs‚ but two or three being earned.”

ByThis Day in Baseball

The first professional game ever played in Boston is played between the Red Stockings and the visiting Haymakers before 5‚000. Boston has Harry Wright playing SS in place of his injured brother George. George will miss half the games played by the Reds‚ severely hampering their pennant chances. Troy wins 29-14‚ making 24 hits to Boston’s 13. None are for four bases. The Boston Evening Journal notes the pivotal 7th inning: “The Haymakers now went to the bat‚ and by some heavy hitting‚ assisted materially by the fielding errors of the Bostons‚ scored eleven runs‚ but two or three being earned.”