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The Rise of America’s National Game

The Rise of America’s National Game. 19 th Century Baseball. Three Stages: Bat-and-ball games played by boys The club-based (fraternal game) Commercial Spectator Sport National League was formed in 1876- Baseball became a business.

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The Rise of America’s National Game

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  1. The Rise of America’s National Game

  2. 19th Century Baseball • Three Stages: • Bat-and-ball games played by boys • The club-based (fraternal game) • Commercial Spectator Sport • National League was formed in 1876- Baseball became a business.

  3. 1845- New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club was formed. Influenced by Alexander Cartwright. • Knickerbocker- Descendants from Dutch settlers who wore funny looking pants.

  4. Early Baseball • Played on a diamond-shaped infield. • Three strike rule • No umpires to call balls and strikes • Umpires sat at a table along the first base line, acquiring more responsibility. • Fielders wore no gloves • Pitchers got a running start and threw the ball underhanded from 45 feet.

  5. Competitions • Winning team received the game ball • Outcome inscribed on the ball and put in the club’s trophy case. • Home club frequently provided the visitors with a gala dinner.

  6. Henry Chadwick • Known as father Chadwick • Edited baseball’s first annual guidebook • Invented the box score and batting averages

  7. America’s National Pastime • Mid-1850s was being called “the national game” • Baseball Club Names: Young America, Union, Eagle, American and National.

  8. Compatible with Victorian values??? • Encourage manliness/ Self control. • According to the Brooklyn Eagle, baseball kept youngsters “out of a great deal of mischief… (Baseball) keeps them from hanging around fire engine houses, stables and taverns.

  9. Beginning of Professional base ball playing • William H. Cammeyer, built a fence around some land that he owned and charged admission to spectators. • Teams: • Played more games • Practice more • Hand long summer tours • Recruited athletes (Some even got paid)

  10. “Cranks” or Kranks • Fanatics who cheered , heckled umpires and opposing players and even rioted at times.

  11. Respectability of the Game • Tainted by gambling and game dumping. • Fans felt that some games were fixed. • On several occasions, bettors even mobbed playing fields to prevent the competition of games in which they stood to lose money.

  12. Cincinnati Red Stocking • Nation’s first publicly announced, all-salaried team. • 1869- Record was 58-0-1

  13. President Ulysses S. Grant welcomed the team to Washington D.C. • Grant had a horse named Cincinnati. • In September of 1869 the Reds crossed the U.S. by railroads to play games in California.

  14. The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (1871-1875) was baseball’s first professional league. • This league was not very professional. • $10.00 entry fee to compete for championship • Teams scheduled own matches • Players free to move from one team to the next after each season

  15. The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs • Founded by William A. Hulbert and Albert Spalding. • Teams could only be owned by join-stock companies of cities of 75,000 or more residents.

  16. Seeking approval from Victorians • Clubs wishing to join the league: • Be approved by existing clubs • Ban Sunday games • Prohibit liquor sales in ball parks • Charge 50 cents admission fee

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