Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York
From BR Bullpen
The Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York is the first organized baseball club (not including any teams that would have been created to play such things as Bat and Ball (referrence in 1796 William Winterbotham's work "An Historical View of the United States": "common in America before the Revolutionary War"), or Austen's "base-ball" (referrence in 1798 Jane Austen book Northanger Abbey: one of the main characters, a woman, is mentioned as playing cricket, base-ball, etc.)).
The club first started play in 1842 (playing in Manhattan), but it was not until 1845 when the club formally organized. Under the leadership of club president and committe chairman Dr. Daniel Lucius Adams, the Committee to Revise the Constitution and By-Laws created a set of 20 rules to govern the club. Instrumental in forming these rules was Alexander Cartwright.
The team practiced during 1845 in Hoboken, and on October 6, 1845 the club played a game with teams made up of club members. And then on June 19, 1846, the Knockerbocker Base Ball Club faced off against the New York Nine at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey. The New York Nine won 23-1 with Alexander Cartwright serving as umpire (with the power to fine players on the spot for swearing).
1859 Photo: Knicerkbocker Baseball Club and Excelsior Base Ball Club
[edit] Highlights
- 1842: Club informally orgainzed.
- 1845: Club formally organized. Alexander Cartwright joins the club.
- 1846: June 19, 1846: first game, lost to the New York Nine (score 23-1)
- 1849: the position of short-stop was created, and for the first time the Knickerbocker's wore uniforms. Alexander Cartwright leaves New York area.
- 1854: June: first game to go past 9 innings: Knickerbockers lose to Gothams 21-16 after 16 innings of play.
- 1856: base ball named National game (New York Clipper); baseball is the National Pastime (New York Mercury). Also in 1856: the bunt is "invented" by Dickey Pearce ("tricky hit").
- 1857: First league formed (National Association of Base Ball Players, includes Knicerbockers and 15 other New York City clubs, playing according to the original Knickerbocker rules plus additions).
- 1860: 62 clubs in the National Association of Base Ball Players (not to be confused with the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players formed in 1871).
- 1861: Civil War begins.
- 1862: Dr. Daniel Lucius Adams resigns as Knickerbockers president.
- 1868: 100 clubs in the National Association of Base Ball Players.
