The Knickerbockers Base Ball Club of New York were the first
organized baseball team and the founding members of the National
Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) in the late 1850s.
At
a glance...
NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS
Club
Facts
Established
September
23, 1845
Disbanded
1882
Located
New
York
Uniform
Blue
woolen pantaloons, a white
flannel shirt, and straw hats. (1849)
Blue
woolen pants, white flannel
shirt, with narrow blue braid, mohair
cap, and belt of patent leather.
(1855)
They were co-founded by Hall of Famer Alexander
Cartwright, who has been called the "father of baseball" for
apparently being the first to create a set of rules (the Knickerbocker
Rules) for playing the game. Indeed, it is hard to see that he made
any more of a contribution to the Knickerbockers - or baseball - than
that. Alick, as he was nicknamed, is not listed in any of the surviving
game logs as ever having played in anything more than a practice game
between fellow Knickerbockers and he rose no higher than "vice
president" of the club.
Others, such as Doc
Adams, William
Wheaton, and William
Tucker, made more lasting contributions, at least to the Knicks, and
perhaps to baseball as well. The team is remembered today for the
pioneering efforts to popularize and codify baseball and with each passing
year, more credit is given to Knickerbockers other than Cartwright as
research reveals a more realistic picture of the early days of baseball.
Knickerbocker Rules
We have no way of knowing for sure now which of the Knicks came up with
each of the 20 rules that we now call the Knickerbockers
Rules, and which are the basis for the "New
York game" that has evolved into modern baseball.
The story that has passed down through the years basically suggests
that they all sort of occurred to Alick Cartwright and that he wrote them
down and presented them to his Knickerbocker teammates, who gave the
"new game" a try and eventually decided to adopt those rules.
Some parts to that received wisdom are very likely to be true, other
parts - such as the notion that all of these rules were down to Alick -
seem a bit far fetched. Indeed, when the Knicks did publish copies of
these rules for their members, it was the names William
Wheaton and William
Tucker - and only those two names - (as members of the Committee on
By-Laws) that appeared. Never has it ever been suggested, not even by Bruce
Cartwright, Jr., that Alick was miffed by this.
While we are as certain as we can be that they first published baseball
rules (at least for baseball as we know it, which means the New York
game), it is difficult to say with certainty that any of the rules were
truly new and that they had not been in use before they were adopted by
the club in September of 1845. There were more than two dozen
Knickerbockers. Did they have nothing to contribute? We know
from Doc Adams that the Knicks were aware of their next opponent, the New
York Club, which itself had played the Brooklyn Club the year before. Were
there truly no innovations in those two clubs' rules of play? Apparently
the Gods of Baseball only revealed their divine rules through Alick.
While the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, in the
absence of evidence to the contrary we give the Knicks generally, and
Cartwright specifically, credit for eliminating the "soaking"
of runners with the baseball. Soaking was the practice of outing a
base-runner by hitting him upside the head (or elsewhere) with the ball.
As a least a couple of the Knicks were doctors and all were supposed to be
"gentlemen," that change seems inevitable in retrospect, though
it overturned many decades of bat and ball game rules and was indeed
revolutionary.
Though there are other rules which apparently originate with the Knicks
in 1845, this rule change along with the very idea of gentlemen
forming a social club in order to play what had been a child's game are
the two real accomplishments of the Knickerbockers. Rules of some sort
would have been published eventually, but they almost single-handedly made
the sport respectable for grown men to play.1
We may never know for sure exactly which member came up with what among
the original Knickerbocker 20 rules. That the rules of the NABBP
were a refinement of the Knickerbocker Rules, however, is not in doubt,
and that makes their publication in 1845 essential to the history of the
sport and guarantees their creator(s) immortality in the annals of the
sport.
Origins of the Knickerbockers
Members of the team had known each other for years and had played
baseball together as early as 1840. They first played ball on empty lots
at Madison Square (yes, the future home of Madison Square Garden) on 27th
Street and then at Murray Hill at Lexington Avenue and 34th Street, but
both lots were soon off limits to them and they soon paid for the right to
play ball at the Elysian
Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey - already a popular destination for
cricketers.
The team was organized on September 23, 1845 and played matches against
other New York-area teams as well as games between the clubs own members
in the decade prior to the forming of the NABBP. (Read more about the early
history of the club down below.)
It has been suggested that the club was so named because of
Cartwright's association as a volunteer firefighter with the Knickerbocker
Engine Company No. 12, but the name "Knickerbocker" was used for
a variety of organizations (a newspaper in the state's capital, for
example, was called the Albany Knickerbocker) and no contemporary
evidence supports this suggestion.
The Knicks: On the Field
Through November 18 of 1845, the Knickerbockers played at least 14
intramural games. Here is a boxscore for a three inning affair -
presumably one of the first ever played under the Knickerbocker Rules,
though if so they seem to have ignored the 21
aces rule.
What we today refer to as the first "officially recorded" game
between two clubs using the Knickerbocker Rules was actually a four
inning, one-side affair between the Knickerbockers and the "New York
Club" at the Elysian
Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey.2
Whereas the Knickerbockers had apparently created the very rules of the
game, you might expect this to be a blowout. It was. The Knicks were
trounced 23-1 in just four innings! A cynic might conclude that we
give Cartwright and the Knicks a little too much credit for inventing the
game and that they might have written down the rules that everyone else
was basically following. This might be a bit much to read into a single
game, however.
Cartwright's apparent contribution to this particular game came as an
umpire. In that capacity, he fined Archibald Gourlie 6 cents for cursing.
(Cartwright himself had been fined the same amount for arguing with the
umpire during a practice game October 28th of the previous year.)3
Henry Chadwick
had yet to "invent" what we might now call a proper boxscore,
but we do have the following (which is about all that was reported from
games of this era and is based on the contemporary cricket boxscores):
The Knickerbockers adopted the first baseball uniform at a meeting on
April 24, 1849 - two weeks after their fifth annual meeting. It consisted
of blue woolen pantaloons, a white flannel shirt, and straw hats. While
they eventually lost the straw hats, blue and white remained the Knicks
colors throughout their history.4
If you are wondering who the Knickerbockers played against from
1847-1850, the answer - straight from the club's records that are now
housed at the New York Public Library - is themselves. Thus an
1851 game against the Washington club (which later consolidated with
the newly-formed Gothams), was their
first game against another club since October of 1846.
The Knicks continued to play matches against the Gothams and other New
York clubs (as they sprouted up), and it was their rules that were the
basis for the constitution of what would eventually be called the National
Association of Base Ball Players, the first national baseball
organization.
It should be noted that clubs of this era - which had dozens (and
sometimes more) members - tended to be more about organized exercise and
social gathering than about competitiveness. Contemporary articles from
the 1860s make it clear the Knicks did not place as much emphasis on
winning as other clubs and did not look to replace their ageing veterans
with younger players from junior clubs. The March 14, 1864 Brooklyn
Eagle lamented, "...Look at the Knickerbocker of New York how it
has declined in position as a playing club, and all because it refused to
revive itself with young blood. Years since we suggested to the Senior
organizations that they create and foster Junior clubs named after
themselves and kept alive by their exertions. In 1862 the Gotham and
Mutual clubs adopted the plan, and this year they will draw upon their
young players for assistance..."
They may not have been competitive, but they still commanded respect. A
May 13, 1866 article in the New York Times points out,
"although they play merely for social enjoyment, and do not engage in
the exciting contests for the championship, the Knickerbockers possess
some excellent material."
The team remained an amateur team - even as others began to break the
rules and attract better talent through under-the-table payments. The
gradual and inevitable shift in the NABBP towards professionalism has been
attributed by many to the Knickerbockers eventually leaving the
organization (that they helped found) following the 1868 season. The later
joined the the "new" amateur association in 1871, but like that
organization itself, slowly faded away; both had become anachronisms in an
age of "revolving"
professionals.
While the Knickerbockers did not win any championships (nor is
there any evidence that it ever really was their primary goal) and while Alexander
Cartwright's contributions may not be quite as large as they once
seemed (which means his teammates should share more of the glory), the
team itself has a unique place in baseball history that will be passed
down for as long as humans care about what was once our National Pastime.
Indeed, the
Knickerbocker team should itself be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Knickerbockers
A contemporary (1858)
print featuring the Knickerbockers and
Excelsiors.
June 3. The second match of the Club was played with the
Washington Club, at the Red House, Harlem, and was won by the
Knickerbockers, 21 aces to 11. June 17. The return match was played at the Elysian
Fields, on the 17th of June, 1851. 10 innings (Boxscore)
Umpire for Knickerbocker, G.A. Brown. Umpire for Washington, J. Murphy. J.
Hone, Referee. (Boxscore)
July 1. A match was played at Elysian fields with the Gotham
Club, but it was postponed due to a storm after but two innings were
played, the Gothams making two runs, and the Knickerbockers making nine
runs. The match was concluded on the 5th of July. Knickerbocker,
twenty-one runs; Gotham, twelve runs. Hone, Umpire for Gothams; Brown,
Umpire for Knickerbockers; Curry of Knickerbockers, Referee. (Boxscore) October 14. The return match was played at the Red House,
terminating in a victory for the Knickerbockers. Knickerbocker, twenty-one
runs; Gotham, fourteen runs. (Boxscore)
June 30. The Knickerbockers played with the Gothams, at the
Red House, Harlem, the game occupying three hours. Sixteen innings were
played before the twenty one aces were made. Knickerbocker, sixteen;
Gotham, twenty-one. Wm. G. Tucker, of Gotham, Referee. September 20. The return match was played with the Gotham
Club at the Elysian Fields, occupying two and a quarter hours, with nine
innings; Knickerbockers, twenty-four; Gothams, thirteen. Wm. Cotheal, of
Eagle Club, Referee. October 26. One of the most exciting and interesting
games ever played was the closing one for 1854, at the Red House, Harlem,
occupying two hours, with twelve innings and twelve run each, which could
not he concluded for want of daylight. Knickerbocker, twelve; Gotham
twelve. Umpire for Knickerbocker, G.A. Brown; Umpire for Gotham, G.
Vancott; Armfield, of the Eagle Club, Referee. (Boxscore) November 10. The first match with the Eagle Club was
played at Hoboken, barring six of the first nine of the Knickerbockers;
five innings were played in one hour. Eagles scored twenty-one runs, and
Knickerbockers, four runs. A. H. Drummond Umpire for Knickerbockers; John
W. Mott, Umpire for Eagles; W. H. Vancott, of Gothams Referee. November 17. The return match with the Eagles was played
at Hoboken in one hour and a half; five innings played; Eagles scored
twenty-two runs and Knickerbocker twenty-one runs. A.H. Drummond, Umpire
for Knickerbockers; John W. Mott, Umpire for Eagles; T.G. Vancott, of
Gothams, Referee.
June 1. Played with the Gotham Club, at Red House, Harlem,
the game occupying 2 1/4 hours with 11 innings. Gothams, 21 runs;
Knickerbockers, 12 runs. Wm. F. Ladd, Umpire for Knickerbockers; John
Hone, Umpire for Gothams, Armfield, of Eagle Club Referee. June 5. Played with the Eagle Club, at Hoboken. Time, 1 1/4
hours, I innings. Eagles, 14 runs. Knickerbockers, 27 runs. W.F. Ladd,
Umpire for Knickerbockers; J.W. Mutt, Umpire for Eagles. W.H. Van Cott, of
Gothams, Referee. September 13. Played with the Gotham Club, at the Elysian Fields
Hoboken; time 1/4 hours, with 5 innings. Knickerbockers, 22 runs. Gothams,
7 runs. A.H. Drummond, of Knickerbockers, Umpire; John Hone, of Gothams,
Umpire. Armfield, of Eagles Referee. September 20. Played with the Eagle Club at the Elysian Fields;
time 1 1/4 hours, 6 innings. Knickerbockers, 21 runs. Eagles, 10 runs.
A.H. Drummond, Umpire for Knickerbockers; J.W. Mott, Umpire for Eagles. 0.
Van Con, of Gothams, Referee.
May 22. The married of the Knicks played against the single
of the same (this was common in the 1850s), 6 innings; the Bachelor
winning by a score of 23 to 21. August 30. A very interesting match was played at Hoboken, with
the Empire Club, occupying 3 1/4 hours, with 8 innings, resulting in a
tie, both clubs scoring 21 runs. T.G. Voorhis, Umpire for Empires; G.A.
Brown, Umpire for Knickerbockers. T.G. Van Cott, of Gothams, Referee. September 5. The last match was played with the Gotham Club, at
the Red House, Harlem; 7 innings; the Gothams winning by a score of 21 to
7. D.F. Curry, Umpire for Knickerbockers; G. Van Cott, Umpire for Gothams.
A.J. Bixby, of Eagles, Referee. September 19. Played with the Eagle Club, at Hoboken; 3 innings;
Eagles winning by a score of 24 to 17. Umpires: A. H. Drummond, of
Knickerbockers, and J. W. Mott, of Eagles. C. Sniffin, of Atlantic,
Referee. September 25. Played with the Empire Club, at Hoboken, with 7
innings, the Knickerbockers winning by a score of 21 to 12. W. H. Grenelle,
Umpire for
Knickerbockers; T.G. Voorhis, Umpire for Empire. M. E. Gelston, of Eagles,
Referee. October 9. Played with the Eagle Club, at Hoboken; 6 innings;
the Eagles winning by a score of 21 to 10. W. H. Grenelle, Umpire for
Knickerbockers; J.W. Mott, Umpire for Eagles. A. D. Teed, of Gothams,
Referee.
June 8. Played with the Eagle Club at Hoboken; five innings;
resulting in a victory for the Eagles by a score of twenty-five to
seventeen. John W. Mott, Umpire for Eagles; H.T. Anthony, Umpire for
Knickerbockers; A. D. Teed, of Gothams, Referee. This was the first season
that the rules required the playing of nine innings; but a game might be
decided at the end of five. Rain prevented the playing of nine innings on
this occasion. June 24. Played with the Empire Club; nine innings; the
Knickerbockers winning by a score of thirty-seven to twenty-three. William
H. Grenelle, Umpire for the Knickerbockers: T.G. Voorhis, Umpire for the
Empires; M.E. Gelston, of Eagles, Referee. September 10. Played with the Empire Club nine innings; the
Empires winning by a score of twenty-eight to seventeen. William H.
Grenelle, Umpire for the Knickerbockers: Bloomfield, Umpire for Empires;
A. J. Bixby, of Eagle Club; Referee. September 15. Played with the Eagle Club; nine innings; the
Knickerbockers winning by a score of eighteen to seventeen. John W. Mott,
umpire for Eagles; W. H. Grenelle, Umpire for Knickerbockers; Hoyt, of
Empire, Referee.
July 8. The first game was played with the Excelsior Club, of
South Brooklyn, on their grounds near Carroll Park, with whom the most
cordial relations have ever since existed. Excelsior 31 runs;
Knickerbocker, 13; nine innings. F. S. Wells, Scorer for Excelsiors; W. A.
Woodhull, Scorer for Knickerbockers. S. Yates, of Eagle Club, Umpire.
After the game the Excelsiors escorted the Knickerbockers to Montague
Hall, where a fine entertainment awaited them. July 29. Played with the Eagle Club at Hoboken nine innings; won
by the Eagle, whose score was 45 to 18. John Grum, of Eckfords, Umpire. August 20. The return match was played with the Excelsior Club
on the grounds of the Gotham Club, at Elysian Fields, which was one of the
finest games ever played; the score standing, at the end of nine innings,
15, to 14 in favor of the Excelsiors. After the close of this match, the
Excelsior Club was escorted to Odd Fellows' Hall, Hoboken, by the
Knickerbocker Club, and entertained in splendid style, covers being laid
for over two hundred gentlemen. Dodworth's Band was in attendance to
enliven the scene, and all the arrangements were exceedingly creditable to
the taste and liberality of the committee who had charge of the festive
occasion. September 22. The home-and-home match with the Empire Club
occurred at Hoboken; the game was closed on the eighth innings, on account
of darkness, resulting in a score of 21 runs each.
The 1859 Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York.
June 30. First fly
game with Excelsiors, at Hoboken. Time, two hours; Excelsiors, 26;
Knickerbocker, 22. A. J. Bixby, of Eagle Club, Umpire. August 2.Return game on the fly on Excelsior grounds, South
Brooklyn. Time, one hour forty-five minutes; Excelsiors, 20;
Knickerbockers, 5. Peter O'Brien, of Atlantic Club, Umpire. August 11.Match with Empire Club, on the fly, at Hoboken. Time,
three hours. Knickerbockers, 60; Empire, 33. A. J. Bixby, of Eagle,
Umpire. August 22.Muffin
match with Excelsiors, on the fly, on their grounds, foot of Court street,
Brooklyn. Time, three hours. Excelsiors, 41; Knickerbockers, 37; seven
innings. September 12. Return Muffin match with the Excelsiors, on the
fly, at Hoboken. A. G. Pearsall, of Excelsiors, Umpire. Excelsiors, 56;
Knickerbockers, 47. September 26. First and only game with the Star Club (Juniors),
at Hoboken. Star, 33; Knickerbockers, 11. A. J. Bixby, of Eagles, Umpire.
August 25. Fly
game with Excelsiors, on their grounds, Brooklyn. Time, three hours
thirty-five minutes. Excelsiors, 32; Knickerbockers, 9. Burtis, of Gotham,
Umpire.
(No Knickerbocker matches for 1861-62 - the early years of the Civil
War.)
September 3. Friendly game with die Excelsior Club at
Hoboken. Knickerbocker, 22; Excelsior, 20. Henry L. Slote, Scorer for both
clubs; Alonzo Slote, of Knickerbockers, Umpire. September 22. The return game was played on the Excelsiors
ground. Knickerbockers, 56; Excelsiors, 45. October 12. A third of these friendly series was played at
Hoboken. Excelsiors, 42; Knickerbockers, 13. H. Chadwick, scorer for both
clubs; Thomas Dakin, of Excelsiors, Umpire.
July 11. A friendly game was played with the Excelsiors at
Hoboken; time, two hours fifteen minutes. Excelsiors, 36; Knickerbockers,
27. H.P. Boswick, of Excelsiors, Umpire. July 21 . A Friendly game played with the Excelsiors, on the
ground at Brooklyn. Excelsiors, 85; Knickerbockers, 39. September 22. The last of these friendly games for the season
was played at Hoboken. Excelsiors, 53; Knickerbockers, 48. W.H. Young, of
Excelsiors, Umpire.
July 6. A friendly game was played with the Excelsiors at
Hoboken, with eleven innings, Excelsiors, 29; Knickerbockers, 25. July 25. A friendly game with the Excelsiors at Capitoline
ground, Brooklyn. Excelsiors, 60; Knickerbockers, 45. August 17. Played with the New York Club, at Sixty-fifth street.
New York, 58; Knickerbockers, 13. September 11. Played with the Greenburgh Club (of Dobbs' Ferry),
at Hoboken. Greenburgh, 26; Knickerbockers, 23. Isaac Evans, of Mutual,
Umpire. September 21. A friendly game with the Excelsiors at Hoboken.
Time, one hour forty-five minutes. Knickerbockers, 22; Excelsiors, 17. October 5. Played a match with the New York Club at Hoboken.,
New York, 28; Knickerbockers, 11. October 20. Played a match with the Eclectic club, resulting in
a tie, score of thirty-one runs each, seven innings.
May 25.Played a friendly game with the Excelsiors at the
Capitoline Grounds, Brooklyn. Excelsiors, 56; Knickerbockers, 42. June 4.The return friendly game was played at Hoboken.
Excelsiors, 27; Knickerbockers, 39. M. Humphrey, of Eclectic, Umpire. July 14. Played a friendly game with the Palisade Club at
Englewood; Knickerbocker, 39; Palisade, 17. August 30.The return game with the Palisade Club was played at
Hoboken. Palisade, 37; Knickerbockers, 28. September 29. The third game with the Palisade Club was played
at Englewood, N.J. Time, two hours thirty-five minutes. Palisade, 42;
Knickerbockers, 27.
July 17. Lost to the Empire Club 41 to 26. July 22. Beat the Excelsior of Brooklyn 49 to 41. Mr. Duval of
the Excelsiors, Umpire. October 31. Lost the return game to the Empires by a score of
51-21.
July 9.Beat the Unique Club of Staten Island 40-34. August 25.The Eagle Club won the match with the Knickerbockers
41-13. September 5.Played a friendly game with the Excelsiors;
Knickerbockers 51; Excelsiors 25. September 21.The return match with the Eagles was played. Eagles
25; Knickerbockers 4. October 15.The return friendly game with the Excelsiors was
played; Knickerbockers 36; Excelsiors 27. October 29.The third friendly game with the Excelsiors was
played with the latter taking it and the series with a 38-25 score.
Peverelly's Early History of the Knicks
Here is Charles
Peverelly's 1866 look at the early history of the Knicks. Sadly, he
does not cite his sources for this information.
"During the years of the 1842 and '43, a number of gentlemen,
fond of the game, casually assembled on a plot of ground in
Twenty-seventh streetthe one now occupied by the Harlem Railroad
Depot, bringing with them their bats, halls, etc. It was customary for
two or three players, occasionally during the season, to go around in
the forenoon of a pleasant day and muster up players enough to make a
match. The march of improvement made a "change of base' necessary,
and the following year they met at the next most convenient place, the
north slope of Murray Hill, between the railroad cut and Third avenue.
Among the prominent players were Col. James Lee, Dr. Ransom, Abraham
Tucker, James Fisher, and W. Vail, the latter better known in later
years of the Gotham Club, as "Stay-where-you-am-Wail." In the
spring of 1845 Mr. Alex Cartwright, who had become an enthusiast in the
game, one day upon the field proposed a regular organization, promising
to obtain several recruits. His proposal was acceded to, and Messrs.
W.R. Wheaton, Cartwright, D.F. Curry, E.R. Dupignac, Jr., and W.H.
Tucker, formed themselves into a hoard of recruiting officers, and soon
obtained names enough to make a respectable show. At a preliminary
meeting, it was suggested that as it was apparent they would soon he
driven from Murray Hill, some suitable place should be obtained in New
Jersey, where their stay could be permanent; accordingly, a day or two
afterwards, enough to make a game assembled at Barclay street ferry,
crossed over, marched up the road, prospecting for ground on each side,
until they reached the Elysian Fields, where they "settled."
Thus it occurred that a party of gentlemen formed an organization,
combining together health, recreation, and social enjoyment, which was
the nucleus of the now great American game of Base Ball, so popular in
all parts of the United States, than which there is none more manly or
more health giving.
The parent Knickerbockers claim for themselves the original
organization, from the succeeding clubs derived their rules of playing,
and which was always ready to foster, encourage, and promote the
pleasure of all who were desirous of enjoying the game. Its members have
from its inception been composed mostly of those sedentary habits
required recreation, and its respectability has ever been undoubted. The
same standard still exists, and no person can obtain admission in the
club merely for his capacity as a player; he must also have the
reputation of a gentleman; and hence arises one of the causes of its not
being what is called a match-playing club."
Yearly Meetings (from Peverelly)
Here is an edited (so as not to repeat information from above) version
of his Knickerbocker meeting-by-meeting listing.
"At a meeting held at Mc Carty's Hotel, Elysian Fields, May 5,
1846, the officers were elected for the year (officers, with the
exception of directors, are listed near the top of the page on the right
are will not be relisted here).
On June 5, 1846, the first honorary members were elected, viz. James Lee
and Abraham Tucker. At the same meeting Curry, Adams and Tucker were
appointed a committee to arrange the preliminaries, and conclude a match
with the New York Base Ball Club. From all the information the writer
has been able to gather, it appears that this was not an organized club,
but merely a party of gentlemen who played together frequently, and
styled themselves the New York Club. However, the match was played at
Hoboken on June 19, 1846 (see boxscore above), it
being the first the Club engaged in.
At a meeting held at McLean's Hotel, 54 Walker street, November 7,
1846, a resolution was passed authorizing a present to Mr. McCarty of
ten dollars. It would appear by this that no sum was paid for the use of
the ground at Hoboken. At the same meeting a committee was appointed to
provide a grand dinner at the end of the season, to take place on the
26th of November.
The third annual meeting was held at McLean's Hotel, 54 Walker
street, April, 1847.
The fourth annual meeting was held at "Schwartz's" Hotel,
14 Dey street, on the 1st of April, 1848. The rule was adopted, that the
player running to the first base was out, if the ball was held by an
adversary on that base before the runner reached it. The previous rule
applied to all the bases. The directors elected for 1848, were: A.H.
Drummond, B.C. Lee, Wm. H. Tucker.
At a meeting held Nov. 17, 1848, a resolution was passed, that the
annual dinner be given on the 30th of November.
The fifth annual meeting was held at Abell's, 474 Broadway, on the
7th of April, 1849. The directors elected for the year, were: E.R.
Dupignac, A.H. Drummond, B.C. Lee.
The annual meeting for 1850, was held on the 6th of April, at
Smith's, 35 Howard street. The resignation of W. H. Tucker was received
with deep regret. He was one of the founders of the institution, always
evincing a lively interest in its welfare. The following directors were
elected: A.H. Drummond, B.C. Lee, James Moncrief.
During the year 1850, twelve members were elected, and Charles S.
DeBost was one of the number, having been reelected. His name in the
annals of Base Ball will always be remembered with pleasure. He was very
active and full of good-humor, always creating much amusement upon the
hall field; as a catcher he held the first rank for many years, and it
may he asserted that he has never had a superior in that position.
It was in September of that year James Whyte Davis was elected, and
who has been a continuous member to the present date, and the only one
of the old members that remains upon its roll. This gentleman is yet an
active player, and evinces the same interest and retains the same desire
for the sport that he has for the last sixteen years.
The annual meeting for 1851 was held at Smith's, 35 Howard street, on
the 5th April. The following directors were elected: Geo. Brown, Wm. L.
Tatman.
The annual dinner of the Club took place at Sinclair's, corner
Broadway and Eighth street, on the 25th of November.
The annual meeting for 1852 was held at Smith's, 35 Howard street, on
the 3d of April. The following directors were elected: D.L. Adams, Peter
S. Henderson.
The following members celebrated the 4th of July, 1852, by proceeding
to Bath, Long Island, on the 5th of July to enjoy dinner and a game of
ball: Adams, Davis, Curry, DeBost, McDonald, Ladd, Greenleaf, Dick,
Clancy, Stevens, Brotherson, Dillon, Murray and Birney.
The annual meeting for 1853, was held at Smith's, 25 Howard street in
April; the following directors were elected: D.L. Adams, E. H. Birdsall,
C.S. De Bost.
At a meeting held November 19,1853, a communication was received from
the Eagle Club, asking for a committee to join them in arranging a set
of rules for playing, and Dr. Adams, Curry and Tucker were appointed.
The annual meeting, for 1854, was held at Smith's, 35 Howard street,
on the 1st of April. The committee on rules presented the following as
having been arranged to govern the three clubs:. The Knickerbockers,
Gotham and Eagle. (Those rules are here.)
The directors elected for the year 1854, were: D.L. Adams, C.S.
De Bost, and W.F. Ladd.
In May of 1854 Mr. Samuel H. Kissam was elected. He has been a
continuous member to the present time; one of the very few left of the
old members, and who has been one of the most active and attentive, and
still retains his love of the sport and attachment to the old club.
A grand dinner was given on the 15th of December, at Fijux's 11
Barclay street, by the Knickerbocker, Eagle and Gotham Clubs. An equal
delegation was present, and an excellent hill of fare presented. The
utmost hilarity prevailed, and everything passed off in a happy manner.
The annual meeting for 1855 was held on the 7th of April. The
following directors were elected for the year: D. L. Adams, C. S. De
Bust, Wm. B Eager, Jr.
The annual meeting for 1856 was held on the 5th of April. The
directors elected for the season were: Wm. B. Eager, Jr., Wm. F. Ladd,
and R.F. Stevens.
At a meeting held at Smith's, 462 Broome street, on the 6th of
December, the President stated that the object to he the propriety of
altering the By-Laws, and of calling a general Base Ball Convention.
This seems to he the first step which originated the present
"National Association of Base Ball Players." Mr. Davis offered
the following resolution, which was carried. "That Messrs. Adams,
Grenelle, and Wadsworth be appointed a committee on the part of the Club
to call a convention of the various Base Ball Clubs of this city and
vicinity." Mr. Wadsworth moved the above resolution be published in
Porter's Spirit of the Times, and the Sunday Mercury,
together with the following:
'Pursuant to the above resolution the various Base Ball Clubs of
this city and vicinity are requested each to select three
representatives to meet at 462 Broome street, in the city of New
York, on Thursday the 22d day of January next, at half-past seven
o-clock P.M.'
A special meeting was held at Smith's, 462 Broome street, on March 7,
1857, for the purpose of adopting the new rules. Dr. Adams reported from
the Base Ball Convention Committee, presenting the rules and regulations
adopted by that body. Mr. Davis moved, "that we accept the reports
of the committee, and that we also accept the rules of the game as
adopted by that body, only so far as to govern this club in playing
matches with other clubs," which was carried. The rules adopted by
said convention included the one of catching the ball on the bound,
which the Knickerbocker Club did not conform to "except for matches
with other clubs." The "fly" game was originated by James
Whyte Davis, who worked hard to induce the Knickerbockers to adopt it,
and finally succeeded. Repeated attempts were made in later years to
pass the same in convention, and the "fly " game rule was
adopted at the meeting of 1865.
The annual meeting for 1857 was held on April 4. The following were
elected directors for the year: F.C. Niebuhr, W.H. Grenelle, and William
H. Tucker.
At a meeting, held June 1, Mr. W.A. Woodhull was elected Treasurer in
place of J. W. Davis, declined. William F. Ladd was elected honorary
member. Walter Avery, one of the first members of the Club, was
reelected, and still remains upon the roll, one of its active members.
At a meeting held January 30, 1858, at Fijux's, a communication was
received from the Empire Club requesting the Knickerbockers to call a
convention of all regular organized Base Ball Clubs, and the President
was empowered to confer with the other presidents in the matter.
At a meeting held February 27, 1858, Messrs. D. L. Adams and W.H.
Grenelle were appointed delegates to the first convention of Base Ball
Clubs, to be held on the 10th of March, 1858, and the following clubs
represented by two delegates each: Knickerbocker, Gotham, Eagle, Empire,
Putnam, Baltic, Excelsior, Atlantic, Harlem, Eckford, Continental,
Union, Metropolitan, Columbian, Osceola, Oriental, Stuyvesant, Hamilton,
Pastime, Liberty (of New Brunswick), Monument, Amity, St. Nicholas,
Nassau and Mutual. A resolution was adopted declaring the Convention a
permanent organization, and a committee of three was appointed to
prepare and submit a Constitution and By-Laws. The committee reported,
adopted the same, and the "National Association of Base Ball
Players" was duly organized thereunder. The first annual meeting
was held at Cooper Institute on the 9th of March, 1859.
The annual meeting for 1858 was held on the 3d of April. The
directors elected for the year were: N.M. Welling and Wm. H.
Tucker."
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