Baseball's First Inning: A History of the National Pastime Through the Civil War

William J. Ryczek

McFarland, Nov 29, 2014 - Sports & Recreation - 269 pages

This history of America's pastime describes the evolution of baseball from early bat and ball games to its growth and acceptance in different regions of the country. Such New York clubs as the Atlantics, Excelsiors and Mutuals are a primary focus, serving as examples of how the sport became more sophisticated and popular. The author compares theories about many of baseball's "inventors," exploring the often fascinating stories of several of baseball's oldest founding myths. The impact of the Civil War on the sport is discussed and baseball's unsteady path to becoming America's national game is analyzed at length.

Contents

• Reliving the Past: 7
• No Rounders: 15
• If Not Doubleday What About Cartwright? If Not Cartwright What About Adams? Or Wheaton?: 28
• What About Rounders? What About Old Cat?: 37
• The Jolly Old Knickerbockers 18451856: 43
• The Base Ball Club: 53
• The Transition Years 18571859: 67
• Mad Dogs and Englishmen Other Antebellum Sports: 83
• Why Not Cricket?: 101
• The Southern Front Sporting Life in Antebellum New Orleans: 109
• Baseball in Philadelphia: 114
• The Massachusetts Game: 127
• Year of the Excelsiors 1860: 134
• Abner Doubleday Invents the Civil War 1861: 151
• The Sporting and Not So Sporting Press: 163
• The Manly Fly Game vs the Boyish Bound Rule and the Fair Pitch vs the Jerk: 174
• The Eckfords Take the Championship 18621863: 185
• The Evils of Championship Play 1864: 199
• The Road to Professionalism: 208
• Letter from Frank Pidgeon of Eckfords re Professionalism: 213
• Rules and Regulations of Base Ball as Adopted by the Convention of Base Ball Clubs Held February 25 1857: 215
• Location of Grounds: 218
• Extended Box Score Brooklyn Picked Nine vs Philadelphia Picked Nine July 1 1862: 221
• Records of Top Teams 18571864: 223
• Knickerbocker Rules September 23 1845: 224
• Knickerbocker Matches with Other Clubs: 226
• Chapter Notes: 235
• Bibliography: 253
• Index: 257

About the author

William J. Ryczek is a finance professional from Wallingford, Connecticut, who writes about early baseball, football, the Yankees, and the Mets.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Baseball's First Inning: A History of the National Pastime Through the Civil War
• Author: William J. Ryczek
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: McFarland, 2014
• ISBN: 0786482834, 9780786482832
• Length: 269 pages
• Subjects: History / General; History / United States / General; Sports & Recreation / Baseball / General