From SABR Encyclopedia
| Spread of baseball: Home -> Indiana -> Early baseball in Indiana/Club 9
|
 | This record has been submitted recently, and has not yet been reviewed. This does not imply that the information is incorrect, but that it is not yet included in official datasets. This notice will no longer appear once the record has been reviewed.
|
| Location
| Indiana
|
| Year
| 1866
|
| Month
| 6
|
| City
| Fort Wayne
|
| State
| IN
|
| Country
| USA
|
| Nickname
| Kekionga Base Ball Club
|
The Kekionga Base Ball Club formed after the Civil War, filling the void left by the Summit City club.
By 1867, the club would have plenty of opponents to choose from in the area, and beyond, including Toledo, Ohio.
By 1871, the Kekiongas made the transition to professionalism and were a charter member of the National Association in 1871.
They were 7-12 in that lone season and collapsed by September due to financial difficulties.
Excerpts from Fort Wayne Daily Gazette about the club's formation:
Monday, July 2, 1866
Page 3, 1st column, 7th item of "City and Vicinity":
BASE BALL CLUB -- The members of the
Base Ball Club met at the office of Esquire
Milliman Saturday evening, and completed
their organization by adopting a
Constitution and By Laws, and electing
the following officers: Pres Lt. Col
C B Oakley, Vice Pres Robert Milliman,
Sec Robert Fisher, Treas Chas Gorham.
Captains, Fred Drake and ---- Diehl.
The Club will meet for practice twice a
week -- Tuesday morning at half past five
and Friday afternoon at four o'clock on
grounds north of the canal on the commons.
Thursday, July 12, 1866
Page 3, 1st column, 8th item of "City and Vicinity":
BASE BALL CLUB -- The Kekionga Base
Ball Club is now fully organized, and
practicing regularly twice a week. They
will meet for practice tomorrow (Friday)
afternoon, at 4 o'clock, on the commons
North of BOWSER & Co's Foundry. The
public is invited to attend, ladies
included ...
Sources
Fort Wayne Daily Gazette; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Monday, July 2, 1866; Page 3, 1st column, 7th item of "City and Vicinity"; Base Ball Club.
Fort Wayne Daily Gazette; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Thursday, July 12, 1866; Page 3, 1st column, 8th item of "City and Vicinity"; Base Ball Club.
Fort Wayne Daily Gazette; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Thursday, August 22, 1867; Page 4, 1st column, 13th item of "City and Vicinity"; Toledos and Kekiongas.
SABRPedia, Fort Wayne Kekiongas, National Association, 1871 season, http://sabrpedia.org/wiki/1871_Fort_Wayne_Kekiongas
Baseball Reference, Fort Wayne Kekiongas, National Association, 1871 season, http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KEK/1871.shtml
