Early baseball in Massachusetts/Predecessor Game 17
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| Spread of baseball: Home -> Massachusetts -> Early baseball in Massachusetts/Predecessor Game 17 |
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| Location | Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Year | 1800 |
| State | MA |
| Country | US |
| Name of game | Round ball,o'Cat |
"Four Old Cat and Three Old Cat were as well known to Massachusetts boys as Round Ball. I knew both games in 1862, and Mr. Stoddard tells me that his father knew them and played them between 1800 and 1820. They bore the same relation to Round Ball that "Scrub" does to Base Ball now. The main thing to be remembered is that Four and Three Old Cat seem to be co-eval with Massachusetts Round Ball, and even considered a modification of Round Ball for a less number of players than the regular game required."
Letter from Henry Sargent, Grafton, MA, to the Mills Commission, May 31, 1905.
