Early baseball in Wisconsin/Club 1

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Location Wisconsin
Year 1860
Month 4
Note on date March or April
City Milwaukee
State WI
Country US



From Protoball Entry #1859.45 – In Milwaukee, Base Ball is (Cold-) Brewing

“Base Ball – This game, now so popular in the East, is about to be introduced in our own city. A very spirited impromptu match was played on the Fair Ground, Spring Street Avenue, yesterday (on a late fall) afternoon six on a side.” Milwaukee (WI) Sentinel Volume 16, number 271 (December 1, 1859), page 1, column 3. Facsimile provided by Dennis Pajot, 6/23/2008; Dennis adds that this is the first mention of a game he can find. The box score reflects a seven-on-seven game lasting three innings with a score of 25-21 after two and a final tally of 40-35. The record of runs scored per inning hints that they may have played by an all-out-side-out rule.

In April 1860, the Sentinel reported another “lively” game, and added, “The game is now fairly inaugurated in Milwaukee, and the first Base Ball Club in our City was organized last evening. “Base Ball,” Milwaukee Sentinel (April 3, 1860).

In a June 26 1860 article, Porter's Spirit of the Times noted: "This Club is the only one in the State of Wisconsin which plays the National Association game. It was organized in March, 1860 . . . ." Source: Protoball's Games Tabulation, by Craig Waff, Milwaukee listing.

The game described in this entry is currently considered the first game of base ball in Wisconsin.

Sources