Early baseball in Arkansas/Game 1
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| Spread of baseball: Home -> Arkansas -> Early baseball in Arkansas/Game 1 |
| Location | Arkansas |
|---|---|
| Year | 1867 |
| Month | 5 |
| Date | 11 |
| City | Little Rock |
| State | AR |
| Country | US |
| Site | Arsenal Grounds (MacArthur Park) |
| Was NY rules baseball | Yes |
| Played by | Locals |
| Team 1 | Pulaski Base Ball Club |
| Team 2 | Galaxy Base Ball Club |
| Team 1 Score | 67 |
| Team 2 Score | 15 |
| Length | 9 innings |
| Found by | Caleb Hardwick |
As reported by the Arkansas Gazette on May 14th, 1867:
"Base Ball. – On Saturday last, the match between the Pulaski and Galaxy Base Ball Clubs, both of our city, was played at the Arsenal grounds. There were quite a number of spectators present, including many ladies, whose presence contributed greatly to the pleasure and harmony of the occasion. At 3 o'clock, the game was called. Nine innings were played, and resulted as follows:
Total Runs: 67 (Pulaski) . . . 15 (Galaxy)
The Pulaski was duly declared the winning club, by Mr. E. P. Bishop, the umpire selected for the occasion. The Pulaski then gave three rousing cheers for the Galaxy, and for the umpire who had so fairly and impartially given his decisions, which were immediately acknowledged and returned by the Galaxy.
The utmost harmony and good feeling prevailed, and the evening was one to be remembered by all the lovers of this manly and interesting game.
The Galaxy played well, considering the youthfulness and inexperience of its members, and its very recent organization. We advise them not to be discouraged, by failure in this their first attempt, but to adopt the old adage 'try, try again.'"
The game was certainly not the first in Arkansas, but was one of, if not the, first recorded games. The Arsenal Grounds are still around, though without a baseball diamond and now known as MacArthur Park, interestingly named after General Douglas MacArthur, who was born on the property in 1880.
Sources
Arkansas Gazette on May 14th, 1867
