Early baseball in California/Game 2
From SABR Encyclopedia
| Spread of baseball: Home -> California -> Early baseball in California/Game 2 |
| Location | California |
|---|---|
| Year | 1851 |
| Month | 3 |
| City | San Francisco |
| State | CA |
| Country | US |
| Was NY rules baseball | Doubtful |
| Played by | Locals |
| Found by | Larry McCray |
From Protoball Entry #1851.2 -- San Francisco CA Weighs Plusses and Minuses of Base Ball
“San Francisco newspapers reported the appearance of base-ball in early 1851 in the town square -- The Plaza -- or today’s Portsmouth Square. The final report of San Francisco’s inaugural base ball season included the following: ‘There the boys play at ball, some of them using expressions towards their companions, expressions neither flattering, innocent nor commendable. Men, too, children of a larger growth, do the same things.’” “The Corral,” Alta California, March 25, 1851.
A few weeks earlier, coverage had been more favorable: “The plaza has at last been turned to some account by our citizens. Yesterday quite a crowd collected upon it, to take part in and witness a game of ball, many taking a hand. We were much better pleased at it, than to witness the crowds in the gambling saloons which surround the square.” “Sports on the Plaza,” Daily California Courier, February 4, 1851. A third article said of the base ball activity: “[T]his is certainly an innocent recreation, but occasionally the ball strikes a horse passing.” “The Plaza,” San Francisco Herald, March 1, 1851.
Protoball record 1851.2 from Protoball project
Submitted by Angus Macfarlane, January 2007.
In addition, here is a source from February 1851: BASE-BALL.—This is becoming quite popular among our sporting gentry, who have an exercise upon the plaza nearly every day. This is certainly better amusement than "bucking" and if no windows or heads are broken will prove much more profitable. Source: Daily Alta California, 06 Feb 1851, page 2.
