Early baseball in Georgia/Club 1
From SABR Encyclopedia
| Spread of baseball: Home -> Georgia -> Early baseball in Georgia/Club 1 |
| Location | Georgia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1859 |
| City | Augusta |
| State | GA |
| Country | US |
From Protoball Entry #1859.4 – Base Ball Club Forms in Augusta GA: Town Ball Played Also – or Instead?
"Baseball Club formed in Augusta in 1859," unidentified clipping at the Giamatti Research Center, Cooperstown, September 15, 1985. Per Millen note # 42.
"Town Ball. – On the 24th ult., the young men of Augusta, Ga., met on the Parade Ground, and organized themselves in two parties for enjoying a friendly game at this hearty game." They played two innings, and "W.D.'s side scored 43, squeezing the peaches on P. B.'s, who managed only 19. Source: The New York Clipper (date and page omitted; date inferred from Mears scrapbook placement). Facsimile from page 25 (column 3, third story) of a Mears Collection scrapbook, provided by Craig Waff, September 2008.
Query: Is there any indication that Association rules were used by the reported club? Why would a newspaper call the modern game "town ball?"
NOTE -- Because of uncertainty in the rules used in this game, the fact that it was termed "town ball," and further doubt about the year it was played, we are in October 2012 designating the February 1860 game in Macon as Georgia's first game played by Association rules. Perhaps more definitive evidence can be found.
