Early baseball in Michigan/Club 1
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| Spread of baseball: Home -> Michigan -> Early baseball in Michigan/Club 1 |
| Location | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1857 |
| Month | 8 |
| City | Detroit |
| State | MI |
| Country | US |
| Nickname | Franklins |
| First in Michigan | Yes |
| Found by | Peter Morris |
What Peter Morris estimates as possibly the first club west of NYC/NJ was established in Detroit Michigan in the summer of 1857. The club, comprising mostly printers from the Detroit Free Press, was later named the Franklins. Peter writes that the club "was formed by frequenters of the Congress Hall Saloon."
The club may have adjusted to the Knickerbocker rules in steps: Games played on August 15, 1857, were played to 75 and 40 run limits, and a week later 10-player teams squared off. However, published accounts for 1858 make clear that National Association rules were in force.
Detroit's population in 1860 was about 45,500, and it was the 19th largest city in the US.
The club apparently folded in 1858.
Sources
Peter Morris, "Baseball Fever: Early Baseball in Michigan" (U Michigan Press, 2003), pages 18-32.
