Early baseball in Rhode Island/Game 1
From SABR Encyclopedia
| Spread of baseball: Home -> Rhode Island -> Early baseball in Rhode Island/Game 1 |
| Location | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Year | 1863 |
| Month | 6 |
| Date | 27 |
| City | Providence |
| State | RI |
| Country | |
| Site | Dexter Field |
| Modern address | Cranston Street |
| Was NY rules baseball | Yes |
| Played by | Locals |
| Team 1 | Brown University |
| Team 2 | Harvard University |
| Team 1 Score | 17 |
| Team 2 Score | 27 |
| Length | 4 hours |
Providence Journal 6.29/1863 includes box score.
BROWN’S FIRST INTER-COLLEGIAN GAME - BROWN VS HARVARD (Providence Journal, 6/29/1863. News account of gamed played between Brown University and Harvard University in Providence.)
Agreeably to previous announcements, the great match between the Base Ball clubs of Harvard and Brown came off on Saturday afternoon at the Dexter Training Ground. The occasion was made a holiday by many of our citizens, who were present in large numbers to witness the contest. The delegations of Harvard students, thirty-four in number, arrived here in the middle train, and were received at the depot by members of the Brown Club, and escorted to Humphrey’s, where a generous collation was provided. From thence they were conducted to the College, where an hour was very agreeably spent in social intercourse, and in visiting the Library, Laboratory, and other College buildings. At half past two the two Clubs were taken in hacks to the Dexter Training Ground, where, soon after their arrival, the game commenced. The contest lasted upwards of four hours, and as was anticipated, proved highly exciting. For a long time the tallies on each side increased with even pace, and up to 6 o’clock it seemed entirely doubtful which side would win. The Brown boys did “splendid action” but the superior muscle and the longer and more thorough training of the Harvard boys finally prevailed. They won the game, by a majority of nine, the tallies counting twenty-six and seventeen. (Word not legible.) Finney and Witter, the “catcher” and “pitcher” of the Brown Club deserve finite credit for their indomitable pluck in playing, notwithstanding their partially disabled condition. A sprained angle would in most cases be considered a sufficient reason for refusing to participation a game, which, of all other, requires the “sana mens in (word not legible) corpore.” Their playing, notwithstanding, was highly commended by all parties. The occasion was enlivened by the delightful music of the American Brass Band, and smiles and nods from countless fair ones cheered and encouraged the players. The very best feeling pervaded the clubs, the vanquished joining the victors in cheers at the final results. Such friendly peaceful contests do much towards uniting kindred institutions in a common bond of sympathy and love. Harvard and Brown have always sustained the happiest relations towards each other ion the past years of their history, notwithstanding the somewhat different theological tendencies of the two institutions. “So mote it ever be” in the future.
Sources
Providence Journal 6.29/1863
