Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Active Base Ball Club Of Alton

At the match game of Base Ball played at Litchfield, August 30, 1866, between the "Prairie" of Litchfield and the "Active" of Alton, the following was the score...(Prairie 64, Active 36)...

The "Prairie" Club victorious by 28 runs. Time of game three hours and forty-five minutes. Umpire, E.L. Metcalf. Scorer E.T. Atwood.

Baldwin field captain of "Active" club, Forrester field captain "Prairie" club.
-Alton Telegraph, September 7, 1866


Playing for the Prairie Club was Forrester, p; Finch, 3b; McWilliams, c; Tuttle, lf; McAllister, rf; Zink, cf; Ayers, 2b; White, ss; Hood, 1b. Playing for the Active Club was Baldwin, c; Perrin, 1b; Sioman, cf; Morrison, 2b; Kellenberger, 3b; Dobelbower, rf; Clement, p; Smith, ss; Schweppe, lf.

Without checking my notes I'd say that this is the earliest reference to a baseball club on the Illinois side of the river that I've seen. It's certainly the earliest contemporary source that I've seen mentioning an East side club.

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