The St. Louis Base Ball Club

Tomorrow, I'll get to the great St. Louis/Cincinnati exhibition game of August 23, 1884, when Tom Dolan made his debut with the Maroons, but first I have to pass this along:

The St. Louis Base Ball Club, composed of men with money, has undertaken to pay the traveling expenses of a strong nine of colored baseballists to travel through the Eastern States early 1871.  They desire the address of the secretaries of colored clubs in the United States North.

-Daily Observer (Utica, NY), November 29, 1870

James Brunson sent this to be last week and it's extremely interesting.  First, Brunson identifies the club in question as the Brown Stockings, a black club that I have seen a few references to but nothing this early.  Also, I love the fact that the club goes by the name of the St. Louis Base Ball Club.  This was the same official name of the NA/NL Brown Stockings and the AA/NL Browns.  It's a name with a rich tradition and this club only adds to the legacy. 

I want to thank Dr. Brunson for taking the time to send this information to me so that I could share it with all of you.