Claiming The 1869 Junior Championship Of St. Louis

An exciting game came off on the 11th inst. between the [Miami and Liberty] clubs, for the junior championship, which resulted in the defeated of the latter by a score of 23 to 16 runs.  The members of the Miami B.B. Club claim the junior championship of St. Louis.  Challenges may be directed to Mr. Cannon's grocery, on Seventh, between O'Fallon street and Cass avenue.

-Missouri Republican, July 13, 1869


The Miami Club is new to me.  The Liberty Club dates back to the Civil War and I have a specific mention of a senior club in 1865, so the junior club may date back that far.   

A Return Match

Base Ball At St. Louis.

The return match between the Diana and Liberty, Sr., clubs came off on the grounds of the latter, on the 24th ult., and resulted in a victory for the Diana.

-Mears Baseball Scrapbook Volume 1, 1853-1870


This is a rather obscure game from September 1864 and it's a bit odd that it made the Eastern press but I guess someone sent them the box score. 

A Match At The Camp Jackson Site And A Possibly John Dillon Sighting

A match game between the Liberty and Defiance Base Ball Clubs was played on Sunday, June 18th. The match took place on the Defiance Club's grounds, at old Camp Jackson.

-St. Louis Daily Press, June 21, 1865

This is the earliest reference that I've seen to baseball being played in the Camp Jackson area. By 1867, the Veto Club would be playing their regularly and in 1874, Thomas McNeary would build the Compton Avenue Grounds on the site.

One interesting thing of note is that pitching for the Liberty Club that day was "J. Dillon." It's impossible to know for certain if this was the illusive John Dillon of Red Stocking fame. Dillon would have been about fifteen years old at the time which is probably old enough for him to have been a member of the club. As much as I'd love this to be Packy Dillon's brother, it's impossible to say for sure. And I can't begin to tell you how frustrating that is.

The Liberty Hop

Last night the Liberty Base Ball Association gave their second annual ball at Concert Hall, on Market street. If the members of this well-known amateur club have reasons to congratulate themselves upon the successes attained upon the ball field last season, still greater reasons have they to congratulate themselves upon the success of their delightful hop last evening. The hall was comfortably crowded with youth and beauty, who danced away the fleeting hours until daylight peeped in to warn them to cease their festivities. Many excellent costumes were worn by the ladies. Professor Fisher furnished both music and supper, which were truly excellent. Among those who were present were: Miss Lou Peters, Miss Josie Reed, Miss Carrie Meyer, Miss Amelia Ponce, Miss Emma and Miss Laura McGuire, Miss Annie Nolte and Miss Dozier; Messrs. M. O'connor, Wm. Claymore, Charles Kimble, Henry Reed, Charles Cross, Clarence Cross, Fred. Pimm, Wm. Tompkins, John Tompkins, David Ring, Frank Colman, Mr. Keener, and others.

-From The St. Louis Globe-Democrat, December 10, 1875