19th C. Baseball Puzzle/Game
 

Just recently returned from SABR's 19th C. Research Conference in Cooperstown and promptly found myself lucky enough to be in a position to add this very interesting baseball game/puzzle.

The item itself is known as a dexterity puzzle and something that all of us are surely familiar with...the concept being that all balls rolling around inside the frame need to be maneuvered and positioned in each of the spaces on the game board.

What makes this particular example so very interesting and appealing to me is the size and the subject matter.

The game piece is 3" long and 2" wide, includes 10 small, clay balls, a flawless glass pane, and reflects what, to me, is clearly a 19th C. baseball field layout.

It depicts a square (diamond) shaped home plate that rests completely in fair ground, and distinct pitchers box rather than a mound, and a spot where the umpire would stand to the rear right of the catcher. Given these factors, I suspect the game is a product of the late 1870s - mid 1880s.

I've never seen such an item and am curious whether or not any of you 19th C. or baseball game collectors have come across one of know of one?

I've attached pics of the game from the front, the front with some of the balls in play, a lateral view (lots of patina on this piece), and one of the reverse of the piece. Any and all thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jonathan
www.dugouttreasures.com

Very interesting. Haven't seen before. What is it made of? Does it seem like aluminum? If so, unlikely it is late 1870s to mid -1880s, because at that time aluminum was more expensive than silver, and this piece looks crudely stamped and constructed. Wasn't until 1890s that aluminum was more cheapily processed and available. If its sheet steel (you can tell if it is magnetic), then ignore what I just said.

Very cool! Congrats.

Here is a patent for what looks like a somewhat similar game from 1907.

Attachment 271052

here is another that sold on ebay..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Vintage-...IAAOSw~AVYnKcA

In almost thirty years of collecting and researching baseball games, we'd never seen an example of this one
until the February eBay auction to which Joe linked (thanks Joe!). The eBay vendor responded courteously
to questions about the piece, but essentially had no information to add. Funny that two or three examples of
the previously unknown game suddenly turn up in the span of two months (implying nothing -- it does happen).
We too would be curious whether it's aluminum or steel... Joe, we'd also like a better look at that patent, but
your pic is too small for us to read the patent number...

Hi All,

Great info coming out, but I still am curious about the date/ date range.

First off, the game is not magnetized, at least not strongly so.

While Joe is right on (as usual) about the logistics/commerce of aluminum in the 1860s and 1870s for sure, it seems like LOTS of aluminum was commercially available by the mid to late 1880s. By the 1890s, aluminum was being widely used for a multitude of products. But maybe its made of another metal...

It appears that tin was being used in toy production by the time of the 1880s because its light weight, sturdy, and inexpensive. Could this toy/game be tin? If so, it could certainly date to the 1870s/ 1880s.

Additionally, I've found that the oxidation on aluminum is dark or black in color while oxidized tin is green in color...just like on the game piece.

All that aside, I just can't help but to think that if game mfg's were making a baseball game in the 20th century, they would depict a contemporary field...the pitching square/rectangle and position of the umpire divot just seem so 19th century. To support this, the 1907 patent that Joe posted a picture of does not reflect such a pitching square (in addition, the outfielders are positioned differently, and I don't see the umpire spot).

I'm still all open to any info as researching this stuff really is what makes it fun. Thanks to all of you for your input.

JP

Hey Jon, I think Tin makes a lot of sense. It was used back then for toys and it has a slight magnetic attraction. I agree the 19th century look of the field would support an early date - logical the game would depict a field of that era. Certainly seems like there is support to conclude 1880s or earlier, if it is made of tin. If aluminum, more likely 1890s, but since aluminum exhibits no magnetism with a regular magnet, your guess of Tin makes sense.

Thanks for your thoughts and research, Joe...it really helped to inform some further research on my part.

JP

Some recent findings...

In terms of dating the piece based on the field depicted on the game face, here is some help I got from the VBBA Historian, Eric Miklich (19th C baseball.com) :

Jon,

Home base was placed entirely in fair territory at the start of the 1877 season. The pitcher’s box from your pictures appears to be 6’ x 4’ or 5 ½’ x 4’. This would indicate the start of the 1879 season or the 1887 season.

First and third base were moved entirely inside the 90’ foot dimensions of the playing field starting with the 1887 season. Second base has never been inside the 90’ square of the infield in the 19th century, nor is it today.

Based on the pitcher’s box and first and third bases being positioned entirely in fair territory and within the 90’ square of the infield, I would put this field at least an 1887 field, NL or AA.

So, given the info on the 19th C. field layout, and the fact that the game is made of aluminum or tin, it does stand to reason that this baseball puzzle dates to the 1880s and is, very likely, a 19th Century item.

Jon

Jonathan, that may very well be the case, and we actually hope your surmise is correct.
Among the roughly forty baseball-themed dexterity games catalogued, only four are known
to have been made before about 1910, the oldest dating to 1889. However, it's always perilous
to ascribe a date to a game based on artwork -- the more crude the artwork the more unreliable the estimate.
Just one among dozens of examples: based solely on the uniform illustrated on this game,
what year of manufacture would most of us put to it?:
Attachment 272115

Late 1880s to 1890

I am by no means an expert on baseball games from this, or any other period...I figured I'd just put together the known info on a piece that has no markings and no known prior documentation. The style, material/construction and imagery, along with an expert opinion on the design layout (the only real clue for this piece) led to my optimistic surmise. I'd absolutely love to nail it down and hope that as a group we'll be able to do just that. Thanks to all of you for the help and interest!

Oh, and the uni style of the player on the National Base Ball Game box would lead one to believe 1880s-1890s timeframe...BUT, given the discussion, I imagine its of 20th C. origins.

Indeed, 1901.

You gotta love people with such scary knowledge about history, don't you? ;)
That really is invaluable info for nailing down your mystery.
Cool!