19th Century Baseball Memorabilia

[GaryPassamonte]

Jonathan- Here is a circa 1868 Wesleyan University CdV to go along with your Wesleyan College image. Note the bases as well as the pitcher's plate and a round home plate in the photo. I believe this is one of the earliest images to show the bases and plates.

[baseballart]

I can only offer a muffinfrom 1867 to start

[jpop43]

Great image, Gary...I love full team images and ones from the 1860's are terrific...the equipment is wonderful.

[IronHorse2130]

I don't have too many early items but here are a few photos





And me in my NY Gothams uniform (we play baseball using the rules and equipment of 1864).

[mr2686]

Ben, that's very cool. Is the ball you use dead? If so, what's it like to hit?

[IronHorse2130]

Thanks, Mike! The ball is a bit larger than a modern ball but not quite as hard. It's probably about as a hard as a clincher softball. We use the same ball for the entire game so it does get softer by the end. If you make good contact you can give it a ride though!

To help you get an idea of how the ball can travel we played two games at Doubleday Field last year and I was playing left field. Nobody hit one over but I was catching balls about 25 feet from the wall (it's 296 feet down the left field line). So guys were hitting the ball 250 feet +.

[ksfarmboy]

Here's a couple of mine. 6 1888 scorecard covers and an early Kansas dual team photo. If you look closely at the team photo you can see presentation cases for a baseball and bat.

[khkco4bls]

here are a few of mine. there are other things mixed in.

[khkco4bls]

and a few more.

[khkco4bls]

and a few to finish up. thanks

[ksfarmboy]

Kevin, I really like those crescent gloves and ring bats. Thanks for sharing.

Dan, I just looked Jonathan Winters up and he is still alive. I didn't know that. I guess he did the voice for Papa Smurf in the new movie. That guy is hilarious. I wonder if he was a collector too.