The oldest card on this board?

[barrysloate]

Corey- I clearly see several posts around the perimeter of the infield. Wouldn't that suggest the Massachusetts style of baseball?

[smokelessjoe]

Hey Barry,

Did you say Massachusetts Base Ball?

[benjulmag]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Corey- I clearly see several posts around the perimeter of the infield. Wouldn't that suggest the Massachusetts style of baseball?

If there were four posts I'd agree with you, but I see only three, the "fourth" being home plate where the batter appears to. Also, inasmuch as the game is taking place at Elysian Fields, it would seem more logical they would be playing the NY version. What is interesting is that there are posts for bases. IMO even though the core of the NY game was being played prior to the Knickerbockers formal codification in 1845, certain aspects were still evolving.

Sliding into a post or running into one for that matter doesn't sound appealing. You think baseball would be what it is today if post stayed in use?

[barrysloate]

Shawn- that's an amazing diagram. I remember when you posted it a year or two ago.

Corey- it's interesting that only two posts are visible- you would expect to see either four or none. Could you explain why there are only two? It's possible that the batter is standing in front of one and it is obscured, but of course there is no concrete evidence of it.

Edited to add you said you see three, and I only see two. Where is the one I am missing?

[benjulmag]

Barry,

It's hard to see on the posted image but the missing third post (first base) is just to right of the scorer's table. It shows up very clearly on a blown up tiff image I have, but that file is too large to display.

[Texxxx]

This is it:

[barrysloate]

Thanks Bruce. I originally thought that might be a post, but it's too small and indistinct. Don't those bases look really far apart?

[peterose4hof]

This is excellent information! Thanks all for sharing.

It's fascinating to me how great everyone's penmanship seemed to be in the 19th century.