19th Century Baseball (A Little Long and Slightly OT)

[kkkkandp]

I recently obtained on ebay the 1890 yearbook of my alma mater, Williams College in Massachusetts. I wanted it solely because its only picture was that of the college baseball team. The captain of that baseball team, Artie Clark, was arguably the most famous baseball player ever to come out of Williams. Oddly, though it is an 1890 yearbook the picture is of the 1888 baseball team. The yearbook belonged to a Doctor Bruce Van Vranken (whose name and caduceus are embossed on the flyleaf). It was apparently handed down from a relative, Gilbert Van Vranken, who was a member of the Williams Class of 1891.

Also contained is a roster (that unfortunately is not keyed to the photo) and the league and non-league records. In 1888 Williams played the Philadelphia Athletics (probably because Dan Casey of the Philadelphia Quakers trained the team that winter), the New York Giants (with whom Artie Clark would later play), and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms from the professional ranks. Apparently, it was a way for the pro teams to test their prospects in actual game situations. In addition, they played the Troy Trojans from the International Association as well as the Cuban Giants.

You can read in more detail about Artie Clarke in his SABR biography: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/e5ad475e

Finally, the book is full of advertisements, two of which are for tobacco companies of that era - Allen & Ginter and Kimball. Unfortunately, no Old Judge ad!

Scans below for your edification...