19th Century Baseball....in London!

[vintagesportscollector]

19th Century Baseball….in London. I picked up this 1894 season pass. I paid up for it a bit, because I think it’s pretty cool, but mostly because I did a bit of research and found there to be a rather interesting history behind the ticket - thought others might find it interesting too. There are a few publications documenting early English baseball history which provided some great background.

It is an 1894 London Baseball Association Season Pass. 1894 was the Inaugural Year of the London Baseball Association. Games were played at the new baseball park at Hyde Farm, in Balham. The first game was played May 1st, 1894. Hyde Farm, itself, has an interesting athletic history.

On this ticket is written, “Baseball Park, Hyde Farm, Balham, May First”.

In 1894 Richard G. Knowles founded the London Baseball Association. R.G. Knowles was an American comedian and musician who was an avid athlete and early heavy promoter of baseball in London. His team, the Thespians, for which he was player-manager, was one of England’s first dominant teams, and won multiple British Titles. The Thespians were made up mostly of Americans and artists from London’s famed theater district, and large benefactors from London’s theater scene would support the league.

R.G. Knowles is also a member of the UK Baseball HOF – who knew there was such a thing!

The L.B.B.A, when first founded, included teams such as the Jays, Thespians, Remingtons, Electrics and Clapham Postmen, representing London, and teams from Liverpool, Derby, Stockton, Darlington, Middlesborough, and New Castle. Many teams were heavily supported by American resources – the Remington’s by Remington Typewriter, and another team was supported by Dewars, the whiskey producer.

On May 1st, 1894, about 3000 attended the London Baseball Association’s inaugural match at the Thespian’s new home ground at Hyde Farm, in Balham. The American dominated Thespians won the first championship by beating Stockton.

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This is Announcement for the first game of the L.B.B.A played at the Baseball Park at Hyde Farm, Balham. Notice that Boxing World Heavyweight Champion James J. Corbett is mentioned as the possible Umpire.



Photo of The Thespians:








Supposedly, a game in July of 1892 between the Thespians and a team of Cowboys from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, really gave baseball its start in London.




I would be very interested to find other pieces related to this league and an early English baseball of the time.

[bgar3]

That is very nice. You should look out for the book Knowles wrote to introduce baseball to the English. It was published in 1896 and is fairly hard to find.
There were several earlier efforts also, including an extremely nice, but tough book by Chadwick.

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by bgar3

That is very nice. You should look out for the book Knowles wrote to introduce baseball to the English. It was published in 1896 and is fairly hard to find.
There were several earlier efforts also, including an extremely nice, but tough book by Chadwick.

Thanks. I found a digitized copy of the book when researching. Great resource - it has a large portion dedicated to describing everything about the LBBA, it's organization, teams and players.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?...12;skin=mobile

[vintagesportscollector]

1893 an 1894 Thespians Baseball Club - British National Champions. Check out the Spalding Cup Championship Trophy.





Chicago Tribune, July, 1896.

[Jay Wolt]

Joe very cool collectible & info, thanks for posting about it

[drcy]

I work with an Oxford University researcher and, looking into it out of curiosity, discovered that Oxford has two baseball teams (one university, one club) and a university American football team. The football team clearly isn't advanced, because their page says you don't need to have ever played the sport to try out.

[Huysmans]

Great item and back story Joe!
Love it! Congrats.

[Leon]

Very cool stuff, thanks for sharing!!

[Scott Garner]

Joe,
Excellent research & very unusual. Thanks for the terrific post!

[bgar3]

There was another British baseball book done just a few years before Knowles' book, by Newton Crane, entitled Baseball, 1891. It is part of the All England Series. Not sure if Crane was part of the same league, or a rival league. Anyway, not sure whether it came up in your searches or not. There are also some nice illustrations of game action from an earlier American series that are nice.

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by bgar3

There was another British baseball book done just a few years before Knowles' book, by Newton Crane, entitled Baseball, 1891. It is part of the All England Series. Not sure if Crane was part of the same league, or a rival league. Anyway, not sure whether it came up in your searches or not. There are also some nice illustrations of game action from an earlier American series that are nice.

Wow! Thanks, I didn't realize the significance of Crane, but just googled him...quite the baseball pioneer.

http://amanlypastime.blogspot.com/20...n-two.html?m=1

As it turns out Crane was instrumental in the formation of the London Baseball Association in 1894, and he was the league President that first year.

Prior to that, in 1889, Crane formed the National Base Ball League of Great Britain with Crane as president and money, players and managers provided by Albert Spalding. That was Great Britain's first organized baseball league.

Appreciatte the help...tieing the L.B.B.A back to another significant figure is pretty cool.

[bgar3]

Great, glad you were able to connect him to your league. If interested, you can find a copy for around 5 to 600 dollars if patient.

[vintagesportscollector]

...an article, on the BBHOF site, about Newton Crane's Book...

http://baseballhall.org/discover/sho...gh-1891-volume

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