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West Philadelphia Base Ball Club Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSSP 0002

Scope and Contents

This collection consists primarily of letters addressed to the West Philadelphia Base Ball Club during the season of 1867 with a few letters from 1866. Many items are challenge letters or letters otherwise scheduling matches. There is also a 6-page letter from the Excelsior Base Ball Club of Milford, Delaware, inquiring about a player named Fisher, who pitched for the West Philadelphia Base Ball Club and another team during the 1867 season. Most of the correspondents are from the Philadelphia area and include letters from the Olympic Base Ball Club, the Keystone Base Ball Club, and the Quaker City Base Ball Club. There are also letters from the Atlantics of Brooklyn and the New York Mutuals. In addition to letters from other Base Ball Clubs, the collection includes a small number of other correspondence, including a letter from the Ladies of the Seamen’s Relief Association (Philadelphia) requesting support for a fundraiser. Included among the letters is also a draft of the West Philadelphia Base Ball Club's letter of application to the National Association of Base Ball Players, the game's first governing body. Materials include letters and a telegram.

Dates

  • Creation: 1866-09-01 - 1867-09-07

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical / Historical

According to the draft letter of application to the National Association of Base Ball Players, the West Philadelphia Base Ball Club was organized on June 6, 1865 from the neighborhood around S. 41st and Lancaster Avenue. The club played numerous matches against teams from the Philadelphia area in 1866 and 1867 and also corresponded with teams in other states including Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. The corresponding secretary for the West Philadelphia club in 1866–67 was Augustus C. Hamer.

Extent

.25 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Organized by correspondent.

Status
Completed
Author
Greg Bond
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Notre Dame Rare Books & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
102 Hesburgh Library
Notre Dame IN 46556
574-631-0290