There is some debate about the birthplace of organized baseball. Some historians say Manhattan, some say Brooklyn, nobody says Cooperstown. Traditionally, the city with the strongest claim is Hoboken, NJ, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. In 1845 Manhattan was already too built up for there to be enough room for a proper ballgame, so the Knickerbocker Club and New York Nine met at Hoboken's Elysian Fields for a game on June 19, 1946. This game was umpired by Hall of Famer Alexander Cartwright, who is credited with drafting many of the rules that shaped the modern game of baseball. Ten years later, reporter Henry Chadwick witnessed a baseball game at Elysian Fields and was inspired to develop statistics and a scoring system.
In 2003 the Hoboken Industry and Business Association erected a plaque at the corner of Washington Street and 11th Street, in what was the infield of the old Elysian Fields, commemorating that "first match game of baseball".
The fields are long gone, of course, replaced by buildings which themselves are now many decades old. 11th and Washington might also be considered a "nexus of old signs" - there are four really cool old signs at or near this corner, if you are interested in that sort of thing. (I am, which is why you will see those signs in future Wallet Card posts.)
time to smell the roses
ReplyDeleteI've been by that sign a few times. It's the closest thing to a "birthplace of baseball" there is.
ReplyDeleteVery cool. Didn't know this plaque existed. Great place to show off your wallet card.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Hoboken for three years and probably only saw the plaque once or twice.
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