“Rev. Father Butler has arranged for an excursion from Fort Ticonderoga to Essex on Tuesday, Sept 23. The barge James H. hooker has been chartered for the occasion. A game of baseball will be played at Essex between the Hammondville and Port Henry clubs,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on Sept. 12, 1879. “The proceeds od the excursion are for the benefit of the Catholic Church at Crown Point. Dinner, 50 cents [the equivalent of $15.71 in 2024 dollars], served on board the boat. Tickets for the round trip 50 cents. Children half price. All are cordially invited.”
In other 1879 Essex County baseball news collected from historic newspapers of the region:
The Ticonderoga Little Giants had enough athletes to field two baseball teams in 1879.
And in many games, the scores were more like contemporary football scores.
“A match game of ball was played last Saturday between the Little Giants of this place, and the Reapers of Putnam, the former winning the game by a score of 45 to 33,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on May 30.
“A match game of baseball is to be played between the Little Giants second nine, of this village, and the Ti Street club on this afternoon.”
“A game of baseball was played on the fairground, May 30, between the Little Giants first team of this village and the Corn Crackers of Ti Street. Score, Corn Crackers 37, Little Giants, 25,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on June 6. “Another game on the tapis tomorrow.”
“The Crown Point and Crown Pointe Center baseball clubs contested for the first time this season on Saturday P.M. at Factoryville grounds, the Centre club being the winners,” the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette reported on May 15.
“Baseball is on the fly once more. The Port Henry Club came down and played a game at the Crown Point Centre fairgrounds with a mixed nine of Crown Point, Crown Point Centre, and the mines for the ‘gait money,’ as the grotesque advertisement read. The latter were badly beaten,” the Crown Point Centre correspondent reported in the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette on July 3.
“Crown Point Centre 3rd nine, composed of lads from 8 to 16 years old, Hima Buck, captain, walked to Ironville and back, some 7 miles, and played the Ironville second nine and some grown up members of Podunk Club recently, and were worsted at the disadvantage of men against little boys,” the Crown Point Centre correspondent reported on July 3 in the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette. “The Ironville club, subsequently, came here with a stylish team and large wagon. Nine-year-olds beat them badly.”
“Our boys went to Willsborough to play the Essex baseball club, but, for some reason, the Essex nine did not put in an appearance. Seems they should not get disarmed before a trial,” the Keeseville correspondent reported in the Ticonderoga Sentinel on Aug. 29.
“The Prospect ball club of this village have failed to get any club to accept a challenge from them for a friendly game of ball. What is the reason of this?” the Keeseville correspondent reported in the Ticonderoga Sentinel on Sept. 19.
Photo at top: Baseball caps illustration from the 1870s. Wikimedia Commons image.
Maury Thompson is a freelance writer who writers about the region’s history and contemporary politics. He was a reporter for about 25 years for The Post-Star of Glens Falls, and now writes for several newspapers and websites in the region.
1879 Essex County baseball
By Maury Thompson
Take me out, via barge, to the ball game.
“Rev. Father Butler has arranged for an excursion from Fort Ticonderoga to Essex on Tuesday, Sept 23. The barge James H. hooker has been chartered for the occasion. A game of baseball will be played at Essex between the Hammondville and Port Henry clubs,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on Sept. 12, 1879. “The proceeds od the excursion are for the benefit of the Catholic Church at Crown Point. Dinner, 50 cents [the equivalent of $15.71 in 2024 dollars], served on board the boat. Tickets for the round trip 50 cents. Children half price. All are cordially invited.”
In other 1879 Essex County baseball news collected from historic newspapers of the region:
And in many games, the scores were more like contemporary football scores.
“A match game of ball was played last Saturday between the Little Giants of this place, and the Reapers of Putnam, the former winning the game by a score of 45 to 33,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on May 30.
“A match game of baseball is to be played between the Little Giants second nine, of this village, and the Ti Street club on this afternoon.”
“A game of baseball was played on the fairground, May 30, between the Little Giants first team of this village and the Corn Crackers of Ti Street. Score, Corn Crackers 37, Little Giants, 25,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on June 6. “Another game on the tapis tomorrow.”
Photo at top: Baseball caps illustration from the 1870s. Wikimedia Commons image.