1 The SABR UK Number 11 Examiner July 1999 THE JOURNAL OF THE BOBBY THOMSON CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN BASEBALL RESEARCH (UK) STOOLBALL IS ALIVE AND WELL IN SUSSEX Or, how a letter from Japan helped us discover an ancient English game by Martin Hoerchner by William Clarke, published in Lon- mon ancestor to baseball and cricket. don in 1829, with “The Book of Sports” The common lore is that milk maids by Robin Carver, published in Boston used their milking stools as both It amazes me sometimes how in 1834, where the rules of an English wicket (i.e. a target to throw at) and life dishes up treats and surprises, game called “rounders” and an Ameri- bat (with the legs removed). The first how things unexpectedly fall in place, can game called “base ball” are al- reference to the game by name is in how coincidences solve riddles, and most exactly the same. I’ve always 1450, but Henderson thinks it could how, as Ray Kinsella quotes Terence questioned Henderson’s conclusion date from at least 1330. There’s a Mann “There comes a time when all that it means baseball was descended page for “stool-ball” in the “Little Pretty the cosmic tumblers Pocket Book” from have clicked into 1744, a few pages over place, and the uni- from the first illustra- verse opens itself tion of a game named up…” base-ball. In its earli- So it happened est incarnation, the last June when I re- game was played by ceived a letter from two people; one would Japan. It was from a throw a ball at a stool SABR member and the other would named Kazuo stand in front of it and Sayama, saying he try to hit the ball away was researching the from it with their open origins of baseball. He palm. The winner asked if the games of would be the one that rounders and hit the stool the most stoolball were still times. Modifications played in Britain. It struck a special from rounders; to me it only proves like using a piece of wood to hit the chord with me, because I’ve always that rounders and baseball were once ball, running between two or more considered the genealogy of baseball different names for the same sport. stools, and having fielders to retrieve to be my speciality. So I composed a That’s a very big distinction. the batted ball, came later. It was the letter on my computer and stated that Rounders is still a very popular first game recorded as being played in rounders was very common all over game in Britain. In fact, if anything the English colonies in America, in this island, but that stoolball, first has dampened British enthusiasm Massachusetts in 1621. And finally, mentioned in the middle ages, has towards baseball, it’s that a similar in 1801, Joseph Strutt in his “Games been long extinct. but lightweight game exists over here. and Pastimes of the People of Eng- Both sports have a long history Mention baseball to a native and they land”, writes of a variation where run- in Britain. Rounders is the sport that say “it’s just a girl’s game”, or a “it’s ners, after they have hit the ball, race Robert W. Henderson, the prime ge- just a school game”. I presume none around a course of stools set out in a nealogist of baseball, points to as the of them has ever faced Randy Johnson circle. It is not difficult to see that the direct precedent of baseball, in his in the batter’s box. two-stool variety could be the pro- 1947 book “Bat, Ball, and Bishop: A As for stoolball, it’s the game genitor of cricket while the multi-stool History of Ball Games”. Henderson that Henderson defines as the com- compares the “The Boy’s Own Book” continued on page 8 www.sabr.org.uk 2 VIEW FROM THE CHAIR by Mike Ross Each time another AGM is wander for a bit, resulting in the proof that these many items do finished I feel a great weight ease loss of a Brian Williams world indeed exist in the flesh. The star off my mind. There have been eight class trivia quiz. of Day’s collection centers around AGM’s and they don’t get any All of which brings me to a a trophy he was given, allegedly easier. There is not as much prepa- point: more informal gatherings. one of the original ones presented ration now because many more We have a system in place whereby by Albert Spalding during the last members are participating. In the we can start to subsidise gather- decade of the nineteenth century. beginning SABR UK was like a dog ings that constitute a local SABR An enormous thing, sadly stripped and pony act. Now organising on meeting. I urge members to be the of its baseball details, standing the day is the hard part. Standing one to pick up the telephone, send almost as high as a table. up before you, I am more like a an email and touch base. I mean Lastly we were honoured by circus ringmaster then a SABR stretch it to a triple! Meetings will a visit from Larry Gerlach, presi- drenched fan. When SABR UK become a lot easier for me. Yes, dent of SABR (worldwide). He’s members gather as we do, for many and we got everything in this year, the one in the photo with me. I the journey and the subsequent but with less audio visual than took him to Lord’s Cricket Ground event is like a two where he was al- week holiday. Sel- lowed a seat in the dom if ever during sanctified “Long the year do UK Room”. Accompa- members get the nied by Stephen chance to sit down Green, Curator at and rap on and on MCC Lord’s, we about baseball. lunched upstairs (There are few if any and downed some “baseball wives” righteous ale, while here - write in if you overlooking the hear of one - in Brit- wicket during a ain; indeed baseball county match. Later can be grounds for Martin Hoerchner, divorce). Graham Winterbone Even those and Jim Combs sat who live in central London cannot usual around with him and talked base- nip to the 7-eleven for some milk Meanwhile it was good to see ball. and talk last nights game. The so many familiar faces, and of Larry must have the hardest AGM intermissions take on the course the new ones such as my job in all of baseball, that of look- atmosphere of Wall Street near new neighbour, an unapologetic ing after a vastly widespread or- closing bell time. At our meetings Yankee fan, Alan Weinstein who ganization of 7000 members with I clock-watch, I cut short, speed happens to be a weather expert. diversified interests and agendas. along, sit you down, beg for si- SABR UK didn’t have a weather It must be thankless task with lence. As a result, one time - was expert. And good to get our trivia only two years to get everything it last year? - we had a walkout. master, Brian Williams, back af- done, and keep everyone happy. So, it is no fun having to direct; for ter a long absence, although Tony Nice going Larry; we will miss you. I would much rather stop playing Darkin filled in most admirably The King is dead, long live Mr. “A Man and His Dog”, and let out of the bullpen. Details of the the King. Congrats to new Prez things flow naturally. This year I meeting will follow in The SABR Jim Riley. got an idea. I looked around the UK Newsletter. Note: Mike’s new book, Fenway Saved, room and decided who I would Next issue I hope to explore containing gorgeous photos of the clas- pick for a Sergeant-of-Arms to help the Bernard Day story, and his sic ballpark, is now available at keep order. Naturally I chose the visit to the realms of SABR UK. All Sportspages London and Manchester, biggest guy and came upon too brief I fear. Members who at- and at Dillon’s Piccadilly. - ed. Stephen Laski, who may be big tended SABR AGM VI and VII will but is more on the soft spoken remember his whirlwind arrival Examiner Staff side and served me not at all. and presentations in which he Editor: Stephen you’re fired! Volunteers regaled us with stories of extraor- Martin Hoerchner are welcome. Yes, at the meetings dinary adventures into research Executive Editor: we have business to attend to, with discoveries of many baseball Mike Ross reports to be made, presentations treasures. We have only seen a Circulation Manager: presented, all-in-all mostly photo or two and some Xerox cop- Graham Winterbone amusements to amuse. I still bear ies of the items, but hopefully by Research Submissions: the shame of letting one meeting next issue we will have concrete Jim Combs 3 ILLUSTRIOUS TURNOUT FOR BASEBALL IN BRITAIN: 1918 by Stephen Green, - he was the ‘Welsh Wizard’, David Milner, the former British High Lloyd George. In addition to his Commissioner in that country. Curator, wife, two of his predecessors were One of the most famous Marylebone Cricket there. They were AJ Balfour and present was Lord Grey of Falloden. Club HH Asquith. The latter was also He was the Foreign Secretary in accompanied by his wife. 1914 who said ‘the lights are go- Equally important was the ing out all over Europe.