1890 British baseball season

[theimposter1979]

I've just started to read the book "What about the Villa" by Joe Grey. I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in 19th century baseball. It chronicles the 1890 season and explores the links between the teams and the football/soccer teams that the baseball players represented. It's surprised me how little is known about baseball's popularity in the 19th century in the UK and how little is left..

[philliesfiend55]

It's surprising there was enough material to write a book about this subject. The common belief is that Baseball never caught on in the UK and that Rugby, Soccer, and Cricket have always been the British team games of choice.


"He'll only bring you souveneirs. It's only going to end in tears, and he is only The Imposter" - "Get Happy"/"The Imposter" - February 1980 - Elvis Costello. First performed live by E.C. & The Attractions at The Concerts For Kampuchea, London - 12/29/79 (recorded for 1981 album release.).

[westsidegrounds]

Looks like an interesting book. You might try posting something about it in the "International Baseball" forum too.

[Capital City Goofball]

It's surprising there was enough material to write a book about this subject. The common belief is that Baseball never caught on in the UK and that Rugby, Soccer, and Cricket have always been the British team games of choice.


"He'll only bring you souveneirs. It's only going to end in tears, and he is only The Imposter" - "Get Happy"/"The Imposter" - February 1980 - Elvis Costello. First performed live by E.C. & The Attractions at The Concerts For Kampuchea, London - 12/29/79 (recorded for 1981 album release.).

Surprisingly there is a lot of information about British Baseball... As a follow-up to the book mentioned you should read "Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History"
by Josh Chetwynd and "British Baseball And the West Ham Club: History of a 1930s Professional Team in East London" also by Josh Chetwynd...

If you really want to go further check out the website link I posted below:

http://www.projectcobb.org.uk/

This site contains box scores and rosters of British Ballclubs since the 1890s...

[westsidegrounds]

I lived in England for a couple of years and remember being surprised that Derby County (remember Brian Clough?) played at "The Baseball Grounds".

[theimposter1979]

The book details how Brian Clough on becoming the manager of Derby in the late '60's ordered the destruction of numerous artificats and records of the Derby Baseball Club with the message- our history starts now!

I lived in England for a couple of years and remember being surprised that Derby County (remember Brian Clough?) played at "The Baseball Grounds".

[Jntg4]

Anybody have further information on this league? Was it an organized league or more like the NABBP? Team listings? Standings? How many seasons it lasted? MLB-imports?