1884-08-27 Baseball Fun in Ancaster

On August 27, 1884, a reporter for the Hamilton Spectator was sent out from the paper’s downtown office to cover a picnic summer outing of several lodges of the Oddfellows held in the village of Ancaster.

The reporter seemingly found little to report about, except for a baseball game which pitted a team from Ancaster against a team from the even smaller village of Bullock’s corners.

The humorous story follows, in full :

“Ancaster, Aug. 27 – This has been a noted day here. One of the features of interest – and perhaps the most noted – in connection with the Oddfellows picnic here was a ball match between the Bullock’s corner club and the Ancasters, of Ancaster

“A tiny multitude assembled in Captain Walker’s stubble field to witness the struggle. Beautiful sunlight, little excitement, and less money prevailed.

“Precisely at 2:30 o’clock, just as the boys had everything properly adjusted, the spectators had quietly settled down on the captain’s fence, the umpire called “Game.”

“The umpire belongs to the Baysides,(note – the Baysides was a professional baseball team in Hamilton)  but the boys thought it would be cheaper to employ him than to get Stuart, of the Boston league league. Funds are rather low now, as the collector neglected going around this week, and anyway the boys thought the Bayside man would umpire well enough, as he has played some.

“Ancaster went to bat, with Johnny Crooks in the pitcher’s box and Conley behind the bat. At the end of fourth inning, the score stood 11 to 6 in favor of Ancaster. A change pitcher now took the box for the home team, and at the same time a colored friend of the visitors came upon the field, and after being warmly embraced by the visiting tossers, the game was resumed.

“Whether the home team became jealous at not having a colored friend to encourage too, or whether the visitors were inspired by their friend’s presence, will never be known; this, however, is certain, the visitors made thirteen runs in the fifth inning.

“The home battery did everything to encourage the visitors. Jim Wilson, on first base, looked daggers but held his peace; Jim never speaks on a baseball field

At this stage in the game, a bystander was heard to remark that the home team should have played eighteen years ago, when the game was fresh, that he would bet the Alberton club could beat them 2 to 1, and a host of equally ungenerous remarks.

Things now became so ridiculous that Dan Hanley fell off the fence overcome with laughter.

However, the game went on, and at its close stood 26 to 25 in favour of Bullock’s corners and an inning to spare.