Baseball in Hamilton - 1899

“The baseball season opened auspiciously at the cricket grounds yesterday.”

Hamilton Spectator.  May 6, 1899.

When the City of Hamilton purchased Dundurn park, the future of the baseball grounds at that location was in doubt. It was decided that, as the park was now in public hands, Hamiltonians would no longer have to pay to enter the park, and, that would also apply to anyone who wanted to watch a baseball game there, whether from the grandstand or from anywhere else.

The Hamiltons, a professional team, operated by Billy Stroud, was therefore obliged to find another location at which to play their home games. The cricket grounds in the southwest part of the city, between Queen and Reginald street, Charlton Avenue West and Robinson street, was the spot chosen. Surrounded by a high fence, and entered only through a single gate, management of the team would be able to charge admittance.  As pointed out in the Spectator, liberal patronage of the team was important : ‘Now a word to the public. The management has secured a good team, and in order that it can pay the salaries when they are due, it is necessary that the games should be well-patronized. A baseball team cannot be run without the support of the public”¹

¹ . Hamilton Spectator.   May 06, 1899.

On May 5, 1899, after a few modifications had been made to the cricket grounds which at the time was mainly used for football games, the first game to be played there was a pre-season exhibition game against a team for Auburn, New York:

“The baseball season for 1899 opened auspiciously enough yesterday, except that the weather was too cool for the best brand of ball and the most comfortable enjoyment of it. The new grounds are an immense improvement upon the Dundurn grounds. They give the batter full benefit of his work, give the fielders all opportunities to distinguish themselves, and make the game very much more enjoyable than where the batting and fielding are hampered by uneven grounds, fences and trees. The position of the grandstand, too, is a great improvement: it faces the north, and every seat is in perfect shade.

“The Hamilton team, practically last year’s lot of favorites, is evidently in good shape, and will be able to hold the reputation of this city against anything the Canadian league can send against it.

“Mr. Stroud is again taking chances to lose money, and his efforts to supply Hamilton with creditable exhibitions of baseball should meet with the sympathy and practical assistance of all Hamilton lovers of the game. Mr. Stroud may be depended upon to do his share, and to make baseball a success in Hamilton, it is only necessary that the public does its share. Mr. Stroud is again taking chances to lose money, and his efforts to supply Hamilton with creditable exhibitions of baseball should meet with the sympathy and practical assistance of all Hamilton lovers of the game. Mr. Stroud may be depended upon to do his share, and to make baseball a success in Hamilton, it is only necessary that the public does its share.”¹

Although it was not part of the official Canadian Baseball League schedule, the game was eagerly anticipated by Hamilton baseball fans:

“It was feared that the weather would necessitate a postponement of the game between the Hamiltons and Auburns yesterday, but is cleared up in the afternoon and was quite pleasant. Had the weather not been threatening and unpleasant in the morning there would have been a large attendance; as it was, between 250 and 300 were in the grandstand and on the bleachers, and a number took in the game from fences and adjacent buildings. All the old enthusiasts were out in full force and they enjoyed seeing their old favorites play again.”¹

The 1899 Hamiltons team indeed was very similar to the team which had represented the city during the 1898 season:

“Hamilton was satisfied with the team it had last year and Manager Collins did not find it necessary to make any material changes. This course was justified by the playing of the team in the opening game, all the old favorites doing great work. The pennant was flying on a pole near the entrance to the grounds, and if the boys attend strictly to their duties on the diamond and cut yachting on Sunday and other pastimes having a demoralizing effect, there is no reason why the Hamiltons should not again win the Canadian league championship.”¹

The Hamiltons were managed by ‘Chub’ Collins, and he selected a team which contained a large contingent of players whom the fans were already familiar with:

“ All the old enthusiasts were out in full force and they enjoyed seeing their old favorites play again. With very little practice, the Hamiltons played an almost perfect game, none of the errors made being costly. They were like colts who had been stabled all winter and were allowed to play for the first time. They fielded beautifully and batted so viciously that the Auburns had to shift pitchers three times.

“With no trees to them, the fielders made several beautiful catches.”¹

The official Canadian Baseball League season opened on May 10, 1899 with three games, involving each member of the six team league, with London at home against St. Thomas, Guelph at home against Stratford and Chatham on the road against Hamilton:

“Mayor Teetzel and the members of the City Council and the heads of the civic departments were guests of the management at the opening, and the Mayor inaugurated the season by making a very neat little speech, and tossing the first ball over the plate – actually over the plate at that. The Mayor in his remarks said he was delighted to see so good a crowd present to witness the game and encourage the club. The Hamilton club had done much to advertise the city and keep it before the people of the country, and he hoped the success which it had had in the past would continue in the future. He predicted for the club liberal patronage throughout the season and hoped to see a continuance of the spirit of fairness and true sport on the part of the team and the people. This little preliminary speech over, Umpire Thomas B. Kelly sent the Hamilton club to the field, and Capt. Synder, of the Chathams, went to the batter’s box. Mayor Teetzel opened the official ball, and, attaching a little bunch of curves to it, pitched it over the plate and the game was on.”²

² Hamilton Times.   May 11, 1899.

A crowd of approximately one thousand paying customers were treated to a most exciting contest:

“No lover of the game could have desired anything better than the game of ball that the two extremes of the league, Chatham, the western terminus, and Hamilton, the eastern terminus, put up.”²

The action throughout the game included a great deal of exciting play, but it was the finale that really roused the excitement:

“ ‘Hamilton Wins.’ That’s what the crowd shouted as Shorty Conwell cranked out a beautiful line hit in the ninth inning of yesterday’s ball game, and the speedy little Schrall ‘dusted’ from second home. It was an exciting and delighting finish of what had been a fine game of ball. It was the first game of the Canadian League championship series, and about 1,000 people were on hand to see it. Naturally they were all delighted with the result, although it was generally conceded that it was a very lucky chance that defeat was averted.”²

The Times coverage of the home opener ended with a series of brief observations placed under the headline, On the Green Diamond:

“Made a good start, boys.

“Mayor Teetzel may be tendered a contract.

“The Chatham players say the man with the grey hat who sat on their bench was their hoodoo.

“The visitors, led by Manager-Captain Synder, kept up an incessant chatter all the time they were on the field.”¹