Knickerbockers - Definition

New York Knickerbockers

Early History of the New York Knickerbockers

The New York Knickerbockers was one of the first organized baseball teams, which played under a set of rules, similar to the game today, and was founded by Alexander Cartwright, the modern father of baseball.

While working at the New York Knickerbockers Fire Fighting Brigade, Alexander Joy Cartwright became involved in playing town ball (an early version of baseball) on a vacant lot in Manhattan. In 1845, the vacant lot in Manhattan became unavailable for use. The group was forced to look for another location to play ball. They found a playing field, Elysian Field, across the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey that charged $75 a year to rent. In order to pay the rental fees, Cartwright organized a ball club so that he could collect fees for the rental of Elysian Field. The club was named the 'Knickerbockers', in honor of the fire station where Cartwright worked. The Knickerbockers club was organized on September 23, 1845.

The formality of creating a club for the ball players called for a formal set of rules for each member to adhere to. Cartwright formalized a set of 20 rules for the Knickerbockers. The club rules he wrote included: making the distances between the bases equal; three strikes and a batter is out; three outs to an inning; the addition of an umpire; and the creation of fair and foul territory. These rules went on to become the backbone of modern day baseball

It is likely that Cartwright picked some of his 20 rules based upon his previous experience in town ball play at Manhattan. The original rules of play at the vacant lot in Manhattan were not documented so it cannot be said which rules of the 20 were Cartwright's own invention. Most likely, Cartwright's rules are based upon the Manhattan rules that he twisted at his own personal discretion.

The formation of the Knickerbockers club across the Hudson River created a division in the group of Manhattan players. Several of the players refused to cross the river on a ferry to play ball because they did not like the distance away from home. Those players staying behind formed their own club, the 'New York Nine'.

The first baseball game between two different teams was played on June 19, 1846 at Elysian Field in Hoboken, New Jersey. The two teams, the 'Knickerbockers' and the 'New York Nine', played with Cartwright's 20 rules. Cartwright’s team, the Knickerbockers, lost 23 to 1 to the New York Nine club in four innings. Some say that Cartwright's team lost because his best players did not want to make the trip across the river. Cartwright was the umpire during this game and fined one player 6 cents for cursing.

Line up of the 1st rival game of baseball

Over the next few years, the rules of baseball spread throughout the country. Baseball was becoming the preferred sport of American adults and was drawing spectators by the thousands. Cartwright's rules would soon become part of The National Association Baseball Players Rules in 1860. The National Association Baseball Players Rules slowly evolved into today's rules of baseball.

See Also

Modern Day Basketball Team: New York Knicks