Union of Morrisania

Summary

The Union of Morrisania (founded 17 July 1855, South Bronx, New York, United States) was a baseball team which played in the National Association of Base Ball Players league.

Union of Morrisania
Years 18551873
Based in Morrisania, Bronx, New York
League affiliations
Team colors

Red, white, blue
     

Ballpark
  • Melrose Station grounds[1]
League titles
  • National Amateur Association pennants: 1 (1867)

History edit

In their first season, the Union played only one game, against Young America, which Union won 25-8. In the second season, Union played five games. They finished second in the league with a record of 3 wins and 2 losses to the Brooklyn Atlantics who had four wins and no losses. From 1857 (with a record of three wins and two losses) to 1861, Union placed no higher than fifth. In the 1862 season, Union placed fourth with five wins and five losses. This encouraged the team and in the 1865 season, they placed third in the league with thirteen wins and ten losses. At the time, this was a franchise record.

In 1866, for the first time, Union placed first in the league with twenty-five wins and three losses. However, they did not win the premiership title. The following year, Union finished third with twenty-one wins and eight losses, succeeded in the playoffs, and beat the Brooklyn Atlantics to win their first and only premiership title. In 1868, Union finished third with thirty-seven wins and six losses. This was their best number of wins to losses.

In 1869, new professional baseball teams such as the Cincinnati Red Stockings entered the league. Union played only fifteen games, placing fifth with ten losses. In 1870, Union won seven games and lost eighteen games against the professional teams, and won twenty games and lost nineteen games against the rest of the league. After the 1870 season, Union refused to enter the new National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. The National Association of Base Ball Players was dissolved, and two years later, in 1873, the Union team disbanded.

1867 champion team edit

 
Champions 1867-68, Union of Morrisania - Smith, Ketchum, Shelly, Pabor, Austin, Goldie, Beals, Birdsall, Akin, Martin

On 10 October 1867, Union beat the Brooklyn Atlantics by fourteen runs to thirteen. Although Union had twenty one wins and eight losses in the season, they won the premiership title.[2]

1867 NABBP title roster
Catcher - Dave Birdsall
Pitcher - Charlie Pabor[3]
First Base - John Goldie
Second Base - Al Martin
Third Base - Dave Ketchum
Short Stop - George Smith
Out Fielder - Akbro Aiken
Out Fielder - Henry Austin
Out Fielder - Tommy Beals
Hudson?
William Abrahms?
Norton?

References edit

  1. ^ Ryczek W.Baseball's First Inning: A History of the National Pastime Through the Civil War. McFarland, 2009 p. 219. ISBN, 9780786441945.
  2. ^ Shiffert J. Base Ball in Philadelphia: A History of the Early Game, 1831-1900. McFarland, 2006 p.52 ISBN 9780786427956.
  3. ^ Egan Jn J. Base Ball on the Western Reserve: The Early Game in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, Year by Year and Town by Town, 1865-1900. McFarland, 2008 p.28. ISBN 9780786430673.

External links edit

  • Account of an 1862 match
  • MLB Historian John Thorn on The Unions of Morrisania
  • Union Club of Morrisania at Protoball