The Modoc Base Ball Club

Monday, March 10, 2014

In 1874, the Boston Red Stockings won their third consecutive pennant with a victory over the Philadelphia Athletics to lead the National Association Base Ball standings.  That year, the Modoc Base Ball Club played America’s pastime in Ahnapee.

At that time, baseball was organized by local amateur clubs, directed by a board of managers.  Baseball in Ahnapee was organized by the Modoc Club which ran for seven years.  In 1874, the club’s president was George W. Wing; vice-president was W. Swaty; secretary was M. T. Parker; and the treasurer was F. McDonald.  Board of Managers:  William Henry, C. Bacon, and S. Warner.

The choice of “Modoc” for their club name might be explained with a back story.  A few years earlier, in 1872-1873, the Modoc War--one of the costliest Indian wars in U.S. history--was fought in California by some of the bravest, fiercest Indian warriors.  The Modocs were nomadic hunters and gatherers from a band in Oregon and California.  When white settlers arrived in the area, the U.S. military tried to force the Modocs to return to a reservation, to a lifestyle that clearly didn’t fit who these Native American people were.  During a six-month war, 50 Modoc men fought off over 1,000 U.S. military troops.  Vastly outnumbered, the Modocs won several battles during the months of struggle.  Ahnapee’s Modoc Base Ball Club President George W. Wing was known to be fascinated by Indian lore.  Perhaps the Modoc Club’s name honored those brave Indian warriors. 

Fans of baseball today would easily recognize the game of 1874.  Since 1845 and the formation of what is believed to have been the first baseball club in America, the New York Knickerbockers, the game was played by the Knickerbocker’s “20 Original Rules of Baseball”.  Regulations of the game were available to the public in Henry Chadwick’s book, Beadles’ Dime Base-Ball Player.   

The club set “The Nine” players.  The First Nine for the Modoc Club were:  M. T. Parker (captain), Irving Elliott, F. McDonald, W. Swaty, Mike Mullen, S. Warner, G. W. Wing, A. C. Eveland, and E. Hutchinson.  The Second Nine were:  H. Overbeck (captain), William Henry, C. Bacon, Michael McDonald, L. Fowles, George Warner, C. W. Borgman, T. Richmond, and H. Van Doozer.

First, and foremost it helped if the teams showed up to play the game.  So, number one of the Knickerbocker Rules was:  “Members must strictly observe the time agreed upon for exercise, and be punctual in their attendance.”  That didn’t guarantee they would play the whole game.  If one team led by too many runs early in the game, records show their opponent team might quit well before the 9^th inning.      

According to rule protocol, the club president would appoint an umpire who kept the stats in a book of tally sheets.  The umpire also noted all violations of the rules and by-laws.  It is unknown if the Modoc Club was subject to a swearing penalty (payable immediately) which some umpires were known to strictly enforce.    

All players “must take their strike in regular turn.”  Three strikes to a batter, three outs to an inning, tags and force-outs but, per rule 13: “A player running the bases shall be out if the ball is in the hands of an adversary on the base, or the runner is touched with it before he makes base; it being understood, however, that in no instance is a ball to be thrown at him.”  There was a fair and foul territory.  No baulk pitches were allowed; no advancing on a foul ball either. 

Equipment was primitive.  Generally, a round bat (made of hickory, ash, or maple) was 30-40 inches long and weighed about 48 ounces, tapered to between 1 ½ to three inches at one end.  A ball would have been the same size played today, made of natural rubber, wrapped with yarn, and covered with a single sewn piece of leather.  A glove--if worn by any player--might be worn by the catcher.  It would be a leather work glove, with or without fingers covered.  The first catcher’s mask was a modified fencing mask invented in 1875, so not likely worn at the Ahnapee club’s games that year. 

On Independence Day, July 4, 1874, at 9:00 a.m. sharp, the Modocs took on the Pioneers.  The line-up that day for the Modocs was: Elliott, Henry, Osborne, Eveland, McDonald, Fowles, Overbeck, Mullen, and Bacon. The first innings were close and promised an exciting game.  Wild throws were made by both teams but the Modocs were superior at bat.  While Albert G. Spalding pitched to catcher James “Deacon” White for the Boston Red Stockings, William Henry threw to Irving Elliott for the Ahnapee Modocs.  The Modocs scored 15 runs in the 7^th and ended the game with 30 runs in the 9^th to beat the Pioneers 81 to 20.  The Pioneers declined a doubleheader that day.   

Modoc Team catcher Irving Elliott playing baseball with his family at age 95!