A Little History of Baseball in Wyoming

Today, there are many baseball games during the summer in Sheridan. Baseball has been played in Wyoming since before Wyoming was even a state. In this column we will take a look back at baseball, the origins and the history of it in Wyoming.

Baseball, often called “America’s Favorite Pass Time,” has been around since 1849.

This from the The Lusk Herald, August 2, 1894 – Origin of Base Ball. Forty-Eighty Years Ago the Game Was Born. Tuesday, June 19 according to a chronicler In the New York World was the anniversary of the first match game of base ball ever played, which took place at Hoboken, N.J., on June 18, 1849. There is lack of definite Information, but It may pretty safely be stated that Captain Anson was there and playing.

The game of base ball had originated nearly nine months before. It had gradually grown out of the old English schoolboy game of rounders. Like man, base ball is the result of evolution. Rounders evolved into “townball.”

In the latter sport instead of bases there were ‘corners.” These were unattended., and runners were put out by being hit with the ball thrown directly at, them by the fielders. The ball was much softer than the modern base ball, and was composed wholly of rubber. In the early forties a party of New Yorkers assembled every Wednesday and Saturday on a vacant lot, then a long way out of town, and now covered by the Madison Square Garden, to play townball.

After a time some of them felt that the sport might be greatly improved, it was finally decided to substitute “bases” for “‘corners”. to use a ball with a hard rubber center, wound with yarn and covered with leather, to place men to guard the bases, and to change the name “townball”to “base ball.”

On September 23,1845, these gentlemen organized the flrst base ball club and called it the Knickerbocker. Thus our national game was born, There were soon a number of base ball clubs in and around New York, and the first match game was between the Knickerbocker and New York clubs. It comprised only four innings, the rule then being that the club first making twenty-one runs in even innings was the winner.

Baseball was popular sport at the early frontier forts. Balls and bats were small and easily carried along with other supplies, and playing baseball was a stress reliever and good exercise for the soldiers.

One of the earliest references to base ball in Wyoming in the old newspapers was from The Wyoming Weekly Leader, Cheyenne, Vol. 1, September 11, 1869

The first of a series of social games of base ball was played on Saturdny, between the base ball club of Company H, 9th Infantry, and the Wyomings, of this city, on the grounds of the former, at Fort Russell. Taking into consideration the high wind which prevailed at the time, the game maybe considered a good one in all respects. Excellent fielding marked the play of both clubs, and a close contest may be expected next Friday, when the second game of the series will be played In this city. The Wyomings were victorious. The score foots up as follows: Wyoming’s— outs, 27; runs, 38; Co. H – outs, 27, runs, 21. Innings: Wyomings, 38 Co. H, 21. Time of game, three hours.

In 1889, there is this short item in the Sheridan Post

They had a good big time at Buffalo. There was a ballgame, horse racing, foot races, fire-works and a dance. A good crowd was in attendance.

The Buffalo ball nine beat the McKinney nine by a score of 13 to 12.

Fort McKinney in Buffalo and Fort MacKenzie in Sheridan both had baseball teams, as did Fort Steele, Fort D.A. Russel and other forts throughout Wyoming.

From The Daily Enterprise, May 12, 1910 – MacKenzie Nine To Play Buffaloes Next Sunday At The Fort Grounds Near Sheridan. Game Of The League Class. If Sufficient Patronage is Given Other Games will be Arranged in Near Future. The Buffalo “Untamed” baseball team will cross bats with the soldiers of Fort Mackenzie next Sunday afternoon on the post diamond. The grounds are In excellent condition.

A grandstand is located on a fine vantage point while the bleachers are to either side of the diamond. The Eighteenth Infantry boys defeated Buffalo in both of the previous encounters, and they propose to “put one more over.” Buffalo prides itself, however, on their baseball aggregation and has greatly strengthened its weaker points. So, the battle promises to be of a league variety.

Mackenzie has eight baseball teams representing six hundred men who compose the garrison. The player for the first team are selected from these eight teams and are all first-class players. Baseball practice is compulsory at the fort in the list of exercises and every afternoon, the boys use their diamond from 1:30 to 3:30 o’clock.

Captain Johnson states a guarantee has been posted to bring Buffalo over. A small admission will be charged for this game to help defray expenses, and if sufficient encouragement is given by the baseball fans he will go ahead and secure other games from time to time during the summer with the best teams of northern Wyoming and will probably challenge Billings or other Montana towns who show themselves to be in Mackenzie’s class.

A league was born in 1913. This from The Sheridan Post, May 30, 1913 – It is Here — The Biggest Day in Local Baseball History. For today, neath sunny skies, the Midland Empire league will be born. The stage is set, the actors await their cue in the wings. This afternoon the curtain will go up on the greatest event in the history of sports in two states.

Four cities today rejoice In the birth of a new epoch. Of the four— Buffalo, Sheridan, Billings and Lewistown— Sheridan and Billings are destined to witness the formal inauguration of the league. Thousands in the two cities will raise their voices in thunderous applause and the hour of three-thirty arrives tor the long-awaited cry, “Play Ball!”

Lowering skies and predictions of rain cast a spirit of gloom over the fans yesterday, but today Old Sol shines in all his glory. Skies could not be prettier. Showers of a few hours ago but served to lay the dust and cool the fevered air. The glorious day itself would warrant a burst of song.

Autos carrying players and fans will leave the City hall at 2:15 this afternoon for the parade to the park. There, after addresses by Attorney LaFleiche of the local baseball committee and Mayor Kutcher. the mayor will pitch the first ball and the big game will be on. In Sheridan and Buffalo interest centers about the result of the opening event at City League park.

In Sheridan and Buffalo interest centers about the result of the opening event at City League park.

Billings and Lewistown fans have their eyes turned toward the Sugar City Field. The four teams, assembled with care by four of the best managers in the northwest, are keyed up “to the limit,” each praying for victory and prepared to exert every energy to bring it about.

But two of the four can win— which will they be?

Manager Solbraa’s laddies are in the pink of condition and working like a well-oiled machine, Buffalo’s delegation under the leadership of Manager Whitcomb will fight every inch of the way.

Here’s what the managers say — their “last word before the clearing of the docks for action: Solbraa— “l have nothing to say. We’ll be at the ball park at 3:30— that’s all!”

Whitcomb— “We expect to take you into camp!” While “Sol” is more reticent than the opposing leader, his utterance is marked by a vote of confidence. His philosophy may be summed up in one of his favorite expressions, — “Results speak for themselves.”

But regardless of the probable results, whether the “dope” favors Sheridan or Buffalo, the fans will turn out en masse this afternoon for the great event. They will all be there— not a fan will dare remain under cover.

Patriotism demands it, loyalty demands it, enthusiasm will not let them stay at home. Grandstand and bleachers will be filled to overflowing with the greatest crowd ever passed through the gates Automobiles and all other vehicles will be excluded today that the “bugs” who fail to find seats on boards may have room to spread over the lawns.

Grand Army veteran and members of the Women’s Relief Corps are invited to attend the game as the guests of the baseball committee. For today is their big day as well as a big day for baseball enthusiasts.

All of the “boys in blue” and daughters of veterans in whom burns the love of clean sport will be asked to occupy front seats. Now— altogether — everybody— Root! Get out this afternoon and boost for the home team, not forgetting a cheer for the visitors. Fall in line when the parade starts and stay with the procession. If you can’t do that be at the park, anyway, when the hour arrives. Let “Sol” and his crew in gray feel that they have the solid support of the whole city behind them— backing them up in their fight for victory. Boost— everybody’s doin’ it.

When Fort MacKenzie was built in Sheridan, some of the troops who were assigned to the fort were the Black soldiers of the 9th Cavalry, or the Buffalo Soldiers. Tom Hatch, historian at Fort MacKenzie, said one reason the soldiers were accepted in Sheridan, was due to the fact that they were good baseball players.

So, when one enjoys a baseball game this summer, remember the origins of “America’s Greatest Past Time,” and how often it was played in Sheridan.