Arkansas Baseball Timeline
Page 1 of the Arkansas Baseball Timeline.1836:
Arkansas becomes the 25th state in the Union on June 15th.
The Presbytery of Arkansas includes “ball playing” as one of their “worldly amusements”.
1841:
A German scholar traveling past an Arkansas forest school between Danville and Perryville writes: “It was just noon as we passed; at this hour master and scholars make it a rule to play at ball so that they may return with greater zeal to their spelling.”
1858:
A resolution is printed in the May 2nd edition of the Arkansas Gazette encouraging both men and women to see the games of the ‘Little Rock Ball Club’.
1863:
James B. Lockney of Wisconsin 28th Regiment recorded in his Civil War journal on September, 30th of a baseball-like game called ‘wicket’ while in camp near Little Rock, AR.
1864:
Two soldiers, Charles Musser and Henry A. Strong, both record accounts of “ball playing” in their journals at their respected Civil War camps in Little Rock and Fort Smith.
1867:
The March 19th edition of the Arkansas Gazette Weekly gives the first record of a baseball game in Arkansas.
The first known baseball game in Arkansas is played on May 11th. The Pulaski Base Ball Club defeats the Galaxy Base Ball Club by a score of 67-15 at the Arsenal Grounds in Little Rock, AR. Despite some sources, Albert Pike did not play in this game.
1868:
The first game ever played by two base ball clubs from different sections of Arkansas was played on Independence Day, July 4th. The Rock City Base Ball Club took on the Pine Bluff Base Ball Club and defeated them by a close score of 43-36.
The first known state baseball championship in Arkansas takes place at the Arkansas State Fair during November.
1873:
A young boy named Phil Hanly is struck by a baseball bat on August 2nd and died on August 7th, marking the first known baseball-related death in Arkansas.
1875:
A complex baseball tournament known as the “Foul Flag Championship” is created to decided which of Little Rock’s many amateur teams was the best. The tournament was won by the members of the Accidental Base Ball Club, who were awarded with the championship flags. The runner-up ‘Independents’ were voted the best team and presented with a special bat made of 78 different pieces of wood valued over $100 dollars, equal to about $2000 today.
Arkansas is introduced to professional baseball when the St. Louis Red Stockings, formerly of the National Association, play Little Rock’s champion team, the Accidentals. Games were played on November 3rd and 5th at the state fairgrounds with St. Louis winning both by scores of 10-7 and 24-4.
1884:
Walt Goldsby, a resident of north Louisiana and lower Arkansas, debuts with the St. Louis Browns on May 29th. Goldsby is the first known professional baseball with Arkansas ties.
Chick Carroll debuts with the Washington Nationals of the Union Association. Carroll's birthplace is traditionally listed as Arkansas, possibly making him the first from the state to appear in a major league game. However, Carroll's birthplace is not confirmed.
A baseball club known as the “Arkansas Travelers” first appears in 1884 and continues through 1885. The team was sponsored by the Arkansas Traveler paper written by famous author Opie Read, but had no historical connection to later minor league teams in Little Rock with similar names.
1885:
The Arkansas Travelers baseball club builds what later became known as ‘Association Park’, located at the corner of 11th and High in Little Rock.
1886:
The Chicago White Sox of the National League become the first team to hold spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Major League teams continue to utilized Hot Springs as a spring training spot for the next 50 years.
The Hot Springs Baseball Grounds becomes the first known enclosed baseball grounds Arkansas when a fence built in June.
During August, a professional team is organized in Little Rock, AR and becomes the first in Arkansas history. The team features at least 5 players who had played or went on to play with a major league club, including Tommy Corcoran, a well-known shortstop during his era. The teamed played games at Association Park, which became Little Rock’s first enclosed baseball grounds after a fence was built around the perimeter.
1887:
The first professional league in Arkansas is formed and is known as the “Southwestern League". The league features teams from Fort Smith, Pine Bluff, Hot Springs, and Little Rock, Arkansas, as well as Joplin, Webb City and Springfield, Missouri.
1890:
Emmett Rogers debuts with the Toledo Maumees and Bob Allen debuts with the Philadelphia Phillies on the same day, April 19th. Rogers is a native of Hot Springs, AR and in turn becomes the first confirmed Arkansas-born player in the major leagues. Allen later lives most of his life in Little Rock, AR where he was president of the Little Rock Travelers.
1894:
An Arkansas State League is formed, comprised of teams from Little Rock, Hot Springs, Fort Smith, Camden, Morrilton, and Pine Bluff.
Electric lights are set up at Little Rock’s West End Park and the first night game in Arkansas history is played in July, Friday the 13th. The Rose City Base Ball team played the ‘Uncle Joes’ and one by a score of 6-4. The next night game in Arkansas wouldn’t be for another 36 years.
1895:
Arkansas’ first minor league baseball team, the Little Rock Travelers, joins the Southern League. The team dropped out of the loop in July with a poor record of 25-47.
Because of an outbreak of small pox, the St. Louis Browns of the Nationals League decide to hold spring training at West End Park in Little Rock, AR instead of Hot Springs. Several other teams major league teams train in Little Rock until 1910.
1897:
A second Arkansas State League is formed.
1898
Hot Springs and Little Rock place teams in the Southwestern Association.
The Cleveland Spiders train in Hot Springs, AR.
The Pittsburgh Pirates train in Little Rock, AR.
1899:
The Cleveland Spiders train in Hot Springs, AR.