Today I share a piece of film that truly rewrites history. This short section of film, running for less than a minute, is not just the only known footage of the short lived London Baseball League of 1906-1911, but also the earliest known footage of baseball being played outside of North America. Furthermore, this footage shows genuine game footage, with no restaging of shots for the cameraman. On top of this, the film, on a roll of 35mm nitrate, has recently been scanned in stunning quality by my friend at the Archive Film Agency in London. Now it can be viewed in the same amazing quality that curious cinemagoers would have witnessed it 110 years ago. I acquired this film a few years ago from an unidentified eBay sale, and was actually the first piece of 35mm film I got. It took a while for me to gain the experience and contacts to have this properly scanned before uploading. Now, exactly after 110 years after the game took place, at 3:30pm on the 19 August 1911, this film is now available for public viewing. Many thanks to my friend Andrew Taylor for the info on the London Baseball League, and this particular game, which is provided below: The game was played on Saturday 19th August – a number of newspapers had advertised the fixture, but in general coverage was minimal and likely only the most determined fans were aware that the game was being played. Besides the presence of film camera’s the match was reported in a handful of newspapers with both local and national distribution. The most thorough report, reproduced below, was published in the Essex Times (23rd August 1911). “On Saturday last the Leyton team (who have already won the League Championship) were returned the winners of a close and exciting contest. The issue hung in the balance up to the last ball pitched, and Leyton’s steadiness in the field just pulled them through. The teams were neck and neck up to the eighth innings, when Marsh put his team in front by cleverly stealing home from second base, and the Palace, failing to score in their last turn at bat, this proved the wining factor. The cup was presented to Curling, the Leyton captain, by Dr. Cheetham, who, in a pithy speech, congratulated the Palace on the splendid showing, and laid stress upon the attractions of ‘the game which takes no longer than a football match to decide, and contains all that pastime’s snap and go.’ Leyton:- Baverstock, Bennett, Bray, Burt, Busby, Crome, Curling, Harvey, Jarman, Marsh and Wright. Crystal Palace:- Brown, Burns, Casey, Farrell, Ford, H.B.Franks, C.L.Franks, McCollan, Pyper, Turner and Soresburger. Innings Score: Crystal Palace: 0, 1, 0, 0, 2, 0, 2, 0, 0 – 5. Leyton: 0, 0, 3, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, x – 6. It is not possible from the film footage to identify what innings we are watching, and it is likely that several shots from across various points in the match were taken. It is not clear if the footage is complete, for example was their original footage of the Cup presentation, which would make narrative sense. What is clear is that this is not staged – and we are witnessing real game action. In 1911 baseball was emerging out of the dead-ball era and its dominant strategy was known as small ball, where the emphasis was on getting runners on base, then advancing them into scoring position. We know that the decisive run scored by Marsh saw him steal home from second base, which is consistent with small ball. We don’t know when cork centred baseballs arrived in Britain, but as they were only debuted in America in 1910, it is unlikely that it had reached the London Baseball League at this time. The batting techniques of the Crystal Palace players also would seem to suggest an approach consistent with small ball, with little emphasis on power hitting. The stadium belonged to Leyton FC, the ground was sold to Clapton Orient in 1937, who in 1946 changed their name to Leyton Orient, who continue to occupy the ground today – it is possible to view aerial pictures of the current ground and make out the same row of terraced housing behind it.

• published: 19 Aug 2021
• views: 1927