Is this a game used baseball?

[D.Broughman]

What are the terms for a game used baseball?

[David]

Re: Is this a game used baseball?

It's an antique trophy ball, and they almost always were used in the game.

[David]

Re: Is this a game used baseball?

The practice was to take a (sometimes the) ball used in the game and paint it up. There are trophy footballs too, which are also balls used in the game.

[coxfan]

Re: Is this a game used baseball?

All the way up to the 20th century, it was customary to use only one ball for the whole game if possible, just as is done in basketball today. In many of the amateur inter-club matches that were popular back then, the game-used ball was bronzed or otherwise specially preserved, and given to the winning team. This was done at the expense of the losers.

I didn't realize this practice continued until 1889, but it may have. In the 1840's-1870's period, baseball was played mainly by clubs that people would join. Professional baseball grew out of those early amateur clubs, and that's why MLB teams today are still called "clubs".

[D.Broughman]

Re: Is this a game used baseball?

Here is an ad for a pin at an auction that is from the same game. I would love to find the pin. The ad says Sept. 6 but the pin says Sept. 5 same as ball. D.