Giants franchise from the beginning...before the beginning

AMRO · 07-24-2025, 08:40 PM

Jan 1, 1871

Around 30 hungover, moderately wealthy men assembled at a pub in Philadelphia. They were there to drink away their headaches, and to form a professional sport...baseball. On this day they formulated the rules, team names, and had a draft of of the 115 players that had shown up at various tryouts through the Fall of 1870.

The nine teams formed were the Boston Red Stockings, Chicago White Stalkings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Fort Wayne Kekiongas, New York Mutuals, Philadelphia Athletics, Rockford Forest Citys, Troy Haymakers, and the Washington Olympics.

I was lucky enough to be in that room on the request of New York Mutuals owner Mr. Jeff Kilcoyne. I was to chronicle the team as it progressed. After the draft the team had 13 players, including Nate Berkenstock, the last player to be drafted, thus ending the draft as there were no more eligible or interested players. Interestingly the Mutuals only selected one pitcher.

The Mutuals had the 7th pick and drafted, in order: 2B Levi Meyerle, SP Dick McBride, C Dick Higham, LF George Hall, SS Charlie Hodes, CF Dave Eggler, 1B Jim Carleton, 3B Charlie Smith, and RF Bob Addy. Four more players were drafted to the Mutuals but were not expected to play in many baseball games.

Another piece of news from today: A police officer from Philadelphia was arrested on repeating his vote in the October election was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $500.

07-24-2025, 08:40 PM	#1
AMRO Bat Boy Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 19	Giants franchise from the beginning...before the beginning Jan 1, 1871 Around 30 hungover, moderately wealthy men assembled at a pub in Philadelphia. They were there to drink away their headaches, and to form a professional sport...baseball. On this day they formulated the rules, team names, and had a draft of of the 115 players that had shown up at various tryouts through the Fall of 1870. The nine teams formed were the Boston Red Stockings, Chicago White Stalkings, Cleveland Forest Citys, Fort Wayne Kekiongas, New York Mutuals, Philadelphia Athletics, Rockford Forest Citys, Troy Haymakers, and the Washington Olympics. I was lucky enough to be in that room on the request of New York Mutuals owner Mr. Jeff Kilcoyne. I was to chronicle the team as it progressed. After the draft the team had 13 players, including Nate Berkenstock, the last player to be drafted, thus ending the draft as there were no more eligible or interested players. Interestingly the Mutuals only selected one pitcher. The Mutuals had the 7th pick and drafted, in order: 2B Levi Meyerle, SP Dick McBride, C Dick Higham, LF George Hall, SS Charlie Hodes, CF Dave Eggler, 1B Jim Carleton, 3B Charlie Smith, and RF Bob Addy. Four more players were drafted to the Mutuals but were not expected to play in many baseball games. Another piece of news from today: A police officer from Philadelphia was arrested on repeating his vote in the October election was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $500. __________________