1 2 3

Protoballs Local-Origins Project Version 1.1, 3/9/2014

4 5

Some

i!s1 on "in#ing $arl% &allgames an# &allcl'bs

6 (is g'i#e attem!ts to (el! ne) researc(ers learn (o) to *in# in*ormation on earl% 7base ball cl'bs an# games in !artic'lar areas. +t incl'#es some !ractical a#,ice 8*rom some o* o'r most !ro#'cti,e c'rrent origins researc(ers. -ost o* t(e n'mero's 9recent *in#s (a,e come *rom #igital searc(es o* !erio# ne)s!a!ers. .ote 2 10 11 i! 1/ &e*rien# a local (an#s-on searc( s!ecialist0 12-an% !artici!ants )ill be attem!ting to *in# ,er% earl% ball!la%ing #ata *or t(eir 13(ometo)ns or ot(er areas o* s!ecial interest. (e% ma% *in# im!ortant !ractical 14a#,ice *rom t(eir m'nici!al or e#'cational libraries. 1e*erence librarians are 15commonl% !atient an# t(o'g(t*'l s'!!liers o* 'se*'l searc( a#,ice, an# ma% also 162no) o* s!ecial collections or local searc( ai#s. +* so, tell t(em t(an2s *rom t(e 17Protoball Project0 18 19 20 i! 2/ r% some internet sites t(at earlier origins #iggers (a,e *o'n# 'se*'l0 11 3e as2e# a brain ban2 o* o'r most )i4ene# Searc( 3i4ar#s *or some sa,,% (el! (ere. (eir 2ti!s are s!rin2le# belo). 5n# 6e** 7ittels list o* t(ings (e )is(es (e# 2no)n )(en (e starte# 3is in t(e 5!!en#i8 at t(e en# o* t(is s(ortis( #oc'ment. 425bo't micro*ilm. Searc( 3i4ar# 1.9. )rites/ "or smaller localities, it is s(eer #'mb l'c2 to 5*in# t(e local ne)s!a!ers online. -ore generall% %o' nee# to searc( t(em t(e ol#-*as(ione# 6)a%, b% loo2ing at micro*ilm. 3(ere to *in# t(e micro*ilm: +n a##ition to t(e local librar%, + 7)o'l# c(ec2 t(e local (istorical societ%. .e8t a*ter t(at, man% states (a,e state arc(i,es 8an#/or state libraries *or t(is 2in# o* t(ing. 5ca#emic libraries ten# not to be t(e best so'rces 9o* ne)s!a!er micro*ilm, b't t(is isnt an absol'te r'le, so loo2 t(ere as )ell. (e local !'blic 10librar% ma% or ma% not be able to get micro*ilm t(ro'g( interlibrar% loan ;+LL< ass'ming t(e% 11(a,e a micro*ilm rea#er. -a2e *rien#s )it( t(e !erson )(o (an#les +LL. -a2e s're t(at t(e 12micro*ilm %o' )ant e8ists be*ore %o' re='est it, so as to maintain cre#ibilit%. 13 1 14

21&elo) is a tab'lation o* se,eral online searc( sites t(at (a,e !ro,en !ro#'cti,e to 22earlier origins researc(ers, an# t(at incl'#es !ractical insig(ts *rom se,eral 23accom!lis(e# #iggers. (e sites are arrange# in t(e general or#er o* t(eir re!orte# 24'tilit% to ma2ing ne) *in#s > (ose seen as t(e best bets are liste# to)ar# t(e to! o* 25eac( s'bcategor%. 26 (is is j'st an initial list > its onl% ,ersion 1.1. 3e (o!e to contin'all% im!ro,e it an# 27to organi4e a ,ersion 2.0 in a *e) )ee2s. Please sen# 's in*ormation *rom %o'r o)n 28e8!erience to (el! 's assemble a more com!lete an# error-*ree '!#ate. 29 30S!ecial t(an2s to Searc( 3i4ar#s 6o(n (orn, ?(ris 1%lan#, 6e** 7ittel, an# 1ic(ar# 319ers(berger *or major contrib'tions to t(is initial #oc'ment. 32
33 34
Version1.1, 3/9/2014

35

On-line Searc( Sites3

.ote4

365. &roa# &ase &all ?o,erage > *ree 37@A

?(ronicling 5merica ;1B3C-1922< (tt!///c(roniclingamerica.loc.go,/

38@A DPenns E'i#e to DS ne)s!a!ers 39(tt!///g'i#es.librar%.'!enn.e#'/(istoricalne)s!a!ersonline .ote 5 40@A 41@A

S!orting Li*e #igital collections ;1BB3-!resent< (tt!///searc(.laB4.org/ .ote C Pa!er o* 1ecor# ;,ia S5&1<

(tt!///sabr.org/!a!ero*recor# .otes F

153 "rom Searc( 3i4ar# 6.7./ G&et)een DPenn, ?(ronicling 5merica, t(e !a% site Eenealog%&an2 16an# 19t( ?ent'r% DS .e)s!a!ers, %o' can *in# most an%t(ing.H 1745mong t(e searc( ,eterans )(om )e cons'lte#, t(e *irst t)o sites, ?(ronicling 5merica an# 18DPenn, emerge# as t(e best !laces to tr% *irst/ abo't ?(ronicling 5merican Searc( 3i4ar# ?. 191 )rites, GitIs a great )a% to get starte# an# start to learn )(at !ossibilities t(e #igiti4e# 20ne)s!a!ers (a,e to o**er.H 215 Searc( 3i4ar#s 6. 7. an# &. 5. s'ggest t(is site as one goo# !lace to start. 22list is reall% goo# an# co,ers !rett% m'c( e,er%t(ing + 'se.H 236 ?lic2 on Gresearc(H 24 25
2
"rom 6.7./ G (e

42@A Eoogle &oo2s (tt!///boo2s.google.com .oteB 43@A Eoogle .e)s!a!ers .ote 9 (tt!///ne)s.google.com/ne)s!a!ers 44@A Online 9istorical .e)s!a!ers (tt!///sites.google.com/site/onlinene)s!a!ersite/ 45@A +llinois Jigital .e)s!a!er ?ollection (tt!///,eri#ian.librar%.illinois.e#'/cgi-bin/illinois: 46aK!L!K(omeLeK-------en-20--1--t8t-t8+.------47@A .M
imes ;1BN1 to 1923< (tt!///='er%.n%times.com/searc(/='er%:src(stK!

48@A 3i2i!e#ia online - (tt!///en.)i2i!e#ia.org/)i2i/ListOo*OonlineOne)s!a!erOarc(i,es 49@A 5merican -emor% Project - (tt!///memor%.loc.go,/ammem/in#e8.(tml 50@A .e)s!a!er ?at ?atalog o* Jigital 9istorical .e)s!a!ers (tt!///'*#c.'*l.e#'/(nccoll 51 52 53&. o! Pa% Sites10 54 @A Eenealog%ban2.com .ote/ 11 (tt!///genealog%bac2.com/gban2/ 55 @A 5ncestr%.com (tt!///ancestr%.com 56@A .e)s!a!erarc(i,e.com (tt!///ne)s!a!erarc(i,e.com 57 58?. ?ommercial Jatabases 5,ailable Via Some Libraries an# Dni,ersities 59.ote 12 267 Mo'll nee# %o'r S5&1 +J an# !ass)or#. 27?ana#ian an# -e8ican so'rces. 288 ?lic2 on G-ore,H t(en G&oo2sH 299
(is site is, (el!*'ll%, organi4e# b% state Searc( 3i4ar# &.5. notes t(at t(is site (as mostl%

3010 Searc( 3i4ar# &.5. notes t(at also, t(ereIs a &ritis( ne)s!a!er arc(i,e online ;*or !a%< *or 31t(ose researc(ing &ritis( ball!la%ing. 3211 Searc( )i4ar# 1. 9. )rites/ 33s'bscribe to.
(is is b% *ar t(e most 'se*'l !a% site. +t is t(e onl% one +

3412 5s2 %o'r *a,orite ne) librarian *rien#0 35 36

60@A 19t( ?ent'r% DS .e)s!a!ers (tt!///g#c.gale.com/!ro#'cts/19t(-cent'r%-'.s.-ne)s!a!ers/ 61@A 5ccessible 5rc(i,es (tt!///))).accessible.com/accessible/!reLog 62@A 5*rican 5merican .e)s!a!ers ;1ea#e8< ;1B2F-199B< (tt!///))).rea#e8.com/content/a*rican63american-ne)s!a!ers-1B2F-199B 64@A 5mericas 9istorical .e)s!a!ers ;1ea#e8< ;1F1B-1BFC< (tt!///))).ne)sban2.com .ote 13 65@A ProP'est 9istorical .e)s!a!ers ;1B12-2009< 66(tt!///))).!ro='est.com/en-DS/catalogs/#atabases/#etail/!=-(ist-ne)s.s(tml 67@A 3orl# .e)s!a!er 5rc(i,e (tt!///))).crl.e#'/collaborati,e-#igiti4ation/)orl#-ne)s!a!er68arc(i,e 69 70J. Some 5lrea#%- 7no)n 1egional an# Local Sites 71@A "'lton > .e) Mor2 State (tt!///*'lton(istor%.com/ .ote 14 72@A &roo2l%n $agle > .M? > @lin2 ino!erati,e 2/2N/2014A 73@A
oronto Star > ?ana#a - (tt!///t(estar.!ageso*t(!ast.ca/

74@A .ort(ern .MS > (tt!///n%(istoricne)s!a!ers.org 75@A .MS 9'#son Valle% > (tt!///ne)s.(r,(.org 76@A S'**ol2 ?o'nt% .MS
- (tt!///))).li,e-librar%.com/(istoricne)s!a!ers.org

77@A P5 ?i,il 3ar era !a!ers 78-(tt!///#igitalne)s!a!ers.libraries.!s'.e#'/Je*a'lt/S2ins/ci,il)ar/?lient.as!: 79s2inKci,il)arL53K139333BCC41NCL5!!.ameK2 80 @A .ort( ?arolina (tt!///))).nc#cr.go,/arc(i,es/9ome 81@A 5tlanta 9istoric .e)s!a!ers (tt!///atlne)s!a!ers.galileo.'sg.e#'/atlne)s!a!ers/searc( 82@A +n#e8 to $arl% -em!(is .e)s!a!ers (tt!s///'m#ri,e.mem!(is.e#'/mc2ibben/)))/in#e8.(tml 83@A ?ali*ornia Jigital > (tt!///c#nc.'cr.e#'/cgi-bin/c#nc 84@A +#a(o, Dta( > (tt!///lib.b%'.e#'/#igital/ 85@A ?olora#o
-

(tt!///))).colora#o(istoricne)s!a!ers.org

3713 Searc(es (ere ma% #'!licate t(ose o* Eenealog% &an2, abo,e 3814 Se,eral Searc( 3i4ar#s re!ort t(at t(e "'lton site can be (ar# to 'se. 39 4 40

86@A 9istorical .e)s!a!ers in 3as(ington (tt!///))).sos.)a.go,/(istor%/ne)s!a!ers.as!8 87@A 9istoric Oregon .e)s!a!ers (tt!///oregonne)s.'oregon.e#'/ 88@A .e,a#a > (tt!///20C.194.194.211/2011/c#m/ 89@A 3estern ?ana#a > (tt!///britis(colonist.ca/ 90 91 92$. +**% Sites > $,al'ation *or Local Origins Searc(es .ee#e#0 93 94@A 9at(i
r'st Jigital Librar% (tt!///))).(at(itr'st.org/

95@A +nternet 5rc(i,e (tt!s///arc(i,e.org/ 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104

41 42

105$. Some Dse*'l Searc( Strategies1N 1C 106@1A o *in# t(e mo#ern ;G.e) Mor2H< game > tr% Gbase ball,H Gbase-ball,H Gmatc( 107game,H Gball cl'b,H Ggame o* ballH 108@2A o *in# acco'nts ;an# later re*lections< on baser'nning games t(at !rece#e# 109mo#ern base ball > tr% G!la% ball,H G!la% at ball,H Ggame o* ball,H Ggame o* base,H 110Gcric2et,H Ggame o* )ic2et,H G)ic2et game,H Gol#-*as(ione# base,H Gro'n# ball,H Gbat 4315 Searc( 3i4ar# ?.1. )rites/ When you search historic newspapers, you are almost always searching 44the optically scanned text, which was generated by a computer program. Because of the age and poor 45quality of most of these original sources, your search will never be any better than the faulty text that lies 46behind the image. Because of the magnitude of these errors, you may want to be creative at searching in 47order to outsmart them. For example, the words "base ball" are often indexed as "base hall," and a search 48for "base ball" on Chronicling America will also never discover the "bare hall match" played between the 49Jefferson and National base ball clubs in 1866. So despite the power of the advanced search discussed 50below, sometimes it is better to start out simple, in order to encounter as few errors as possible. 51 52Advanced Search. Most sites have an "advanced search" function that allows you to control your search 53and limit by newspaper or year. The examples below are not necessarily applicable to all sites, but most 54sites provide these functions in some form, either by filling out a form, or by entering a string of words. 55 561. Most sites will automatically search for results containing all the words entered in the search. 57Sometimes to be sure this is happening, you will need to combine words using the word " AND ." For 58example, base AND ball. 592. OR allows you to search for either one of two or more words, but not necessarily both. For example, 60championship OR trophy will bring you articles mentioning one or the other, but not necessarily both. 61Chronicling America's advanced search uses the phrase any of the words to refer to this kind of search. 623. String searching allows you to search for a phrase, using quotation marks. For example, "base ball 63match" will bring you articles that only contain those words in that order. Chronicling America and other 64sites allow you to enter the phrase in a text box for searching. 654. NOT allows you to remove a word from your search. For example, if your results are being cluttered by 66references to football championships, you can search for championship NOT football. Google search 67uses a minus sign for this: championship -football. Chronicling America does not appear to allow this 68kind of searching. 695. A wild card allows you to search for a missing word in a string. For example, the Google News Archive 70allows you to substitute an asterisk (*) for any word in a search. For example, searching for "new * base 71ball club" returns results including the New Haven Base Ball Club and the New Dominion Base Ball 72Club. Wild cards are common in commercial databases available through libraries. 736. Proximity search allows you to search for words near each other. For example, Chronicling America's 74Advanced Search allows you to enter words and then set them to be within 5, 10, 50, or a 100 words of 75each other. Some commercial databases, especially those available through libraries, will allow you to 76specify the number of words, using the NEAR command. 7716 Searc( 3i4ar# -. &. )rites/ + )o'l# recommen# t(at %o' !a% attention to t(e *orm o* t(e 78terms %o' *in# as %o' go *'rt(er an# *'rt(er bac2 in time. (e more r'ral, t(e more 'ni='e an# 79!ec'liar t(e s'ccess*'l searc( terms. 3(at + )o'l# s'ggest is it is im!ortant to !a% attention 80 6 81

111ball,H Gbat an# ball,H Ggoal ball,H G!l'gging,H Gb'rning,H Gsoa2ing,H Gto)n ball,H 112Gro'n#ers ;rare in DS<,H Gmassac('setts game,H Gbass ball, Gbaste ball.H 1F 113@3A -an%, b't not all, sites )ill (el!*'ll% loo2 *or e8act strings o* c(aracters )(en !'t 114in ='otation mar2s > t('s, Gbase ballH )ill be more !recise ='er% t(an !lain base ball, 115)(ic( ma% co'nt as (its all t(e man% GballH cites an# Gbase Gsites, !recio's *e) )it( 116rele,ance to %o'r *a,orite !astime. 117@4A +s %o'r *in# reall% ne): o #etermine i* a !artic'lar cl'b or game is alrea#% 1182no)n, r'n a ='ic2 c(ec2 b% #oing an Gen(ance#H searc( at 119(tt!///!rotoball.org/S!ecial/$n(ance#Searc(. 5n#/or c(ec2 t(e interacti,e ma! *or 120%o'r imme#iate area, to be *o'n# b% re!ositioning t(e interacti,e ma! at 121(tt!///!rotoball.org/Pre-!roO&aseball. 122@NA -L& O**icial 9istorian 6o(n (orn, o'r Mo#a, (as genero'sl% o**ere# to assist 123local gro'!s i* t(e% get st'c2 or nee# a#,ice. Mo' can reac( (im at 124jo(n.t(ornQmlb.com. 125 126". Local-Origins &ibliogra!(% 1273e (a,e beg'n com!iling a sortable bibliogra!(% on local origins at 128(tt!///!rotoball.org/Local-OriginsO&ibliogra!(%. Please a## to t(is initial 9N-item list. 129 130Jont *orget/ sen# corrections an# a##itions to Lmccra%Qmit.e#' *or Version 2.0 o* 131t(is )ee g'i#e to origins-era searc(es. 132 133 134 5!!en#i8
+

82to t(e names an# #etails )it(in %o'r *in# stories, an# 'se t(ose as %o'r 2e% searc( terms. 83'se all t(e terms liste# (ere, an# loo2 at t(e common cl'b names > $agle, Pioneer, 847nic2erboc2er, etc.

8517 Searc( )i4ar# &.5. )rites/ +I,e (a# some l'c2 )it( t(e searc( term Rmatc( gameR--so long 86as %o' can e8cl'#e t(e )or# Rbilliar#sR *rom t(e searc(0 87 88 89 90
7

135

(ings 6e** 7ittel 3is(es 9e# 7no)n at t(e O'tset1B

136@A Start )it( a sim!le Eoogle searc(. Mo' ne,er 2no) )(at %o'Ire going to *in#. (is also 137a!!lies to an% #atabase or searc( engine %o' can get %o'r (an#s on. JonIt be a*rai# to loo2 138ten, t)ent%, *i*t% !ages #ee!. 139@A Mo'Ire loo2ing *or lea#s/cl'es - an% !iece o* in*ormation t(at )ill lea# %o' to )(at %o'Ire 140reall% loo2ing *or. (e o##s are t(at %o'Ire not going to *in# )(at %o' )ant imme#iatel% so 141embrace an% !iece o* in*ormation t(at mo,es %o' closer to %o'r goal. Mo' ne,er 2no) )(en a 142ran#om name, !lace or #ate )ill lea# to anot(er, more *r'it*'l searc(. 143@A &e !ersistent. JonIt gi,e '!. +I,e been loo2ing *or a s!eci*ic !iece o* in*ormation *or o,er a 144#eca#e no) an# still (a,enIt *o'n# it. (at #oesnIt mean +Im going to ='it. &elie,e t(at t(e 145in*ormation is t(ere an# t(at itIs onl% a matter o* time an# e**ort be*ore %o' *in# it. 146@A R&ase ballR is t)o )or#s, not one. Searc(ing *or RbaseballR )ill not get %o' )(at %o' )ant. 147 5lso, searc(ing *or Rto)n ballR )ill get %o' co'ntless articles abo't to)n (alls. Searc(ing *or 148Rball gameR )ill get %o' co'ntless articles abo't !eo!le getting scamme#. r% ,ariations o* 149bat, ball, cl'b, game, etc. &e creati,e. Ji**erent searc( engines are more res!onsi,e t(an 150ot(ers an# )(at )or2s )it( one )ill not necessaril% )or2 on t(e ot(er. 151@A (e Protoball Elossar% o* Eames (as a nice list o* games t(at %o' can searc( *or i* %o'Ire 152loo2ing *or earl% bat an# ball games in an area. 153@A Searc( t(e Protoball ?(ronolog%. +t )ill gi,e %o' an i#ea o* )(at is alrea#% 2no)n abo't an 154area an# so'rce material t(at %o' s(o'l# loo2 at. 155@A Secon#ar% (istorical so'rces are also a goo# !lace to start. Mo' mig(t *in# a (istor% o* a 156cit%, co'nt% or state t(at mentions earl% baseball. 1ea# t(e *ootnotes an# bibliogra!(ies. (e 157bibliogra!(ies )ill gi,e %o' ot(er material to searc( t(at %o' ma% not be a)are o* an# %o' 158ne,er 2no) )(at %o'Ill *in# in a *ootnote. + *o'n# a re*erence to 1Bt( cent'r% ball !la%ing in 159St. Lo'is in a *ootnote in a boo2 abo't "renc( colonial agric'lt're. Mo' j'st ne,er 2no). 160@A -emoirs, biogra!(ies, #iaries, collections o* letters can be te#io's to go t(ro'g( b't also 161*r'it*'l. +* %o' can *in# searc(able, electronic co!ies, t(at certainl% ma2es it easier. 5 lot o* 162state (istorical societ% )ebsites (a,e t(ese collections. 163@A Eoogle boo2s is a great reso'rce. Searc(ing *ree Eoogle eboo2s )ill )ee# o't ne)er boo2s 164t(at %o' canIt access, lea,ing %o' )it( a lot o* 19t( cent'r% boo2s t(at are *'ll% accessible. 165@A r% searc(ing R(istor% @t(e cit% or state %o'Ire loo2ing atA base ball @or game, cl'b, etc.AR 166 Somet(ing li2e R+llinois (istor% to)n ballR t'rns '! all 2in#s o* goo# st'**. 167@A Local genealogical sites can also be *r'it*'l. (ere are man% t(at (a,e a great )ealt( o* 168searc(able in*ormation an#, e,en i* t(e% #onIt, t(e% can !oint %o' to !laces t(at #o 9118 $mail to t(e Protoball Project, -arc( B, 2014. 92 8 93

169@A Local (istorical societies an# (istor% m'se'ms 's'all% (a,e arc(i,es t(at %o' can go 170t(ro'g(, as )ell as sta** t(at )ill (el! %o' *in# )(at %o'Ire loo2ing *or. Sto! b% an# see )(at 171t(e% (a,e. 172@A Searc( all o* t(e *ree online ne)s!a!er #atabases t(at %o' can *in#. (is is )(ere all o* t(e 173meat is going to be an# )(ere %o'Ire going to *in# t(e !rimar% so'rce e,i#ence %o'Ire loo2ing 174*or. &'t be a)are o* t(e (istor% o* ne)s!a!ers in t(e area %o'Ire loo2ing at an# )(en t(e% 175starte# !'blis(ing. (e% ma% not co,er t(e time *rame %o' nee# or )ant. 5lso, be a)are o* 176t(e *act t(at t(e% ma% not be co,ering s!orting acti,ities. Some #i#, some #i#nIt. Some 177starte# #oing it later t(an ot(ers. 178@A Mo'r local librar% ma% (a,e an arc(i,ist or researc(er on sta**. al2 to t(em. Mo'r librar% 179!robabl% o**ers !'blic access to #atabases t(at in#i,i#'als #onIt (a,e. ProP'est, 19t( 180?ent'r% .e)s!a!ers, an# t(at 2in# o* cool st'** is 's'all% accessible at a local librar% or 181online i* %o' (a,e a librar% car#. 5lso, #onIt be scare# o* t(e micro*ilm. Sometimes %o' (a,e 182to get %o'r (an#s #irt% an# to #o t(is t(e ol# *as(ione# )a%. 183@A +* all o* t(is *ails to )or2 an# %o' #onIt *in# )(at %o'Ire loo2ing *or, start o,er. JonIt be 184a*rai# to #o t(ro'g( a #atabase again an# again. Mo' ma% (a,e misse# somet(ing. 1e#e*ine# 185searc( terms ma% t'rn somet(ing '!. &lin# ran#om l'c2 ma% stri2e. 6'st #onIt ='it. "in# 186better so'rces. 187@A .e,er be a*rai# to as2 *or (el!. (ere is al)a%s somebo#% o't t(ere smarter t(an 's )(o 1882no)s more. 5n# 's'all% t(e%Ire nice *ol2s )(o li2e to (el! )it( st'** li2e t(is. 189@A G a2e goo# notes an# #oc'ment )(ere %o' *o'n# e,er% !iece o* in*ormationR is somet(ing + 190)is( someone (a# tol# me ten %ears ago. 191

94 95