Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 179, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1915 — RARE OLD BASEBALL [ARTICLE]

RARE OLD BASEBALL

The oldest baseball In existence Is owned by the president of the East End Church Baseball league in Pittsburgh. The ball is nearly fifty-three years old. It was , used first in a championship game between the Eclipse team of Kingston, N. Y„ and the Hudson team of Newburg, N. Y. The game was played on June 20, 1802, and ended 49 to 18, H favor of the Kingston team. The ball is made of one piece of horsehide, sewed in the center. When it was first used underhand pitching alone was permissible. Curves were unknown. The ball carries SSOO burglary insurance and SSOO fire insurance. It was given to its present owner by John Miller, who played first base on the Eclipse team. Miller is one hundred years old now, and lives in Comwall-on-Hudson.