Brooklyn Enterprise


The Enterprise Base Ball Club of Brooklyn was an American baseball club in the 1850s and 1860s.

Founding

The Enterprise was founded as an amateur club on June 28, 1856, in the neighborhood of Bedford, in Brooklyn, New York. At the time, baseball was strictly a non-professional sport, played for recreation and exercise. There were no organized leagues, and rules varied by region as there were as yet no agreed-upon standards of play.
Shortly after the club was founded, the New York Clipper described the Enterprise Club as “youths ranging from 15 to 18 years of age, who have organized, like thousands of others, for the purpose of perfecting themselves in the various physical exercises, which are so necessary for a development of the mental faculties."
By contemporaneous journalistic accounts, in their first five seasons, the Enterprise were considered an elite "Junior" class squad. "Junior" clubs generally consisted of younger, less experienced, but often highly competitive players, the best of whom might be recruited by Senior clubs.
The Enterprise were competitive enough to challenge Senior clubs, but often the challenges were not accepted. "We understand that the Enterprise club have challenged several of our leading clubs who have not responded as it was expected they would," according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. "Don’t be afraid of the boys gentlemen, but come out boldly and play them even if there is a chance of your being defeated. Those who back out will certainly merit the white feather for an ornament."
There was an explosive growth of the game regionally and nationally in the late 1850s. In 1860, the National Association of Base Ball Players, which served to legitimize, standardize, and popularize the game, admitted 21 new teams to its ranks, including the Enterprise. "Each new entry was required to pay a $5 admission fee and agree to pay annual dues of $5," wrote baseball historian William Ryczek. "Of the new clubs, 13 were from New York state, but the presence of eight from other states was encouraging." Upon admission to the NABBP, the Enterprise began the 1861 season officially recognized as a Senior club.

Quality of play

“Any one who witnessed the game will admit that of all Junior clubs, they rank highest," reported Porter's Spirit of the Times. "It was played by both sides as finely, and as many excellent points were made, as will be seen in almost any match of the Senior players. … We shall watch with much interest the future games of these clubs, and advise those who wish to witness much pretty play, to be present at whatever game they may participate in."
The Enterprise was considered an excellent source of talented young players, who were then recruited by more high-profile clubs. According to the New York Clipper, reporting in 1860, “The Enterprise and Star were the leading junior organizations up to 1859, when both entered the . Last season the Stars took a decided lead, being much stronger than the Enterprise; but this season, judging from the play of the respective clubs thus far, we are inclined to award the palm to the Enterprise club. … have been rivals since their organization, the Enterprise club practicing on the same grounds as the Atlantics, and the Stars, up to this season, on that of the Excelsior Club, both the Atlantics and Excelsiors being at times recruited from these junior clubs."
After a close loss to the Senior class Brooklyn Atlantics in 1860, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle commended the Junior club, noting, "The Enterprise players have learned the value and importance of proper discipline in their nine, and for a young club they are remarkably well organized in this respect, and it is in this that they have an advantage over the Atlantic’s, who this season has been lacking in this very necessary matter."

Home field

The concept of a one-team "home field" did not exist in the early days of the sport. Amateur era clubs had "home" playing grounds—such as parks, public recreation areas, or vacant lots—although they were often shared with other teams and other sports.
According to the New York Clipper in May 1862, “The members of commenced play for the season, the late date of their opening game resulting from their having their grounds newly laid out, which has been done under the superintendence of Mr. Wild. The ground is now one of the best of the city, and in a few weeks will be in fine condition. These grounds are occupied by the Atlantics on Mondays and Thursdays, and by the Enterprise club on Wednesdays and Saturdays." The Clipper added, "There are, therefore, two days each week unoccupied, and these days can be secured on application to Mr. Wild, at the Cline Hill Hotel, corner of Gates and Marcey Avenue.”
In the 1860s, fenced-in parks, such as the Union Grounds and the Capitoline Grounds, began hosting competitive sports matches. From 1864 to 1866, the Enterprise shared Brooklyn's lavish, multi-purpose Capitoline Grounds as their home field. In May, 1865, the New York Times reported, "The Capitoline grounds... are to be the locale of some of the most interesting and exciting games of the season. Three ball clubs — the Atlantic, Excelsior and Enterprise — and one cricket Club — the Long Island — occupying it this year. A new clubhouse has been erected, costing several thousand dollars, and ample preparations have been made for the accommodation of the fair sex. In fact it is to be the popular resort of the ball-playing fraternity and their fair guests of the Western District of Brooklyn."
That did not mean that all playing fields were conducive to serious ball-playing. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, covering a game between the Enterprise and the Star Club in June 1865, described the Star Grounds, opposite Carroll Park, as a "vacant lot with cobble-stone paved streets on three sides, and the lot a stony and sterile waste, forms what are here called ball grounds—and no man can be expected to make much headway with spikes, on pavement. But this is the best ground South Brooklyn affords, and of course players must make allowances for that."

Historical record

To date more than 85 games played by the Enterprise have been documented. Records were not kept for an unknown number of games; for others, records were lost, or research has yet to turn up specific details. Some games were documented in Charles Peverelly's Book of American Pastimes, which was self-published in 1866. Other Enterprise matches have been documented at Protoball.org, a clearinghouse of information about pre-professional baseball. Enterprise game chronicles have been located in the archives of such New York-based newspapers as The New York Clipper, The Brooklyn Eagle, Porter's Spirit of the Times, Wilkes Spirit of the Times, The New York Times, The New York Daily Herald, and others.
After the 1861 season, a number of key Enterprise regulars, including first baseman Joe Start and outfielders Jack Chapman and Fred Crane, left the team and joined the rival Brooklyn Atlantics. This caused a rift between the clubs. "he Enterprise... had shared a field with and been mentored by the Atlantics in the 1850s while the Enterprise was still a junior club," wrote historians Craig Waff and William Ryczek. "But the latter was now a senior club, and the Atlantics’ raid of three... Enterprise players permanently soured the Atlantic-Enterprise relationship. The two clubs would not play against each other again."
Though the Enterprise played a busy schedule in 1861, many teams began to scale back games that year, a process that continued through 1863, as many young, able-bodied males were recruited to fight in the American Civil War. Only one 1862 game played by the Enterprise has been documented, and none for 1863.
Scoring totals in Enterprise matches, and in all contemporary games, were dramatically higher than in late 19th century thru today. Baseball historian Bruce Allardice said scoring in early games was "reminiscent of softball scores — which should not be surprising, since 1858–65 baseball resembled modern softball as much as it resembled modern baseball." MLB historian John Thorn noted that “baseball games of the 1860s typically featured 35 or more combined runs per game, with scores of 60-100 runs not unusual.” Runs scored per game in baseball matches decreased starting in the 1870s as a result of rules changes, craftier pitching, improved fielding, and changes in equipment.
In 1865 the Enterprise played eleven documented games, losing ten, to finish with a dismal 1-10 record. "The poor results had pushed Murtha toward a tactic on September 3 which fell many a captain in the 1860s: the rotating of first-nine players to unfamiliar positions in the field. Clubs in the 1860s did not have many capable substitutes in their second nines. If a captain wanted to shake things up, his only option was to switch around his defense." Unfortunately, most switched position players performed ineptly on the field, compounding the Enterprise losses.
No matches involving the Enterprise have been documented beyond 1866. In April 1867, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, in a brief item about a former Enterprise player named Smith who would be playing for the National Club of Washington that year, referred to the Enterprise as "defunct." According to at least one authoritative historical chronicle, the Enterprise merged with the Excelsior Club in late 1866, and continuing under the name Excelsior fielded a competitive team in 1867.

Legacy

Several players on the Enterprise later went on to extended careers playing professionally in the National Association and the National League. One was historically pivotal in establishing how his field position would thereafter be played: first baseman Joe Start. Start had a 27-year career of sustained excellence through 1886, playing professionally with the Atlantic for a decade, then playing 16 years in the Major Leagues.
The team name "Enterprise" became common, with similarly named squads in Memphis, Peoria, Newark, Jersey City, Sidney, Middleport, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Baltimore, Chicago, Troy, and elsewhere. However, the Brooklyn team is the earliest known to adopt the name.

Significant Enterprise players

Newspaper coverage of amateur-era games generally mentioned only last names in stories, and players were similarly listed in box scores. Hence, the identities of most Enterprise players are unknown. The following players had established careers after leaving the Enterprise:

Documented games

DateOpponentScoreWin/Loss/TieLocation
September 18, 1856Excelsior ClubunknownunknownBrooklyn
October 3, 1856National Club24-8WinBrooklyn
November 15, 1856Star Club of Brooklyn21-16LossBrooklyn
November 20, 1856Star Club of Brooklyn22-8Lossunknown
November 20, 1856National Club24-12Winunknown
unknown AshlandunknownWinunknown
August 1, 1857Lone Star Club of Jersey City24-27LossBrooklyn
August 22, 1857Excelsior Club51-12WinBrooklyn
September 26, 1857Star Club of Brooklyn14-19LossBrooklyn
September 28, 1857Excelsior Club25-1WinBrooklyn
October 5, 1857Young America19-16Winunknown
October 17, 1857Star Club of Brooklyn21-11WinBrooklyn
October 28, 1857Young America22-16WinBrooklyn
October 31, 1857Ashland27-7WinHoboken
November 20, 1857Star Club of Brooklynunknowndrawunknown
May 28, 1858Star Club of Brooklyn18-21LossBrooklyn
June 10 or 17, 1858Amity50-30WinHoboken
June 19, 1858Ashland27-22WinHoboken
June 26, 1858Union12-8WinBrooklyn
July 3, 1858North Star38-10WinBrooklyn
July 8, 1858Amity34-17WinHoboken
July 24, 1858Resolute Club of Brooklyn25-18WinBrooklyn
August 4, 1858North Star15-8WinBrooklyn
August 11, 1858Resolute Club of BrooklynunknownBrooklyn
August 18, 1858AshlandunknownBrooklyn
September 1, 1858Lone Star Club of Jersey City23-44LossJersey City
September 3, 1858Champion of Yorkville17-36LossBrooklyn
September 25, 1858Resolute Club of BrooklynunknownBrooklyn
October 20, 1858Champion Club of Yorkville20-18WinBrooklyn
October 27, 1858Lone Star Club of Jersey CityunknownBrooklyn
August 20, 1859Champion Club of Yorkville8-21Loss
prior to Aug. 31, 1859Niagara31-7Winunknown
September 30, 1859Oakland30-18WinBrooklyn
October 4, 1859Powhatan Club of Brooklyn13-11WinBrooklyn
prior to Oct. 22, 1859Lone Star Club of Jersey City17-11Winunknown
October 24, 1859Oakland19-12WinOakland Grounds
November 9, 1859Powhatan Club of Brooklyn15-8WinBrooklyn
July 16, 1860Atlantic of Brooklyn20-38LossBrooklyn
July 24, 1860Eckford of Brooklyn10-20LossBrooklyn
August 1, 1860Hamilton of Brooklyn24-8 WinBrooklyn
August 7, 1860Poughkeepsie18-14WinPoughkeepsie
August 10, 1860Newark Eurekas25-21Winunknown
August 16 or 17, 1860Atlantic of Brooklyn14-16LossBrooklyn
August 24, 1860New York Gothams15-56LossHoboken
August 27, 1860Newark Eurekas13-20LossNewark
August 29, 1860New York Gothams15-21LossBrooklyn
September 26, 1860Eckford of Brooklyn18-31LossBrooklyn
October 3, 1860Eckford of Brooklyn20-38LossBrooklyn
October 10, 1860Eureka Club of Newark25-21WinBrooklyn
October 18, 1860Eckford of Brooklyn31-16Winunknown
November 1, 1860Eckford of Brooklynunknownunknown
June 5, 1861Eckford of Brooklyn19-53 LossBrooklyn
June 26, 1861Hamilton38-27WinBrooklyn
July 10, 1861Newark Eurekas5-27Lossunknown
August 20, 1861New York Gothams13-14LossHoboken
September 5, 1861Eckford of Brooklyn20-27LossBrooklyn
September 10, 1861Hamilton of Brooklyn41-23WinBrooklyn
September 21, 1861Brooklyn 46-12WinBrooklyn
September 25, 1861Mutual Club of New York21 -33LossHoboken
October 4, 1861Eckford of Brooklyn20-19WinBrooklyn
October 17, 1861Eckford of Brooklyn26-23 WinBrooklyn
May 20, 1862Eckford of Brooklyn20-19WinBrooklyn
July 16, 1864Excelsior Club19-25LossBrooklyn
July 26, 1864New York Gothams13-22LossHoboken
June 6, 1865New York Gothams18-19 LossHoboken
June 24, 1865Star Club of Brooklyn36-44LossBrooklyn
July 29, 1865Active of New York12-27LossHoboken
August 5, 1865Star Club of Brooklyn38-47LossBrooklyn
August 7, 1865Hudson River Club of NewburghunknownWinBrooklyn
August 16, 1865Empire Club33-37LossBrooklyn
August 28, 1865Eckford of Brooklyn20-21LossBrooklyn
September 2, 1865Active of New York18-28LossBrooklyn
September 13, 1865Eckford of Brooklyn25-26LossBrooklyn
September 26, 1865Excelsior Club21-46LossBrooklyn
November 11, 1865Excelsior Club16-43LossBrooklyn
June 16, 1866Union of Morrisania16-42LossMorrisania, The Bronx
June 20, 1866Eckford of Brooklyn21-39LossBrooklyn
June 30, 1866Active of New York26-31LossHoboken
July 4, 1866Active of New York26-29 LossBrooklyn
July 21, 1866Pacific Club of New Utrecht30-15WinNew Utrecht
September 3, 1866Eckford of Brooklyn10-34LossBrooklyn
September 4, 1866Eclectic of New York24-14WinHoboken
September 10, 1866Eckford of Brooklyn22-17WinBrooklyn
September 14, 1866Excelsior Club18-16Winunknown
September 19, 1866Waterbury37-21WinHoboken
October 6, 1866Union Club6-43LossBrooklyn
October 20, 1866Eclectic of New York31-18WinBrooklyn
October 24, 1866Pacific Club of New Utrecht52-19Winunknown