City Island Shamrocks Base Ball Club Changed its Name to the Minnefords in 1888

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I continue to document every reference I find about baseball played in Pelham during the 19th century.  For some of the prior postings, see:

Wednesday, November 25, 2009:  Even More Early References to Baseball Played in Pelham.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009:  Yet Another Reference to Early Baseball in Pelham.

Monday, November 23, 2009:  Additional Brief Accounts of Baseball Played in Pelham in the 19th Century.

Friday, November 20, 2009:  More Accounts of Early Baseball Played in Pelham.

Thursday, November 12, 2009:  More Early References to Baseball Played in Pelham.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009:  Score of June 1, 1887 Baseball Game Between the Country Club and The Knickerbocker Club.

Friday, March 20, 2009:  Another Reference to 19th Century Baseball in Pelham.

Monday, November 26, 2007: Box Score of a Baseball Game Played on Travers Island in Pelham Manor in July 1896.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007: Baseball on Travers Island During the Summer of 1897.

Friday, July 20, 2007: Account of Early Baseball in Pelham: Pelham vs. the New York Athletic Club on Travers Island in 1897

Friday, November 10, 2006: The Location of Another Early Baseball Field in Pelham

Monday, October 9, 2006: Reminiscences of Val Miller Shed Light on Late 19th Century Baseball in Pelham and the Early Development of the Village of North Pelham

Thursday, March 23, 2006: Baseball Fields Opened on the Grounds of the Westchester Country Club in Pelham on April 4, 1884

Tuesday, January 31, 2006: Another Account of Baseball Played in Pelham in the 1880s Is Uncovered

Thursday, October 6, 2005: Does This Photograph Show Members of the "Pelham Manor Junior Base Ball Team"?

Thursday, September 15, 2005: Newspaper Item Published in 1942 Sheds Light on Baseball in 19th Century Pelham

Thursday, February 10, 2005: New Discoveries Regarding Baseball in 19th Century Pelham

Bell, Blake A., Baseball in Late 19th Century Pelham, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIII, No. 17, Apr. 23, 2004, p. 8, col. 2.

I have located an interesting newspaper reference indicating that a base ball club on City Island known as the Shamrocks voted to change its name in 1888 to the Minnefords.  The reference appears within an article that detailed the news of Bartow and City Island in the December 7, 1888 issue of the Chronicle, published in Mount Vernon.  The entire article is quoted below.

"Bartow and City Island.

Mr. Wilkie Collins having obtained a grant of land under water, opposite the King estate on City Island, has built a bulk head and is having it filled in with the mud dredged from the bottom of Eastchester Creek.  It is understood that Mr. Collins proposes to erect a building on the made lot.  Mr. Burknapp is also docking out.

'What is it?' is the frequent query propounded in relation to the old canal boat lying in the cove, with a sort of French roof second story, roughly built above decks.  The knowing ones say it is Jacob Gruse's hotel, constructed for the accommodation of fishermen and oystermen.  Old Jacob has got quite a dike built up for a foot path to his novel hostelry.

Mr. Willy has added another to his block of frame buildings on Main street by utilizing the old carpenter shop of George Hawes and building between it and the former row.  The block now presents quite an imposing appearance.  They say Joe DeVaugh is getting rich.  'Wealthy' would be the more refined term.  At any rate Mr. DeVaugh is putting a large addition to the building now occupied by him.  When completed he will have a hall 51 x 20 feet -- sufficiently large for ordinary entertainments.  The lower floor will be changed in arrangement and will be furnished with a shuffle board, pool tables and other games.  When completed, the Minneford Baseball Club will formally open the hall and christen it the Minneford House.

The Shamrock Baseball Club held a meeting last Friday night and voted unanimously to change the name of the organization to Minneford Baseball Club, the name by which City Island was originally known.  They decided to have a ball as soon as DeVaugh's new building is ready for occupancy.

The following corps of officers of the City Island Republican Club were elected Monday evening last:  President, Mortimer Bell; Vice Presidents, D. O. Booth, Geo. W. Horton; Secretary, Geo. B. Glazier; Treasurer, Robt. J. Vickers; Chairman Ex. Com., R. F. Wood.  The club is in good trim for the spring campaign, and will make matters lively for their Democratic opponents."

Source:  Bartow and City Island, Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Dec. 7, 1888, p. ?, col. 2 (the newspaper page does not include a page number or a date, but text references on the page make clear that it is from the Dec. 7, 1888 issue of the paper).

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
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