Baseball is British, oh no!

[Shapiro, Fred]

This is a highly important discovery, but it should be noted, as the Sports Illustrated/AP story fails to note, that it has long been known that "base-ball" is mentioned, with an actual picture of the game being played, in John Newberry's "A Little Pretty Pocket-Book," which appears to date back to 1744.

Fred Shapiro


________________________________________
From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of David A. Daniel [dad at POKERWIZ.COM]
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 9:36 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Baseball is British, oh no!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/09/11/baseball.england.ap
/index.html?cnn=yes

"Easter Monday 31 March 1755

"Went to Stoke Ch. This morning. After Dinner Went to Miss Jeale's to play
at Base Ball with her, the 3 Miss Whiteheads, Miss Billinghurst, Miss Molly
Flutter, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Ford & H. Parsons & Jelly. Drank Tea and stayed
till 8."

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org