were the great center of ball playing, and here the
Knickerbocker, Eagle, Gotham, and Empire clubs showed their superiority.

The Atlantics, of Brooklyn, soon became worthy rivals, though it took many
exciting and hard-fought battles before their supremacy was assured. Their
success led to a series of three games between picked teams of the New
York and Brooklyn clubs in 1858, known as the "Fashion Course" games.

New York won two games out of the three, by the scores of 22 to 13, and 29
to 18, while Brooklyn won, 29 to 8.

The New York nine in the first game consisted of DeBost, catcher; Van
Cott, pitcher; Wadsworth, Pinkney, Bixby, basemen; Gelston, short-stop;
Hoyt, Benson, and Harry Wright, fielders. Brooklyn played Leggett,
catcher; M. O'Brien, pitcher; Price, Holder, Masten, basemen; Pidgeon,
short-stop; P. O'Brien, Greene, Burr, fielders. Players were changed in
each game.

A Noteworthy Series.

In 1860 there was a noteworthy series arranged between the Excelsiors and
Atlantics, the former being determined to win from the latter, which,
though not holding any official championship, was regarded as the crack
team of that time.

The clubs met for the first game at the foot of Court Street, South
Brooklyn, in the summer of 1860. The Excelsiors, which had been victorious
in all their games, won by a score of 23 to 4. The second game, at
Bedford, was won by the Atlantics, 15 to 4.

The decisive game took place on the grounds of the Putnam Club, and was
declared a draw, the Excelsiors refusing to continue playing owing to the
partisan actions of the crowd. The score stood 8 to 6 in favor of the
Excelsiors in five innings. The clubs never met again.

That year the Excelsiors played throughout New York State, as well as in
Philadelphia and Baltimore, and greatly popularized the game. It would
have spread much faster had it not been for the outbreak of the Rebellion,
which caused a lull in the sport for several years.

At Hoboken, October 21, 1861, representative nines of New York and
Brooklyn played before 15,000 people. The New York team, on which Harry
Wright played third base, was composed of the crack players of the
Knickerbocker, Eagle, Gotham, Empire, and Mutual clubs, while Brooklyn had
the strongest players of the Excelsiors, Atlantics, and Eckfords.

At this period the Athletics, of Philadelphia, showed themselves to be
very strong, and gave promise of great things in the future.

Amendments to th