Spoils of War: Early Baseball
Created | Updated Aug 30, 2015
Baseball: the moral equivalent of war.
Early Baseball
You think you know baseball? Think again. The game is old, by US standards, though it is now an international game. Back in the 19th Century, they played differently. And they had different terms for things. Do you know what a 'muffin' is? No, not that bran confection you had for breakfast. A baseball 'muffin' was a really bad amateur player. This may be related to a phrase for missing a catch, which we can't mention because the filther hates that word with a passion, even if it's applied to the ears of certain penguins.
Back in the 1867, people worried about unnecessary roughness on the baseball field. Yeah, we know. Laughable when you think about football of any kind, but there you have it. This sport was considered a bit dangerous when played by guys sporting side whiskers. Here are some pics.
The dangerous manoevre of stealing second base. The picture shows the diamond off to advantage.
Two players trying to catch the same ball.
Some bad players, or 'muffins'.
Finally, a medical shot.
There might be a moral in here. If you find it, let us know.
