Derby County Baseball Club
Encyclopedia
The Derby County Baseball Club was a baseball
club in Great Britain
that played baseball until 1898 when football
become the dominant sport in that region. To the British gentleman
, baseball was an awkward sport that was the direct descendant of cricket
, a game that rivalled with golf
in popularity at that time.
, an industralist, who owned Ley's Malleable Castings. Following a visit to the United States
in 1889, Ley became convinced that, as a way of ensuring a healthier and more productive workforce, an investment should be made in promoting recreation for his workers. During his journey to the States, Ley had seen the way in which baseball fields had been laid out by companies and factories for the use by their workers and decided to follow suit on his return to Derby. Consequently, Ley had the Baseball Ground
built; a 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) park for the use of workers with cricket and baseball facilities.
The club ran away with the first championship after the National Baseball League of Great Britain and Ireland was established in 1890. However, pressure from other teams in the league over the number of American players on the Derby team forced Derby to resign at the end of the league's first season, though the baseball club itself lasted until 1898.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
club in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
that played baseball until 1898 when football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
become the dominant sport in that region. To the British gentleman
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
, baseball was an awkward sport that was the direct descendant of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, a game that rivalled with golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
in popularity at that time.
History
Baseball was introduced to Derby by Sir Francis LeyFrancis Ley
Sir Francis Ley, 1st Baronet created Ley's Malleable Castings Vulcan Ironworks in Derby. He owned Ley's Baseball Ground from 1890 to 1924 which was the home to Derby County F.C. He introduced baseball into the United Kingdom with the Derby County Baseball Club. In 1905, Ley was created a Baronet,...
, an industralist, who owned Ley's Malleable Castings. Following a visit to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1889, Ley became convinced that, as a way of ensuring a healthier and more productive workforce, an investment should be made in promoting recreation for his workers. During his journey to the States, Ley had seen the way in which baseball fields had been laid out by companies and factories for the use by their workers and decided to follow suit on his return to Derby. Consequently, Ley had the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
built; a 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) park for the use of workers with cricket and baseball facilities.
The club ran away with the first championship after the National Baseball League of Great Britain and Ireland was established in 1890. However, pressure from other teams in the league over the number of American players on the Derby team forced Derby to resign at the end of the league's first season, though the baseball club itself lasted until 1898.