Records of Organized Baseball at Harvard

Baseball was played by members of the Harvard community shortly before the Civil War (ca. 1858). It was formally organized in 1864. It has been played continuously since then. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the team was organized first under the auspices of the Harvard Athletic Association and later under the Harvard University Dept. of Athletics.

1858

The Lawrence Base Ball Club forms; members are chiefly from the Lawrence Scientific School, a part of Harvard University. It plays the "New York" style of the game.

1862

The '66 Base Ball Club is begun by George A. Flagg (Harvard College Class of 1866) and Frank Wright (Harvard College Class of 1866). Wright and Flagg were graduates of Phillips Exeter Academy.

1863

A baseball field is laid out on Cambridge Common near the Washington Elm. Harvard plays against local clubs.

Intercollegiate baseball at begins with Harvard '66 against the Brown '65 in Providence on June 27, 1863. Harvard wins 27 to 17.

1864

A field is laid out at the "Delta" area of the Harvard campus.

The Harvard University Base Ball Club forms under George A. Flagg and Frank Wright.

1865

The first strictly intercollegiate game in Harvard history is played July 18 against Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Harvard wins 35 to 20.

1867

The field moves from the Delta to Jarvis Field. The Delta becomes the site of Memorial Hall.

1868

June 24: Harvard plays its first game against Princeton University. Harvard wins 17 to 16.

July 25: Harvard plays its first game against Yale in Worcester, Massachusetts. Harvard wins 25 to 17.

1869

June 5: Harvard plays its first game against Dartmouth College in Lowell. Harvard wins 38 to 0.

1870

Harvard embarks on a western tour in which they play 26 games in 43 days while visiting 20 cities.

1872

Spring: at the suggestion of Yale, a series of three games is played between the two universities. This becomes and annual contest.

1874

Yale plays its first shut-out against a Harvard Nine.

1875

Princeton makes the first use of curve pitching against a Harvard team on June 4.

1876-1877

Winter: Frederick W. Thayer (Harvard College Class of 1878) invents the catcher's mask. The first one is manufactured by a tinsmith in Cambridge and worn by James A. Tyng (Harvard College Class of 1876) in a game against the Live Oaks of Lynn on April 12, 1877.

1877

Harvard plays a 24-inning game against the Manchester nine which ends in a 0-0 tie.

1878

Harvard sweeps the Harvard-Yale series.

1879

The Hemenway Gym opens and houses a small batting cage in its basement.

December: The Intercollegiate Base Ball Association is formed with Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Amherst, Dartmouth, and Brown as members.

1883

The northerly portion of Holmes Field is graded for a baseball field. Beginning with a game against the Beacons on June 7, 1884, Holmes Field becomes home for the baseball team for the next 14 years.

1886

1886 is the final year that includes a fall schedule; the first game in of the 1887 season was April 9.

Harvard leaves the Intercollegiate Base Ball Association.

1887

March 14: Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Columbia organize the College Baseball League.

1889

Yale sweeps the Harvard-Yale series.

1890

May: the Carey Building is completed on the northerly side of Holmes Field. The Carey Building contains a batting cage.

Harvard receives a gift of 20 acres of land from Major Henry L. Higginson which would be the future home of Harvard Baseball, known as Soldier's Field.

Jan. 15: Harvard resigns from the College Baseball League.

1898

April 27: the first game at Soldier's Field is played against Dartmouth. A new Carey Building contains a batting cage and the team has full use of the Locker Building's dressing rooms.

Harvard takes a southern trip during spring recess; this becomes part of Harvard baseball policy.

1910

A Baseball Advisory Committee is formed; it has general oversight of choices of coaches and development of teams.

The Advisory Committee abandons the graduate system of coaching and hires the first professional coach, Dr. Frank J. Sexton.

1915

Percy Duncan Haughton (Harvard College Class of 1899) becomes coach after resignation of Dr. Frank J. Sexton.

The Barrett Wendell, Jr. Trophy is donated and thereafter awarded annually for the best performance in reaching first base, sacrifice hits, stolen bases, and runs scored.

1916

April 10: Harvard defeats the World Champion Boston Red Sox 1-0.

1917-1918

During World War I, the athletic program is diminished and has a limited schedule.

1919

The Dana J. P. Wingate Cup is donated and awarded annually to the player with best all-around ability.

1921

May 26: Harvard faces Waseda University of Japan in the first game against a foreign team by Harvard. Harvard wins 6-5.

1926

Fred Mitchell becomes manager of the team.

1927

The Briggs Cage is built.

The first double-header in Harvard baseball history is scheduled for May 20, when the University nine will meet a team from Waseda University of Japan and a nine composed of Crimson alumni.

1934

August: Harvard travels to Japan for games.

1938

Fred Mitchell resigns; Fred Stahl becomes manager of the team.

1943-1946

Baseball is suspended due to World War II.

1946

Fred Stahl resigns; Adolph Samborski becomes manager of the team.

1949

Adolph Samborski resigns; John F. "Stuffy" McInnis becomes manager of the team.

1952

The Eastern Collegiate Baseball League splits into Northern (Army, Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard and Yale) and Southern divisions (Cornell, Columbia, Princeton, Navy and Pennsylvania).

1953

The Greater Boston Baseball League forms and includes Harvard, Boston College, Boston University, Tufts, Brandeis, Northeastern, and M.I.T.

1955

Stuffy McInnis resigns; Norman W. Shepard becomes manager of the team.

1957

Harvard sweeps the Harvard-Yale series.

1959

Harvard plays its first night game in Quantico, Virginia. Harvard wins 5-4.

1974

Joseph Mackey (Harvard College Class of 1974) appears as Harvard's first designated hitter.

1990

Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern play the first annual baseball Beanpot Championship in Fenway Park.

1998

Harvard wins the first of three consecutive Ivy League championships.

2006

The William Clarence Matthews Trophy is dedicated to honor Matthews (Harvard College Class of 1905) as a pioneer African-American athlete.