Date Formed: September 1858
Seasons: 1858-1859
History
The Bristol County Base Ball Club was organized in early September 1858 to play by the Massachusetts rules. The club’s first game was played on October 16, 1858 with the Ironsides Base Ball Club. The two clubs were divided in to two sides with members of each club playing on each team.
The team led by Obed Nye of the Bristol County Base Ball Club won by a score of 100-84 against the club led by James D. Allen of the Ironsides Base Ball Club.
The club refused a challenge by the Ironsides club to play a return match by the New York rules. In a statement published in the New Bedford Evening Standard on October 22 the Bristol County Club noted, “as a Club, chosen the Massachusetts game as the proper one to be played on Massachusetts soil, we deem it inconsistent in a Match Game to play any other than the one governed by the rules and regulations adopted by the duly organized association of Base Ball players, established in Dedham, May 13th, 1858.”
The Ironsides Club responded in the Evening Standard the next day saying “having considered the elegant and patriotic appeal of the Bristol County Base Ball Club… and not being able to determine whether thy accept or reject the Challenge… respectfully ask them to give us a direct answer…”
It seems that the game did not take place as the Evening Standard did not publish an account of a game. However, the Bristol County Club would play the Union Base Ball Club on Thanksgiving Day. The game took place on the city common with around 1,000 spectators in attendance. The Bristol County Club lost 103-18.
The Evening Standard only published two accounts of games involving the Bristol County Club. However, the Evening Standard noted in the account of the Thanksgiving Day game that the club “did not play as well as they have at other times,” suggesting more games played in 1858.
Record
| Year | Games | Wins | Loses |
| 1858 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1859 |
1858 Team Batting Record
| Name | Position | Runs Scored | Outs/Hands Lost | Left on Base | Balls Struck Foul |
| Allen, Charles | |||||
| Cook, William | |||||
| Damon, Andrew Lincoln | |||||
| Doane, Robert Newcombe Benson | |||||
| Doty, Alexander H. | |||||
| Gage, Edward Potter | |||||
| Gifford, Eugene Howland | |||||
| Gifford, Frederick Seymour | |||||
| Greene, Joseph Bennett | |||||
| Handy, Jim | |||||
| Hathaway, James H. | |||||
| Howland, Jr., Abraham H. | |||||
| Howland, Reuben | |||||
| Morrill, Lucius H. | |||||
| Nye, Obed | |||||
| Russell, Elihu | |||||
| Ryder, William Davis | |||||
| Taber, D. | |||||
| Taber, Francis | |||||
| Upjohn, Jr., Aaron | |||||
| Ward, Frank | |||||
| Team Totals |
1858 Team Fielding Record
| Name | Position | Fly Catches |
| Allen, Charles | ||
| Cook, William | ||
| Damon, Andrew Lincoln | ||
| Doane, Robert Newcombe Benson | ||
| Doty, Alexander H. | ||
| Gage, Edward Potter | ||
| Gifford, Eugene Howland | ||
| Gifford, Frederick Seymour | ||
| Greene, Joseph Bennett | ||
| Handy, Jim | ||
| Hathaway, James H. | ||
| Howland, Jr., Abraham H. | ||
| Howland, Reuben | ||
| Morrill, Lucius H. | ||
| Nye, Obed | ||
| Russell, Elihu | ||
| Ryder, William Davis | ||
| Taber, D. | ||
| Taber, Francis | ||
| Upjohn, Jr., Aaron | ||
| Ward, Frank | ||
| Team Totals |
1858 Team Pitching/Throwing Record
| Name | Wins | Losses | Innings | Balls Struck Foul |
1859 Team Batting Record
| Name | Position | Runs Scored | Outs/Hands Lost | Left on Base | Balls Struck Foul |
1859 Team Fielding Record
| Name | Position | Fly Catches |
1859 Team Pitching/Throwing Record
| Name | Wins | Losses | Innings | Balls Struck Foul |
South Coast Vintage Base Ball 