Excelsior of Brooklyn

Excelsior of Brooklyn
Full name Excelsior Base Ball Club of Brooklyn
Nickname(s)

Jolly Young Bachelor Base Ball Club [1]

Motto Ever Ownward![2]
Founded December 8, 1854 at Florence's Hotel, Broadway and Howards Streets in NY [1]
Ground

Carrol Park (1854-1859)
South End of Court Street Red Hook (1859-1870)

Presidents
Jeremiah Nelson Tappan (1854-1857)
Dr. Joseph Bainbridge Jones (1857-1865)
Richard K. Cooke (1865-1866)
Dr. Joseph Bainbridge Jones (1866-1870) [3]
League

NABBP

Uniform
Belt with 'Excelsior' written in Blackletter Font
Bow ties
Black Baseball caps with white brims
Dark Pants
White shirts with a button-on shield with a black 'E'

The Brooklyn Excelsiors were an amateur baseball team that played in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 1854, the Excelsior ballclub featured stars such as Jim Creighton, Asa Brainard, and Candy Cummings.

The team is known for originating the "Brooklyn-style" baseball cap, precursor to the modern cap.[4]

1860 Championship Season

The 1860 Brooklyn Excelsior Base Ball Club

In 1860, the Excelsior club made a now-famous tour around New York and large cities in surrounding states. They defeated the Champion Club of Albany, the Victory Club of Troy, the Buffalo Niagaras, and the powerful Brooklyn Atlantics.

The Excelsiors were National Association champions that year, finishing in a draw with the Atlantic Club. However, the Brooklyn Atlantics were the accepted champions.

During the 1860 season, the Excelsiors began wearing an ancestor of the modern baseball cap, including a long visor and button top. The cap, which became popular by the 1900s, was known as "Brooklyn-style", and was the predominant baseball cap until the 1940s.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Peverelly, Charles (1866). the Book of American Pastimes: Containing a History of the Principal Base-ball, Cricket, Rowing, and Yachting Clubs of the United States. New York City: New York Public Library. p. 400.
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Dean (1997). Early Innings. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. pp. 30–31. ISBN 0-8032-9244-9.
  3. ↑ Peverelly, Charles (1866). the Book of American Pastimes: Containing a History of the Principal Base-ball, Cricket, Rowing, and Yachting Clubs of the United States. New York City: New York Public Library. pp. 400–405.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Baseball cap has endured generations as the all-American hat". Retrieved 2014-04-26.