The ball game / motion picture. 19th century, Library of Congress collection

Photographed from one camera position behind home plate, the film shows a baseball game in progress. The Reading pitcher has just let a Newark batter walk to first. He gets up on his toes, ready to head for second base. The next batter up cracks first ball pitched for a two bagger, and races for the base with a burst of speed. The first baseman just misses a put-out. A man on the coaching line yells, the umpire runs up to make a decision, and a small boy runs behind the catcher, close to the stands, where there is a great commotion.
31442 U.S Copyright Office
Copyright: Thomas A. Edison, Inc.; 20May98; 31442.
Camera, William Heise.
Duration: 0:27 at 28 fps.
Summary mostly taken from Edison motion pictures, 1890-1900.
According to the Baseball reference WWW site, in 1898, the Newark, N.J. team was the Newark Colts. The Reading, PA team was the Reading Coal Heavers.
Paper print shelf number (LC 1317) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
Photographed in Newark, New Jersey, probably sometime between May 16-18, 1898.
Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
Sources used: Early motion pictures, p. 21; Musser, C. Edison motion pictures, 1890-1900, p. 441; Baseball reference WWW site, viewed August 28, 2013.
Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.