Early Days of Base Ball in Champaign County

Research back to the early days of baseball in Champaign County, Illinois shows that the Champaign Clippers were one of the earliest known clubs in the area. They appeared in the Champaign County Herald on July 7, 1886.

Before that, from 1850-1870, there are references to “town” clubs, but little information exists for other local organized clubs. The Chicago Tribune references the “Empire Base Ball Club” of Champaign on July 2, 1870. The Student newspaper mentions a team named the “Eagle Base Ball Club” of Champaign on May 1, 1872. The University of Illinois had six “nines” as early as 1877, and a campus girls team is referenced as starting around 1876.

Throughout the 1880s teams began to sprout up all around the area, with each local town having their own “nine.” This includes references to “colored” teams and even Indian teams all playing base ball at this time.

Champaign-Urbana Clippers

In 1889, the Champaign-Urbana Clippers became the first minor league team in Champaign-Urbana as members of the Illinois-Indiana League. The team only played one season. In 1890 the Illinois-Indiana League became the Illinois-Iowa League and the Champaign-Urbana Clippers did not return as members.

Champaign Clippers Vintage Base Ball Club

The Champaign Clippers Vintage Base Ball Club honors the history of the Clippers team within Champaign-Urbana. However, since vintage base ball recreates the game as it was played around 1860 it should be noted that the city of Champaign was actually not named Champaign until 1861. Before that it was referred to as West Urbana. Therefore the Champaign Clippers, to be historically accurate and include Urbana, refers to Champaign as in Champaign County.