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 was forging ahead with rapid strides toward the goal of that distinction. It was quite natural that especial interest in the game should center in Brooklyn, the home of that splendid quartet comprising the Excelsiors, the Atlantics, the Putnams and Eckfords. But these were not all the Brooklyn clubs, by any means. Junior organizations had been formed in that city during the years in which their seniors were winning laurels, and before 1860 the older clubs were glad enough to find recruits for their ranks from strong players who were being developed in the minor organizations. In 1859, the Stars and Enterprise Clubs, both juniors, had been drawn upon by the Excelsiors, who profited greatly in securing several players, among them, from the Stars, James Creighton, afterwards famous as a pitcher.

The year 1860 saw the first tour of an organized Base Ball club, in the visit of the Excelsiors, of Brooklyn, to several cities in Central and Western New York. The trip is memorable, not alone as the first Base Ball tour, but because of its very remarkable record of victories.

The tour was made under the management of Captain J. B. Leggett. The team consisted of a trained nine from the Excelsiors, of Brooklyn. The first city visited was Albany, for which place they left on June 30th, 1860. On July 2d they met the champion nine of the capital city, defeating them in a nine innings game, the score of which was 24 to 6. The following day, July 3d, they encountered the Victory Club, of Troy, and again won, this time by a score of 13 to 7 in a full game. Taking train from Troy, after their victory there, the Excelsiors