Brooklyn Enterprise

At the time, baseball (then spelled as two words — "base ball") was strictly a non-professional sport, played for recreation and exercise.

In 1860, the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP), which served to legitimize, standardize, and popularize the game, admitted 21 new teams to its ranks, including the Enterprise.

"[3] The Enterprise was considered an excellent source of talented young players, who were then recruited by more high-profile clubs.

"[7] After a close loss to the Senior class Brooklyn Atlantics in 1860, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle commended the Junior club, noting, "The Enterprise players have learned the value and importance of proper discipline in their nine, and for a young club they are remarkably well organized in this respect, and it is in this that they have an advantage over the Atlantic’s [sic], who this season has been lacking in this very necessary matter.

Amateur era clubs had "home" playing grounds—such as parks, public recreation areas, or vacant lots—although they were often shared with other teams and other sports (particularly cricket).

According to the New York Clipper in May 1862, “The members of [the Atlantic Club] commenced play for the season [on May 12], the late date of their opening game resulting from their having their grounds newly laid out, which has been done under the superintendence of Mr. Wild.

A new clubhouse has been erected, costing several thousand dollars, and ample preparations have been made for the accommodation of the fair sex.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, covering a game between the Enterprise and the Star Club in June 1865, described the Star Grounds, opposite Carroll Park, as a "vacant lot with cobble-stone paved streets on three sides, and the lot a stony and sterile waste, [which] forms what are here called ball grounds—and no man can be expected to make much headway with spikes, on pavement.

After the 1861 season, a number of key Enterprise regulars, including first baseman Joe Start and outfielders Jack Chapman and Fred Crane, left the team and joined the rival Brooklyn Atlantics.

"But the latter was now a senior club, and the Atlantics’ raid of three ... Enterprise players (in addition to Charley Smith in 1858) permanently soured the Atlantic-Enterprise relationship.

"[6] Though the Enterprise played a busy schedule in 1861, many teams began to scale back games that year, a process that continued through 1863,[12] as many young, able-bodied males were recruited to fight in the American Civil War.

Scoring totals in Enterprise matches, and in all contemporary games, were dramatically higher than in late 19th century thru today.

Newspaper coverage of amateur-era games generally mentioned only last names in stories, and players were similarly listed in box scores.