The club had been involved in baseball since 1857, when a group of cricket enthusiasts played a game held in the Carlton Gardens.

The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition showed that the United States was on the road to become an economic world power and baseball could be a crucial link between the US and the new colony.

To commemorate the United States Declaration of Independence in 1887, the American Baseball Club established in Melbourne played a team captained by H.F. Boyle of the MCC, being defeated.

Their catching gave the cricketers a decided advantage, but their opponents could handle the bat with more telling effect.The matches against the resident Americans became a regular practise during those times.

[2] On December 23, 1888, Melbourne played a four-inning game against the Chicago White Stockings of the American National League, visiting Australia as part of the Spalding World Tour, before a crowd of 12,000; cricketer William Bruce was pitcher for the Melbourne side, who was reported to have "very good form for a novice.