Shuttleworth held the same role for the Maple Leaf club, and was vice-president of the Canadian Base Ball Association.

[7] Canadian baseball historian William Humber considers it likely, though not certain, that Shuttleworth played an informal variety of the sport in his childhood.

Early games in Ontario were primarily played under Massachusetts rules, with what author Brian Martin calls "some Canadian wrinkles.

"[10] There were typically 11 players per team in these games, with the overhand pitching style allowed, a change from New York rules of the time.

[10] In addition, an entire playing roster had to make outs before a team lost its turn at bat in an inning.

Their opponent in both games was Buffalo, New York's Niagaras;[10] a team from that city had previously played against another club from Hamilton, the Burlingtons.

[2] Another Hamilton-based team was founded in 1861, called "Maple Leaf"; Humber considers it a probable successor to the Young Canadians.

Just over a month later, Maple Leaf faced the Young Canadians of Woodstock, a team that included James Shuttleworth, who was also director for the club.

[15] The Shuttleworth brothers each played in the club's victories against Maple Leaf of Guelph, Niagara, the Newcastle Beaver, and Ingorsoll before a game with the Woodstock team was called off because of a dispute over which baseball to use.

In 1866, the start of Maple Leaf's season was delayed, as Shuttleworth and at least two other players had joined the Thirteenth Battalion and were defending Hamilton during the Fenian raids.

[16] In 1867, Shuttleworth served as a Color-Sargeant in the Thirteenth Battalion, and participated in the World's Base Ball Tournament, an event in Detroit attended by over 20 teams.

[23] In 1979, historian Bill Hutton found his name inside a book on Canadian labour and searched for further information; he later said, "I think at first people thought I made him up.