The Fashion Race Course games were played between All-Star teams (pick nines) comprised of the finest New York-area players versus the finest Brooklyn area players. The games were played at  Fashion Race Course near Flushing, in Queens, New York and represented the first real All-Star Games. It was also the 1st time admission was charged to watch a game. The following is the box score from the 3rd and final game, played on September 10, 1858. None other than Doc Adams of the Knickerbocker Club was selected to be the umpire for the third and deciding game of this first championship “series” between New York and Brooklyn. In the game, umpire Adams called non-swinging strikes, the first time that new rule was applied.

The second bane of Chadwick’s existence, in addition to swift pitching, was wild pitching. As early as 1858, umpires had been authorized to call strikes, but few did. The first reported instance of a strike being called on a good pitch was during the third game of the Fashion Race Course Series by umpire Doc Adams. Adams may have been a pioneer in regard to the shortstop position, but his lead was not followed in strike calling, and such an incident was rarely seen thereafter.

“Baseball’s First Inning: A History of the National Pastime Through the Civil War”, William J. Ryczek
doc-adams-boxscore
Box Score of Game 3 of the Fashion Race Course All-Star Games (Source: Baseball: 1845-1871, Seymour Roberts Church, 1902)
Race Course Game 3
Scorecard from the 3rd (rubber) Game of the Fashion Race Course Games, Courtesy of Harry Simmons Collection Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Fashion-racr-course-game-ball
Game Ball from Fashion Race Course Games (National Baseball Hall of Fame)