[Michael B]

Originally Posted by jpop43

While I don't yet know anything about the WBBC, I do suspect that they were a team in NYC/Brooklyn area during or after the Civil War. My suspicions stem from what I know to this point about the individual reflected in the CDV (and yes, it is a standard CDV).

The subject all decked out in his fancy baseball uniform and shown with bats and the WBBC team banner is identified as Claes H. Forsgard...this is the name written in pencil on the back of the CDV.

This info alone doesn't lead me to my assertion, and the hypothesis and future research is only possible because of two additional CDV's I acquired along with the baseball one...

The second image...an absolutely magnificent study...is of Claes H. Forsgard in his Civil War uniform (again, name is written in pencil on the reverse). He is depicted wearing the uniform of a Zouave Unit, and because the image was taken by a NY photographer, I have to believe that he was mustered into one of the several NY Zouave Regiments of the time. I can tell from a close inspection that his cap does have an "N Y" on it, and that he was a 2nd Lieutenant in the infantry. We also know from the tax stamp that the image cannot pre-date 1864 or post-date 1866.

The third image I have is that of Claes' brother...a G.A. Forsgard. Gustav Augustus Forsgard was a prominent Texan and served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He became a well known and prosperous merchant after the war and, as a result, there is much written and recorded about him. Part of his history includes the fact that he came from Sweden in 1848 and led the way for four of his brothers to eventually do the same. Its noted that all but one brother ended up in Texas (Houston and Waco area). The lone brother, not specifically named in the history, was said to have taken up residence in New York.

From the images I have of Claes in both his baseball and Civil War uniforms, its clear that he was the brother who ended up in New York...playing baseball and serving in the Union Army.

So, back to the original question...

I am very much interested in finding out more about the WBBC and where/when they played. Given Claes' dress and related material in the image, the WBBC was clearly not a 2nd class club. I hope to find something on them before too long and, when I do, I'll be sure to post it.

Thanks for the interest.

Jonathan
www.dugouttreasures.com

His family name was Samuelson. He was born in Forserum, Sweden. His brother Gustav August was the first to move to the U.S. He emigrated in 1848 to Texas with a group of other Swedes. Texas had a strong Swedish community. Gustav changed his name to Forsgard combining the name of his home town and gard the Swedish word for home. He spent a year farming at the Swenson Farm in Fort Bend County. He then moved to Houston where he worked as a mercantile clerk. He became a member of the informal Swedish immigration agency run by Swante Mangus Swenson and Sir Swante Palm. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was a member of the 35th Texas Cavalry and in the infantry where he was in charge of building defenses around Galveston.

Four of his brothers, Samuel Johan, Carl Oscar, Johannes Wilhelm and Claes Henning also emigrated to the U.S. and adopted the name Forsgard. Claes was the only one not to settle in Texas. Two of the brothers Johannes and Samuel fought for the Confederacy. Samuel in the 1st Texas Partisan Rangers (30th Regt. Texas Cavalry) and Johannes as John W. in the 3rd Battalion, Texas Volunteers. The only person with a name close to Claes Forsgard who served in the Civil War was Claus Fosgard who served in the 132nd Illinois Infantry, a 100 day unit that mustered in June 1, 1864 and mustered out October 1, 1864.