[1888 Baseball Team]

In October of 1877 students organized a baseball game against the University of the South.  When the faculty found out about the game, they regarded it as an anomaly and forbid any further baseball games from being held. This negative attitude pervaded the administration and faculty who believed that organized sporting events opened doors to hooliganism and violence.  

In 1886, Professor William M. Baskervill helped form the Vanderbilt Athletic Association. He was succeeded by Professor William L. Dudley who served as the president of the association until his death in 1914. The association consisted of students and faculty who were interested in organized sports on campus. It supervised and coordinated competitive sports and was funded by member dues. The first event organized by the association was the creation of an annual track and field competition and a concluding baseball match.

The 1888 Comet reports Vanderbilt’s baseball team winning its four games by wide margins and with catcher Pope Taylor having a .738 batting percentage for the season. 

Standing, left to right are; A.E. Clement, unidentified, Chambers Kellar–Captain, Gerald T. Finn, unidentified

Reclining, left to right; Pope Taylor, unidentified, Charles N. Burch, Alfred Hume