This article was written by David Arcidiacono

Benjamin Douglas Jr. of Middletown, Connecticut, was a key but often overlooked figure in early professional baseball. He played a role in establishing teams in three of the six original New England cities with major league franchises. Born in 1848, he was the son of Benjamin Douglas Sr., a wealthy industrialist and owner of the Douglas Pump Factory, which had produced hydraulic pumps in Middletown for 40 years. His father was a powerful figure who held several political offices, including Mayor of Middletown and Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut. Though Douglas Jr. worked as a clerk and timekeeper at the factory, his true passion was baseball.

At sixteen, Ben Douglas Jr. organized the factory’s baseball team and became known for his dedication to the sport. One account stated that he, “would go ten miles on foot, over any obstacles, rather than miss seeing a good game.” Initially, he named the team the “Douglas Club,” but he soon changed it to the “Mansfields” in honor of General Joseph Mansfield, his great-uncle and a Civil War hero killed at the Battle of Antietam.

Douglas played for the Mansfields for five seasons while handling most of the team’s administrative duties. As the team became more professional, his responsibilities grew to include scheduling games—a major challenge before pre-set schedules and telephones—arranging travel, signing players, and managing ticket sales and finances. The workload became so overwhelming that his playing time declined significantly. In 1870, when the Mansfields were named Connecticut’s amateur champions, he played sparingly and was listed as a substitute in 1871.

Though his playing days were over, Douglas established himself as a baseball promoter and organizer. As the 1872 season approached, the Mansfields seemed set to continue as an amateur club. While scheduling games, Douglas reached out to Harry Wright, manager of the Boston Red Stockings, hoping to bring the popular team back to Middletown. However, Wright made it clear that the Red Stockings would only return if ticket sales improved, and he reminded Douglas that the previous year’s gate receipts had fallen short of expectations.

Wright then suggested that if the Mansfields wanted to compete against professional teams, they should pay the $10 entry fee and join the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. Membership would guarantee that professional clubs had to play them. Inspired by the idea, Douglas gathered the Mansfields’ officers and proposed making the jump to the professional ranks. With their approval, he sent the fee, and Middletown was officially admitted.

Despite Douglas’ efforts, the Mansfields folded in August 1872 due to low attendance. The Middletown Constitution acknowledged his dedication, stating, “Mr. Benjamin Douglas Junior… has shown considerable pluck and ingenuity in bringing the club up to rank among the best in the country. He now retires with the best wishes of all concerned.” With the team’s demise, few expected another professional club to emerge in Connecticut. However, Douglas didn’t retire, and he knew the National Association wanted a team between New York and Boston. He also recognized that Middletown was too small to support one, making a larger market necessary.

Convinced that Hartford was the ideal location, Douglas became the driving force behind bringing professional baseball back to Connecticut. In the months leading up to the 1874 season, he organized a meeting with Hartford’s leading businessmen, including Morgan G. Bulkeley and Charles A. Jewell. During the meeting, Douglas persuaded them to invest by highlighting both the financial benefits and the positive impact on the city. His pitch was successful, securing over $5,000 in pledges for a new Connecticut team.

Douglas was elected traveling secretary of the new Hartford Dark Blues and held that post for two years. During that span the Hartford club had some success, finishing second in 1875 after placing seventh their first season. Prior to the 1876 season when the Dark Blues became a charter members of the National League, Douglas declined reelection due to “business engagements.” The Hartford Times reported, “Mr. Douglas has worked hard for the interest of the Hartford club, and had it not been for him the Hartfords would not have attained the celebrity they have. It might be said that he laid the foundation stone of the club.” Douglas did remain peripherally connected with the team however, serving as one of the club’s directors.

By 1877, Hartford’s National League entry had moved to Brooklyn. With the new vacancy in Hartford, Douglas began plans to return a team to Hartford. He again succeeded in raising over $4000. Unfortunately the new National League rule requiring cities to have a population of 75,000 people forced Douglas to move to Providence, Rhode Island to keep his baseball dreams alive. As he tended to the business of getting a new National League team up and running in that city, he had suspicions that somebody on the Providence team wanted to run him out of the manager’s position and was planting false stories about him. His fears were realized before the season began as the board of directors voted to relieve him of his duties as manager.

Douglas refused to resign however, leading the directors to threaten to withhold the $1000 he had invested in the club unless he resigned. Douglas contacted Harry Wright hoping for some help:

“You know me Harry for many seasons. You know I have spent a large sum of money from [18]66 to [18]78 trying my level best to build up the Dear Old Game and now after my hard hard work here to be disgraced…It is not on account of drink for I do not drink. It is not on account of dishonesty for God knows I am honest. It is not on account of bad women for I care nothing for them. I have always tried to act the part of a gentleman and square man by all.”

“Did I not run the Champions of Conn 6 seasons, the Dear Old Mansfields of Middletown. Did I not break into the World of Manager 2 seasons the celebrated Hartfords, 2nd only to the Champion Bostons season of 75 and yet these greenhorns say my past record is good for nothing…I have lost 6 month’s time from business at home where I had steady salary of $1500/yr. I have spent money like water. First for Hartford where I raised $4000 this last season and only for action of League would have been there…Drew good clean money out of bk [bank] at home. My hard earnings paid Mesr [sp], Carey, York, Hines, Higham, Hague, Allison, Nichols, $700 – advance money last winter or I would lost them. Providence would have had no League team only for me, and this is my reward…Can you do anything for me Friend Harry. I don’t ask money Oh know for that I have enough only I do ask my friends in the game to protect against this outrage.”

Ben Douglas Jr. to Harry Wright, 1877.

Douglas received a flattering letter from Wright but it was too late to save his position. Douglas replied to Wright:

“Your kind communication of the 10th came duly to hand & I can assure you it gave me great comfort. These people know more about base ball then I do, in their minds. After making a dupe of me they threw me one side….I had to resign my place or be kicked out. I had my whole heart in it sure, but I won’t bother you further…I retire with the consciousness of having done my whole duty and in return have been snubbed. No more Rhode Island for me.”

Harry Wright to Ben Douglas Jr., 1877.

It was later reported that Providence forced Douglas’ out because he was arranging games with non-League clubs. This had been a common practice to gain more money. As Douglas told Harry Wright, “It’s a long jump from Providence to Chicago without getting one cent.” After leaving Providence, the Providence Dispatch reported that Douglas still held the support of many in the city who were “greatly in favor of Mr. Douglas, and, to speak the truth, he has been shamelessly used.” The team that Douglas assembled finished third in the six-team National League.

Within two weeks of leaving Providence, Douglas organized a team in New Haven and joined the International Association. Attendance was sparse and in a desperate attempt to keep his dream alive, Douglas moved the club to Hartford. Two months later the club was expelled from the league for nonpayment to a visiting club. The 1878 season spelled the end of Douglas’ baseball dream.

He returned to Middletown and rejoined the family pump factory. In 1893, he married Nellie Sault, daughter of a Brooklyn foundry owner. This came as a surprise to his friends who were unaware of the 44-year-old Douglas’ relationship with the 20-year-old woman. In 1905, Douglas died in Connecticut Hospital for the Insane where he had lived for five years. Douglas summed up his love of the game in a letter to Harry Wright, “You know Harry that my whole soul is in base ball.”

Sources

Major League Baseball in Gilded Age Connecticut, by David Arcidiacono (McFarland, 2010)

Harry Wright Correspondence

Hartford Courant

Hartford Post

Hartford Times

Middletown Constitution

Middletown Penny Press

Middletown Tribune