In 1845 they formed themselves into a permanent organization known as the Knickerbocker Club, and drew up the first code of playing rules of the game, which were very simple as compared with the complex rules which govern the game of the present time, and which are certainly changed in such a way as to keep one busy in keeping track of them.
The grounds of this parent organization were soon transferred to the Elysian Fields, at Hoboken, N.J., where the Knickerbockers played their first match game on June 19th, 1846, their opponents not being an organized club, but merely a party of gentlemen who played together frequently, and styled themselves the New York Club.

The New Yorks won easily in four innings, the game in those days being won by the club first making twenty-one runs on even innings.

The Knickerbockers played at Hoboken for many years, passing out of existence only in 1882.

In 1853 the Olympic Club of Philadelphia was organized for the purpose of playing town-ball, a game which had some slight resemblance to base-ball.

The Olympic Club, however, did not adopt the game of base-ball until 1860, and consequently cannot claim priority over the Knickerbockers, although it was one of the oldest ball-playing organizations in existence, and was disbanded only a few years ago.
In New England a game of base-ball known by the distinctive title of "The New England game" was in vogue about fifty years ago.