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Clippings from the The Cincinnati Times-Star newspaper,
March 19, 1888-June 30, 1888.

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    The base ball enthusiasts were out on the field yesterday and took their initial practice in batting. Look out for stiff arms and sore muscles.

    There is quite a number of base ball "fans" in the Norwoods. It is hoped by the majority of them that a ball nine will be one of the features this summer.

Note: "fans" is in quotes probably because it is a new term (created or promoted by Norwood sportswriter Ren Mulford, Jr.). Crank was the common term.

    Wait until the regular ball season opens at the Cincinnati Park and then more than one supper will be kept until the second Loveland comes up.

Note: "the second Loveland" refers to the B&O train, which was the passenger train that traveled up the Mill Creek, then through Norwood on its way to Loveland.

    What is the reason that we can not have a ball nine this year? The old club won some very creditable victories in the past and the majority of the team are still residents here.

    The East Norwood Juniors did up the Norwood nine in great shape last Saturday afternoon by a score of 15 to 9. This is the second time the same kind of medicine has been administered by the Juniors. The East Norwood team is composed of Riley, pitcher; Russel, catcher; Harris, 2d base; Zoller, 1st base; E. Strauss, 3d base; G. Strauss, s.s.; Turk, l.f.; Strumpler, r.f., and Jesse Tidball, c.f. In the Norwoods are Hopkins, 1st b; Failor, r.f.; Stewart, 2d b; McQueety, p; Price, c; Cordes, 3d b., and Everhart, s.s. Harry Staggeman umpired the game.

    It is but fair to say that the Norwood Base Ball Club won the first game from the East Norwood by a score of 15 to 18. The same teams will play the rubber next Saturday afternoon. Charley Riley is Captain of the East Norwoods, and would like to hear from ball nines composed of boys not over fourteen years of age. Post Office address, Norwood, Ohio.

    The East Norwood Juniors play the Madisonvilles this afternoon, and as this is their maiden effort away from home, it is hoped they will come out victorious.
    A ball nine in East Norwood will be one of the things of the near future. It is being organized now.

    The East Norwood Juniors are laying low on the score of last Saturday. If you ask one of the Madisonville nine he will say the score was 35 to 9 in their favor.

    Base ball will open up next week in Norwood. The Norwoods have challenged the Bond Hill Base-ball Club.
    A game of ball was played several mornings ago on the grounds opposite the Town Hall between two picked nines, the Sankers and the Grimms, the Grimms winning by a score of 24 to 10. Batteries—Weisenfelder and Grimm, and Sanker and Brobeck. Plenty of slugging was the order of the game.

    There is a call from the Miami Valley Leaguers for a response from Norwood's ball club.

    The Norwood Club was defeated by the Bond Hill Club by a score of 16 to 10. The Norwoods were minus the services of two of their best players. Henry Overberg, one of the Norwoods, had a finger badly smashed.

    Norwood was left out of the Miami Valley League shuffle. The club was of too light caliber to compete with such clubs as compose the quartet in the League.

    Norwood vs. Norwood will be the game of ball played in the grounds in the rear of the Town Hall this afternoon.

To the Editor of the Times-Star:
    Can you enlighten a few "fans" of this town as to who that ball team (?) claims as members that is being so unerthly salivated by the Bond Hills? I am sure there can be no players in it as they threw up the sponge in the third ionning with a score of 34 to 1 because they could put nobody out. We have some ball players in Norwood and it is a disgrace to have the above job lot of alleged players representing themselves as the Norwood. Please elucidate and oblige a suffering        FAN.
    [It was a picked nine that Bond Hill defeated. The Norwoods can play ball a little bit.]

    The East Norwood Jrs. play the Norwood Jrs. next Saturday afternoon.

    There is a quiet but strong effort being made by the young men of Norwood to organize a ball team that will be a credit to the town. The player most needed is a good catcher, and it is hoped that this position will be filled soon so that the team can get some practice before it accepts the many challenges that have been fired at the team that is to represent the town. Should the gentlemen that are at present identified with the movement succeed in forming the nine (there) will be no flies on the team that succeeds in carrying off the victories.

    Last Saturday the Norwood Kids were beaten by the East Norwood dittos by a score of 21 to 27. From the size of the score it is supposed that the mothers of the youngsters participating in the game would not have the heart to make them hustle up the Sunday coal.

    Norwood now has a ball team worthy of the name and which Bond Hill found out to its sorrow. Their was a score of 13 to 10. In the first inning the wildness of pitcher and the inability of the catcher to support him gave the Bond Hills seven runs. After this inning the "old stand by" battery of Staggaman and Tidball got to work and the Bond Hills were at their mercy. The Norwood played a fine up hill game which finally gave them the victory. The heavy batting and nervy base stealing of the Norwood team was something appalling. Several circus catches were made, notably a back left handed running catch by Gogreve in the fifth and a forward running catch by Wisefelder in the sixth inning. Both plays, if made by professional, would have brought down the stands. About two hundred people witnessed the game. Sanker did well as umpire, but was away off on balls and strikes and was noticeably severe on Staggaman's curves.

    The members of the Norwood nine will meet every evening for practice from now on.

    The Norwood Kids salted the Madisonville dittos by a score of 13 to 27. Revenge is sweet.

    The East Norwood lads were defeated by Madisonville's youngsters 23 to 22 yesterday morning.

    The East Norwood youngsters beat the Norwood 33 to 16 and no questions asked.

    The "small boys" of East Norwood are canvassing the place selling tickets to a lawn fete, which will be given a week from this afternoon. The Rocket Base Ball Club will benefit by the affair.

    The Rocket Base Ball Club had a lively time at their fete on Norwood avenue last evening, and the demand for ice cream exceeded the supply. A nice sum was realized.

    The Norwoods play their next game with Bond Hill on Macke's grounds.

    The East Norwood Base Ball nine will be uniformed as soon as the "regimentals" can be made.

    A number of crack amateur clubs want to tackle the East Norwood team. They will be accommodated as fast as possible.

    The ball grounds in Norwood are being put in first class condition, with a large backstop and other necessary improvements.

    The East Norwoods would like to get a game with a good amateur nine for the morning of the Fourth.
    The next game on the home grounds will be with the Mt. Lookouts.