By Barbara LaMonica
Shortly after the Civil War, baseball’s popularity rapidly spread throughout Long Island. Many towns, including Brooklyn and Queens, (Nassau County was part of Queens until 1899), formed their own baseball clubs. Rival clubs would challenge each other, with many games played at county fairs. Most of the teams consisted of farmers, merchants, and students, although they often had semi-pro players in their lineups.
One of the most famous teams were the Huntington Suffolks. They played for many years under various names including The Huntington Baseball Club, The Young Suffolks, and The Suffolks from Huntington.
The person most responsible for fostering baseball’s popularity was Dr. E.T.T. Marsh. Known as the Father of Baseball in Huntington, Dr. Marsh was responsible for the initial construction and management of Huntington Hospital, convincing Cornelia Prime to donate money for its construction.
In 1910, his love of baseball led him to manage and finance a winning Huntington team, which played 24 games, winning 6 and losing 8. Through the years, Dr. Marsh continued to promote baseball and cover any deficits the team might incur.
