ball club

Two other Ricketts siblings, Todd and Peter, also have a piece of the action with the ball club.
Joe Ricketts’s Retreat From Obama Attack Campaign: Are the Chicago Cubs to Blame?|Jim Warren|May 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It seems we made a mistake when we named our Base Ball Club.
Maybee's Stepping Stones|Archie Fell
For legs it had two of those golf-clubs called "putters," and one of its arms was a tennis-racket and the other a base-ball club.
John Dough and the Cherub|L. Frank Baum
A challinge was sent to the "Bloo stockin' base ball club," an old man's club in an adjoinin' town.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 23, September 3, 1870|Various

Charles inquires whether his handwriting is good enough to qualify him for membership in a base ball club.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 19, August 6, 1870|Various
For, to James, to be a catcher in a base-ball club was honor enough for one man, and he had never dreamed of a loftier ambition.
Pray You, Sir, Whose Daughter?|Helen H. Gardener

Origin of ball club