The Pelicans, who in their first year of play in 1870, as amateurs, lost to the Cincinnati Red Stockings 51 - 1, in 1887 issued first rain check in professional baseball (
existing custom had been to take a fan's word for it that he had suffered from a rain - out), stoutly continued to play
during raging yellow fever
epidemic of 1905, stumbled on even when their home park was sold out from under them for a motel site in 1958.