Clara Gregory Baer described the basic elements of the game, consisting of a court divided at the midpoint, with lines marking where the players could move, and outlining the object of the game, to "make the ball touch the opposite ground, beyond the base—when it counts a point for the side sending the ball". This game would eventually become Newcomb ball, and has many similarities to the game of volleyball. The letter by Baer appeared in the January, 1895 edition of the journal, while the first game of volleyball, invented by William G. Morgan was reported to be first played in February 1895.
William Morgan (abolitionist) William Morgan (abolitionist) William Morgan (1815–c.1890) was a leading member of the Birmingham Anti-Slavery Society whose members were very influential in abolitionist movements in Britain. He became the Town clerk in Birmingham and gave a collection of books to Birmingham Library. Morgan was the third son of the Reverend Thomas Morgan. Morgan was trained as a solicitor and worked in Birmingham. He was an active member of the Birmingham Anti-Slavery Society which campaigned for abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1838. On the anniversary of the abolition a celebration was again held in Birmingham and it was Morgan