Vintage base ball
Encyclopedia
Vintage Base Ball is baseball
presented as being played by rules and customs from an earlier period in the sport's history. Games are typically played using rules and uniform
s from the 1850s, 1860s and 1880s. Vintage baseball is not only a competitive game, but also a reenactment of baseball
life similar to American Civil War reenactment
. Players dress in uniforms appropriate to the time period, and in fact many teams are direct copies of teams that existed in the late 19th century. The styles and speech of the 19th century are also used while playing vintage base ball.
The game's name is typically written "base ball" rather than "baseball", as that was the spelling used before the 1880s.
, or "striker." There are typically no fences as base ball is mostly played in fields
and green spaces. However, obstacles (e.g. trees, building, etc.) often come into play. In many of the rules sets the ball can be played off of one bounce to get a striker out. Catching the ball can be very difficult because no gloves
are used. This lack of gloves, the underhand pitching and other rules make vintage baseball similar to the sport of British baseball
.
Because limited descriptive evidence
exists to illustrate how live gameplay may have looked or sounded, researchers and vintage "ballists", or ballplayers, engage in an ongoing interpretive discourse about how the game may have actually appeared. There is continuous debate about such points of play as how frequently runners would steal bases, when sliding first became common and what it might have looked like, how strikers would hold or swing the bat, how the umpire
's authority evolved, and how players would have conducted themselves on the field.
One commonly held interpretation is that gameplay was marked by a spirit of gentlemanly sportsmanship
. Modern vintage ballists will often observe this custom through friendly gestures such as cheering good plays made by opposing players, assisting umpires with making calls at bases, and conducting organized cheers for opposing teams (and often for the umpire and "cranks", or fans) at the conclusion of a match.
The politeness and sportsmanship observed in these games are more in keeping with the early days of baseball, which was considered a "gentleman's game". As the game progressed into professionalism in the 1870s, and money (and thus winning) became a primary motivator, the 19th century game became marked by rough play and cheating, which was relatively easy to accomplish, due to the lone umpire who might fail to see such infractions.
The Vintage Base Ball Association
is an international association of vintage ball clubs which promotes the game through conferences, publications, message boards and listserv
s, educational resources, and links to leagues, clubs, tournament
s and related activities in the United States and Canada.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
presented as being played by rules and customs from an earlier period in the sport's history. Games are typically played using rules and uniform
Uniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
s from the 1850s, 1860s and 1880s. Vintage baseball is not only a competitive game, but also a reenactment of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
life similar to American Civil War reenactment
American Civil War reenactment
American Civil War reenactment is an effort to recreate the appearance of a particular battle or other event associated with the American Civil War by hobbyists known as Civil War reenactors or Civil War recreationists...
. Players dress in uniforms appropriate to the time period, and in fact many teams are direct copies of teams that existed in the late 19th century. The styles and speech of the 19th century are also used while playing vintage base ball.
The game's name is typically written "base ball" rather than "baseball", as that was the spelling used before the 1880s.
Rules and game play
Although rules differ according to which playing year is being used, there are some mostly common rules differences between the modern game and vintage base ball. In rules of years prior to the 1880s, the ball is pitched underhand in a manner suitable to the batterBatting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
, or "striker." There are typically no fences as base ball is mostly played in fields
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
and green spaces. However, obstacles (e.g. trees, building, etc.) often come into play. In many of the rules sets the ball can be played off of one bounce to get a striker out. Catching the ball can be very difficult because no gloves
Baseball glove
A baseball glove or mitt is a large leather glove that baseball players on the defending team are allowed to wear to assist them in catching and fielding balls hit by a batter, or thrown by a teammate.-History:...
are used. This lack of gloves, the underhand pitching and other rules make vintage baseball similar to the sport of British baseball
British baseball
British baseball, sometimes called Welsh baseball, or in the areas where it is popular simply baseball, is a bat-and-ball game played primarily in Wales and England. It is closely related to the game of rounders, and indeed emerged as a distinct sport when governing bodies in Wales and England...
.
Because limited descriptive evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
exists to illustrate how live gameplay may have looked or sounded, researchers and vintage "ballists", or ballplayers, engage in an ongoing interpretive discourse about how the game may have actually appeared. There is continuous debate about such points of play as how frequently runners would steal bases, when sliding first became common and what it might have looked like, how strikers would hold or swing the bat, how the umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
's authority evolved, and how players would have conducted themselves on the field.
One commonly held interpretation is that gameplay was marked by a spirit of gentlemanly sportsmanship
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
. Modern vintage ballists will often observe this custom through friendly gestures such as cheering good plays made by opposing players, assisting umpires with making calls at bases, and conducting organized cheers for opposing teams (and often for the umpire and "cranks", or fans) at the conclusion of a match.
The politeness and sportsmanship observed in these games are more in keeping with the early days of baseball, which was considered a "gentleman's game". As the game progressed into professionalism in the 1870s, and money (and thus winning) became a primary motivator, the 19th century game became marked by rough play and cheating, which was relatively easy to accomplish, due to the lone umpire who might fail to see such infractions.
The Vintage Base Ball Association
Vintage Base Ball Association
The Vintage Base Ball Association is a vintage base ball league founded in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio, on the 150th anniversary of the first recorded baseball game between organized teams. The league uses the National Association of Base Ball Players as a model...
is an international association of vintage ball clubs which promotes the game through conferences, publications, message boards and listserv
LISTSERV
LISTSERV was the first electronic mailing list software application, consisting of a set of email addresses for a group in which the sender can send one email and it will reach a variety of people...
s, educational resources, and links to leagues, clubs, tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
s and related activities in the United States and Canada.
Glossary
- Ace or Tally - run; crossing home base
- Apple, pill, horsehide, onion - the ball
- Artist - proficient player
- Baller, Ballist - player
- Basetender - an infielder
- Bench - manager or coach
- Blind - no score
- Blooper, banjo hit - weak fly ball, "Texas leaguer"
- Boodler - ungentlemanly maneuver
- Bound - bounce
- Bowler, hurler, thrower, feeder - pitcher
- Bug bruiser – sharp grounder
- Club, Nine - team
- Cranks (or Throng) - fans
- Daisy Cutter - sharp grounder
- Dead or Hand Dead, Hand down - put out or batter out
- Dew Drop - slow pitch
- Dish - home plate
- Foul tic - foul ball
- Four Baser - home run
- Garden - outfield
- Ginger - enthusiastic play
- Ground - field
- Huzzah! - hooray
- Leg it - run swiftly
- Match - game
- Midfielder - center fielder
- Muckle - power hitter
- Muff or Duff - error
- Muffin - enthusiastic but unskilled player
- Pitcher's Point - pitchers mound or rubber
- Player Dead - out
- Pluck - fine strike or play
- Plugging (or Soaking) the Runner - throwing the ball at runner to put him out (illegal after 1845)
- Rover - shortstop
- Scouts - outfielders
- Show a little ginger - play harder or smarter
- Sky Ball, Skyer - flyball
- Sky scraper - A high Pop Fly
- Stinger - hard hit ball
- Stir your stumps - run fast/hustle
- Striker - hitter
- Striker to the line - batter up
- Talleykeeper - scorekeeper
- Three Hands Dead - 3 outs, side retired
- Whitewash - team held scoreless for a match or at-bat
- Willow – bat
See also
- History of baseball
- Vintage Base Ball AssociationVintage Base Ball AssociationThe Vintage Base Ball Association is a vintage base ball league founded in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio, on the 150th anniversary of the first recorded baseball game between organized teams. The league uses the National Association of Base Ball Players as a model...
- Vintage Base Ball FederationVintage Base Ball FederationThe Vintage Base Ball Federation is a proposed baseball league which will play by the original rules of the game. Proposed by former Major League pitcher Jim Bouton in 2006, the rules will include:*Six balls for a walk*No strike count for a foul ball...