By 1808Delaware
A sharply hit ball takes one bounce before settling into a fielder’s bare hands. The crowd cheers, and the striker walks away. He is out.
That is one of the surprises awaiting spectators when the Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival returns to the Westerville Sports Complex on Saturday and Sunday, September 5 and 6.
More than 30 teams from across the United States will compete during one of the nation’s largest gatherings devoted to the 19th-century game. Matches will be played from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day, with free admission.
A Different Kind of Ball Game
The players do more than put on old uniforms. They step into a version of the national pastime that can feel both familiar and wonderfully strange. The term itself was written as “base ball,” two words. Pitchers, often called hurlers, delivered the ball underhand with the intention of giving the striker something he could hit. Fielders played without gloves, and catchers worked without masks, chest protectors or other modern equipment.
Under the rules published in the 1860 edition of Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player, a fair or foul ball caught on its first bounce retired the striker. A clean catch in the air was not always necessary. Players also had to keep their caps on their heads. If a fielder stopped a ball with his hat or cap, no one could be put out until the ball had returned to the pitcher.
Other customs found among clubs recreating the 1860s game can be equally unexpected. A runner could not simply sprint through first base. If he left the bag, he became an active baserunner who could be tagged out. In some matches, the right to choose which team batted last was determined by tossing a bat between the captains and seeing who gained the final handhold on its handle.
The umpire had unusual freedom as well. Period customs allowed him to seek the spectators’ opinion on a close play, while spitting, swearing and other “ungentlemanly” conduct could earn a player a fine. The Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball preserves explanations of many of those rules and customs.
The Muffins Take the Field
Westerville spectators will have an opportunity to follow the Ohio Village Muffins and the Ohio Village Diamonds throughout the weekend. The Ohio Village Muffins were organized in 1981 and became the first team in the country to maintain a regular schedule of vintage base ball matches. In 1996, the Muffins hosted the meeting that established the Vintage Base Ball Association. Even the team’s name carries a bit of period humor. An accomplished club’s leading players were its “first nine,” while its less-skilled players might be called the “muffin nine.” To “muff” a play was to make an error.
The Diamonds recall another chapter of the sport’s early development. Although vigorous athletic competition was not always considered suitable for women during the period, women played base ball at colleges and other institutions, with organized women’s teams appearing by 1866.
Both Ohio Village teams use reproduction uniforms and equipment. Their baseballs are slightly larger than today’s version and covered with a single piece of leather stitched in a distinctive pattern. Bats can vary considerably in length and shape, although the barrel cannot exceed 2½ inches in diameter.
History With a Competitive Streak
Vintage base ball places a strong emphasis on courtesy and good sportsmanship, but that does not make the competition any less spirited. Teams still play to win, and spectators traditionally recognize an outstanding play no matter which club makes it.
Visitors should bring a lawn chair or blanket and be prepared for games unfolding across the complex throughout the day. No grandstand ticket is necessary, and no knowledge of 19th-century terminology is required. Just remember that the batter is a striker, a run may be called an ace, and that easy one-bounce catch might be more valuable than it looks.
The Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival will take place from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on September 5 and 6 at the Westerville Sports Complex, 325 N. Cleveland Ave. Admission is free.
