Highlights Archives
Batter Up at the Historic Sites — 1860s Style!
Baseball — America's pastime — has entertained generations of Wisconsinites since the mid-19th century. And, in true 1860s fashion, Old World Wisconsin will turn back the clock to the early days of base ball (yes, it was originally spelled as two words) on Saturday, June 16, when the historic site celebrates Base Ball History Day with a game of vintage base ball between the Eagle Diamonds home team and the Milwaukee Cream Citys. Have a hotdog and root for your favorite team!
New to the summer calendar in 2007 are monthly base ball games played at Wade House, featuring the Greenbush Dead Citys. On the third Sunday of every month through September, the Dead Citys will defend the home turf against another historic team, playing by vintage 1860 rules. The next game is schedule for Sunday, June 17. First pitch is at 1:30 p.m. Fans may try their hands at some 19th-century base ball skills before and after the game.
In vintage base ball, ballists (as players of the game were originally known) play by the rules and customs of earlier eras. Most vintage base ball teams play the game according to rules in place during the 1850s and '60s, wearing uniforms appropriate to the period they're re-creating. Mid-19th-century base ball was considerably different than today's game, and most ballists played with bare hands. For an in-depth look at the sport of vintage base ball, visit the Vintage Base Ball Association's Web site.
Baseball's Wisconsin roots run deep. Organized baseball in the state began after the Civil War in towns like Baraboo and Beloit. Enterprising publishers began issuing baseball trading cards with pictures of star athletes in the 1870s.
:: Posted June 11, 2007
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