Base Ball As It Was in the 1860's

This afternoon, five members of the Pittsburgh SABR Chapter, Alan Steinberg, Fred and Susan Shugars, and Bob and Marilyn Sproule, attended Vintage Base Ball matches featuring the Pittsburgh Franklins. A round robin tournament was hosted by the Franklins and featured vintage teams from Somerset and Altoona, PA.

We were treated to base ball (not baseball) as it was played when Abe Lincoln was occupying the White House. We were not sure quite what to expect from a game where no gloves were worn, where the ballists (players) acted as their own arbiters (umpires), where the striker (batter) was out if a ball was caught on one bounce, and where the hurlers (pitchers) delivered the pitches underhanded. To be honest, I expected to see something akin to a beer-league softball game with scores of 22-18. Instead, we saw a very entertaining game, certainly a different game from baseball as we know it in 2011, played by very skillful ballists. Scores of the two matches that we watched were 3-2 and 4-0, both victories for the host Franklins.

If you are a baseball fan have not seen or are completely unfamiliar with Vintage Base Ball, I would urge you to go to www.vbba.org to see if there is a vintage team in your area and check it out. The men – and women – who play vintage base ball are doing so for the sheer love of the game, and are keeping alive a part of sports history that is worth saving. They deserve your support and attention. You can also learn more about the Franklins at www.pittsburghfranklins.com.

The matches that we saw today were held at the Murrysville Community Park as a part of Murrysville Community Days. As you know, Pittsburghers are a provincial lot who like to stay close to home, so to travel from the North Hills all the way out to Murrysville, well, that is a HUGE step, but all of the events at the celebration and the participation of the Murrysville community, made for an absolutely delightful day.

I am hoping that the Pittsburgh Chapter of SABR will continue to support the efforts of the Franklins. There were five of us at the match today. Next year, I am planning to make this a formal Chapter Event with expanded attendance from the Forbes Field Chapter. I am also hoping that non-SABR readers of The Grandstander will consider taking in a vintage match as well. You will be kept well informed via this forum.

Huzzah to the Franklins and the other teams that participated!!