$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Aug 24, 2006 21:37:18 GMT -5
NEW YORK - Talk about turning back the clock. Former major league pitcher Jim Bouton announced Thursday the launch of an organization that will play by 19th century rules: The Vintage Base Ball Federation. Yup, back then baseball was two words.
It will be six balls for a walk, and a foul ball won't count as a strike — unless it's caught, in which case the batter will be out. A foul ball caught on a bounce counts for an out, and a hit batter is only a ball, with no base awarded.
Gloves will be tiny, bat handles will be thick and the ball — that's right, one ball will be used per game unless it falls apart or is lost — will be dead. There aren't any pitcher's mounds, and there's no such thing as a balk on pickoff attempts.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060824/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_vintage_base_ball
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Aug 25, 2006 6:24:05 GMT -5
Sounds like the same kind of league Rocky plays in. I wonder if they have to wear the similar uniforms. THAT would suck.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Aug 25, 2006 7:53:38 GMT -5
OF COURSE they would have to wear similar uniforms. What do you want them to do, play 1880s style in sweatpants, a Cubs cap, and cleats? I emailed Rocky the info - maybe he can go "pro."
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Post by 9 on Aug 25, 2006 10:49:56 GMT -5
They do something like this in Hoboken, but I have to find out the details. The only reason I know this is because I was waiting for one of my friends to pick me up and a whole bunch of guys walked by in old-school wool/flannel Hoboken jerseys and the old-style tiny gloves. I think it was right around this time of the year, too. If I get a chance this weekend, I'll do some research. I'm pretty sure it's an annual event, though, and not a league.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Aug 25, 2006 11:01:53 GMT -5
Every weekend through the summer they play these games at Old Bethpage Village here on the Island. Two games, one 1860 style, and one 1880 style. The teams that play are actually part of a league that roams town to town, playing in barnstorming fashion. We've bought out a couple of picnic lunches and took in a couple of games on lazy Sunday afternoons.
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Post by JimmyBig on Aug 25, 2006 11:39:32 GMT -5
Did you enjoy watching it Tom? or was it hard to adjust too?
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Aug 25, 2006 13:02:10 GMT -5
I enjoyed watching it. I totally understood the rules. Its not as "authentic" as it sounds, as the guys are laughing and cursing in todays flowery language, and some are wearing old time jerseys, but todays baseball pants. The big coolers of Gatorade on the benches takes away from any escape you are looking for too.
Its fun watching people trying to handle the hops on the grass, and make the plays without the vaccuum gloves of today. I ike going. Too bad my daughter cant stand still and let me chill.
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Post by 9 on Aug 27, 2006 16:08:02 GMT -5
Sadly, it looks like the Hoboken game I mentioned was a one-time-only thing for the city's 150th anniversary. I would LOVE to get a hold of one of the old-time Hoboken flannel jerseys those guys were wearing.
From the Hoboken Reporter last year:
• Vintage Baseball Festival - ( June 18 ). Sat. June 18th • beginning at 10am
Baseball Parade down Washington Street featuring all Vintage Teams plus
Little League & Babe Ruth Teams
• Vintage Games all day at JFK Stadium, Jefferson Street - between 10th & 11th Streets
• plus vendors selling Baseball memorability, sports items
• appearance by: Alexander Cartwright III Great Grandson of Alexander Cartwright, the founder of modern baseball
• Brad Shaw will perform "Casey at the Bat"
• Mile Square Theatre Presents "7th Inning Stretch" at DeBaun Auditorium, 5th & Hudson Streets beginning at 8p a series of 7 original one act plays, all centering around the theme of Baseball
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Post by Jason Giambi on Aug 27, 2006 20:04:01 GMT -5
They had a thing in the paper here today about this "style" Jim Bouton of Ball Four fame is quite the promoter of it.
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Post by yanxchick on Aug 28, 2006 13:11:34 GMT -5
I covered that event last year in Hoboken for my paper.
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Post by 9 on Aug 28, 2006 15:35:10 GMT -5
I'd have invited you up for a cold one if I knew. At that time, I lived two blocks from the field.
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Post by yankeesgal on Aug 28, 2006 21:01:26 GMT -5
LOL... A quote from a related article:
"I don't know how strict they're going to be about the 19th century rules, but I think they're letting black people play this time."
I can't help but think of how tough the game was for catchers in the early years, before all of the elaborate equipment came about. Hell, if it weren't for knee savers, I would've been done a couple of seasons ago.
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Post by IronHorse4 on Aug 30, 2006 9:55:40 GMT -5
That's because you're a girl.
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Rocky
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Post by Rocky on Sept 10, 2006 7:12:32 GMT -5
I've ben playing in the Old Time Base ball league at Old Bethpage on Long Island since 2003. It is something that all baseball fans should see at least once. It is base ball (yes, 2 words then) in it's purest form.
In the 1864 format we play with no gloves and wear uniforms that look closer to Civil War uniforms than modern MLB uniforms. Underhand pitching. You catch the ball on a bounce for an out. You can't overrun 1st. Fouls are not strikes. Many interesting rules. We also play 1884 where the pitchers throws sidearm and some of the rules change.
We also use as much vintage vocabulary as possible. Pitchers are hurlers. Batters are strikers. Outs are "hands down". Runs are aces. Hustling is "showing ginger". We try not to use modern references.
Yesterday (9/9/06), we played against a team from Jersey in a Victorian Festival in Belvidere,NJ (almost in PA). The fans , or 'cranks' as we call them, were very interested in the rules and style of play. We played 1873 rules.
Last month we played in a minor league park in Lancaster,PA in front of over 1000 fans. We get paid for many events, but the $ goes to the team. So in essence we are "pros" but playing costs us $.
Great stuff. If anyone is interested in playing or watching, e-mail me(Rocky) ny23hitman@aol.com.
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Rocky
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Post by Rocky on Sept 10, 2006 7:14:49 GMT -5
Tom, we are trying to ask the guys to keep the modern drinks and language to a minimum. We want the cranks to get an education about the game and how it was played 140 years ago.
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Post by Jason Giambi on Sept 10, 2006 8:17:26 GMT -5
i was going to mention the game in belvidere yesterday, but figured no one would make the trek.
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MSBNYY
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El Guapo
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Post by MSBNYY on Sept 10, 2006 17:06:32 GMT -5
Did someone say Belvedere?  |
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Post by globix on Sept 10, 2006 23:20:30 GMT -5
Anyone see when Conan O' Brian "played" for a team in the Old Bethpage league? High-larious
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Sept 11, 2006 7:23:40 GMT -5
Rocky was there, and I know was in a pic with him. I'll let him take it from here.
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Rocky
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Post by Rocky on Sept 17, 2006 22:26:06 GMT -5
Conan was awesome that day. He is funny without even trying.
I was playing shortstop while he was batting and when he got to second base I was going to tag him out. He just looped around me into the outfield and had me chase him like a midget football play. The whole thing made the show.
2 weeks after that, we had a nice segment on This Week In Baseball that rocked.
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