Any Vintage Base Ball players in here?

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Posted By: Douglas

Gonna be playing a few games with a vintage team for the first time this summer, and wondering if any of you play also. Any insight on the experience is appreciated. Thanks. Douglas

(If this is not the correct forum, I apologize.)

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Posted By: Ben

Doug,

I joined a vintage league last year. I had a lot of fun playing. I live in New Jersey but play for the New York Gothams. We primarily play 1864 rules but do play a few 1870's and 1880's games too. Where do you live and what team are you on?

Ben

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Posted By: Douglas

I am in Wisconsin, and going to be playing with the Milwaukee Cream Citys. They are a couple of hours of driving away, but I think it will be worth it anyhow. What types of bats do you use? And, which era ball? Anything I guess. Thanks.

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Posted By: brock

Ben,
Do you guys use replica gloves of what they had back then.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

If I gave you $10, would you take it back in time with you and buy me some Ford stock?

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Posted By: David Atkatz

Ben... Are the initials of the guy kneeling second from the left in the team photo GM?
Thanks.

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Posted By: Ben

We don't use mitts. Mitts were not in use in 1864 and those are the rules we primarily play by. When we play 1880's games (overhand) a few guys on the other team will have mitts but we still play barehanded. The catcher in my first photo has gear on because that was an 1890's game. As far as the ball is concerned it is roughly the size of a modern ball but softer. The 1880's ball is almost as hard as a modern ball (that stings when catching barehanded). Below are a few more pics of 1864 games...

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Posted By: Ben

David,

I'm not sure who the one second from the left is (the guy next to me). He is on the other team and we all have nicknames so I don't really know any of the guys' real names! Do you know him?

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Posted By: David Atkatz

Hi, Ben. He's a dead ringer for my ex brother-in-law!

Was that team from CT? Or have anything to do with ESPN?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Has your catcher ever taken a foul tip to the face?

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Posted By: brock

That must hurt still trying to catch a hard hit line drive with your bare hands.

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Posted By: Chris David

Does anyone know of any point of contact for a Vintage Baseball League in Upstate Ny ? I am located in Rochester and would be interested in any details.

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Posted By: Ben

David,

The guy on the other team is with the Atlantic Base Ball Club. They are based out of Smithtown, NY.

The catcher will rarely get a ball in the face as he stands back much further than they do now. The line drives do sting and we get a lot jammed/sprained fingers and a broken one here and there.

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Posted By: Butch & Co.

Chris, the Vintage BB clubs closest to you would probably be those operating out of the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford [ http://www.gcv.org ]. That's practically in your back yard! (Wish there was one a little closer to us... ) Last we checked, there were at least two men's teams and one women's ballclub based there. Those are under the umbrella of the VBBA [ http://wiki.vbba.org/index.php/Main/HomePage ], one of two bodies organizing Vintage Base Ball. The VBBA has a list of component clubs here:
http://wiki.vbba.org/index.php/Members/Clubs

The other organization is the VBBF [ http://www.vintagefederation.com ], which has a list of participating clubs here:
http://www.vintagefederation.com/pdf/contacts.pdf
All the VBBF clubs in New York seem to be way downstate.