“And it’s ONE! TWO! THREE! strikes you’re out”…or maybe not. Turns out that a strike wasn’t always a strike, as we know it. Catchers wore scarlet. Uniforms included a tie and sometimes lace but no gloves. Those are a few of the things you learn when you delve into the world of Vintage Baseball.
Blame Ken Burns or “42” or that Tom Hanks/Madonna movie from the 90’s or simple nostalgia or what you will, Vintage Baseball is one of the stars of the historical re-enactment circuit. Teams are popping up every where, and there’s likely one near you. And it makes sense: unlike Revolutionary or Civil War re-enactments no one has to play dead or get faux shot or bludgeoned. There are no moral implications, and the uniforms are comfy. Plus it’s a real game, with a winner and a loser. It’s fun. It’s good for you. You can drink while you do it.
And of course it’s as American as hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet used to be. Baseball is so deeply rooted in our popular culture that it’s part of the American language. Almost everybody who grew up here knows what it means to strike out at something, when something hits a real home run, that it’s bad to go down looking, and I challenge you to find a teenage boy anywhere who isn’t excited about getting to third base. Historically, I think it even affected our foreign policy. Am I the only one who sees that Teddy Roosevelt’s “big stick” is really just a bat, Freud notwithstanding?
So the next time you want to take in a game, think about going to a vintage game: one that is technically vintage (meaning played by 19th-century rules) or one played in the style of the 1920’s or WWII/mid-century. There are even women’s teams. (By the way, here’s a recent article from Time magazine about the real women who inspired the aforementioned Tom Hanks/Madonna baseball movie.) Prep for your game by learning about 19th century equipment and the rules here. Or check out this Emmy-nominated documentary from MLB.
But go. GO. Have fun, have a hot dog and leave your gloves at home.
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