Every spring, thousands of ball players across the country step back to the nineteenth century to play vintage base ball using the equipment, uniforms, rules, and customs of the game’s early years. A unique combination of athletic contest, living history, and outdoor theatre, vintage base ball transports players and spectators alike to that fascinating and innocent time when athletes gathered on the diamond for recreation, exercise, and pure enjoyment. This lore-laden how-to provides all the information needed to play this entertaining, educational, and fast-growing game and to present it properly to the public, covering everything from historically accurate equipment and etiquette to the rules of play and game-day preparations.

James R. Tootle has spent more than twenty seasons as a member of the Ohio Historical Society’s vintage base ball program. He holds a Ph.D. in American history from Ohio State University. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research and the North American Society for Sports History, he serves on the board of the Columbus Historical Society. He lives in Worthington, Ohio.

James R. Tootle
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 396
Bibliographic Info: 87 photos, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3599-9
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8542-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      v

Introduction: Stepping Back in Time      1

1. Origins and Growth of Vintage Base Ball      7

2. The Appeal of Vintage Base Ball      24

3. The Value of a Vintage Base Ball Program      37

4. Choosing an Era to Portray      49

5. The Gentlemen of the Clubs: Expectations and Responsibilities      65

6. Club Organization and Administration      75

7. Club Operation and Leadership      94

8. Women in Vintage Base Ball: A History of Involvement      111

9. Period Uniforms      124

10. Vintage Equipment      143

11. The Field of Play      157

12. The Umpire      174

13. The Scorer      188

14. Interpreters: Enhancing the Game Experience      201

15. Points of Play: Infield and Outfield      221

16. Points of Play: Catching and Pitching      233

17. Pitching: Slow or Swift?      249

18. Points of Play: Batting and Base Running      263

19. Base Running Interpretations: Leadoffs, Sliding, and Stealing      281

20. Game Day: Preparation and Pre-Game Activities      296

21. Game Day: Playing the Match      313

22. Game Day: The Ninth Inning and Post- Game Activities      326

23. Authenticity, Accuracy, Accommodations, and Opportunities      339

24. Vintage Base Ball’s Relevance on the Contemporary Sports Landscape      358

25. Huzzah for the National Game!      375

Bibliography      379

Index      383