Stuhr Museum
seeks to re-enact one of the great recreational pastimes of the
town building years on the Nebraska prairie. Our goal is to educate
visitors about period language, clothing, and conduct of base
ball. Vintage Base Ball is made up of ballists, mascots, umpires,
tally keepers, and cranks who are committed to enjoying the game
the way it was played in years past. The town builders of Nebraska
worked very hard, but they played hard, too.
By the 1890's, Base Ball looked much like the modern game we see
today. The Stuhr team plays by the rules of the 1860's, around
the time Nebraska achieved statehood.
The Stuhr Museum Vintage Base Ball League is a member of the Vintage
Base Ball Association of Cincinnati, Ohio.
A
Glimpse at Early Base Ball
Base Ball
is a combination of the English game Cricket and the Colonial
American game Rounders.
1830's:
Numerous clubs in the upper-Atlantic states are playing some form
of Base Ball (two words), usually according to "Massachusetts
Rules"
1846:Knickerbocker Base Ball
Club of New York City is formed, and radically alters the game.
Most importantly, their "New York Rules' establishes foul
territory, which allows for the convenience of spectators and
greatly boosts the game's popularity.
1870: July 30, first Base
Ball game in Grand Island. The Shoo Flys beat the Dirty Stockings
44 to 33.
1876: The National (Baseball)
League is formed
1876: April 15, "Base
ball in our city on the Sabbath does not speak well for the moral
training of some of our lads." (Platte Valley Independent)
August 20, 1887: "Chief
of Police O'Neil requests us to notify all concerned that hereafter
no ball playing will be allowed within city limits on Sunday,
and that all offenders will be promptly arrested…" (Independent).
1888: People were traveling
up to 60 miles to see ball games in Grand Island
October 19, 1888: "A stop should be put to the baseball practice
on our principle business streets, before serious damage results."
(Independent)
July 22, 1889: "We are
more than ever convinced that it is wicked to play ball on Sunday,
but then the Grand Islands are without sin, as they did not play
ball yesterday" (G.I. lost to Kearney 5 to 0 on a Sunday).
1996: Vintage Base Ball forms
league at Stuhr Museum.
Vintage
Base Ball Rules
By
1890, the rules of Base Ball would be easily recognizable to the
modern player and observer. In the early days of Base Ball, however,
it was a much different game. While some things are already familiar:
teams of nine men, games of nine innings, three outs ending an
inning. Bats were essentially the same as today and balls were
only slightly smaller, lighter and softer. There were however,
some substantial and interesting differences:
· The Hurler (pitcher) threw underhanded from a distance
of 45 feet, instead of 60.5 feet.
· The Striker (hitter) indicated where he wanted the pitches
to come. 
If
the Hurler did not pitch there, the Umpire called balls; if the
Striker failed to swing at good pitches, the Umpire call strikes.
The "strike zone" was where the Striker wanted it.
· By custom, 1st & 3rd Base-Tenders played with one
foot on their base, not in the gaps as they do today. Base-stealing
and sliding were considered ungentlemanly (and hazardous, considering
the unimproved condition of most early playing fields).
· An out was recorded if the ball was caught on-the-fly
or on the first bound. Specially made Base Ball mitts were not
in 
general
use until the 1880's.
· A fair or foul ball was determined by where it first
struck the ground, not any player, tree, bush, or crank. A very
popular offensive tactic was the "fair-foul hit," where
the Striker would swat down on the pitch, causing it to hit in
front of home base and spin immediately into foul territory. This
often placed the ball among the Cranks, and as long as it had
not 
touched
the ground twice, a friendly Crank handling the ball to a fielder
helped record an out.
· When the base runner crossed home plate, he had to report
to the Scorer's table, ring the bell, and request "Tally
one run, Sir" or his run did not count.
· Base Ball was a sport for gentlemen and ladies, and both
the Ballists and Cranks were expected to act as such. If anyone
did not, they could be censured and fined by the Umpire, any amount
between 10 cents and one dollar.
Vintage
Base Ball Lingo
Today's Term~19th
Century Equivalent
Player~Ballist or Player
Team~Nine, Match Nine, Club, or Side
Pitcher~Hurler
Catcher~Behind
Basemen~1st, 2nd,or 3rd Base-Tenders
Shortstop~Short Scout (position originated as the 4th outfield
"scout" who played short)
Outfielders~Left-, Mid-, & Right Scouts
Batter~Striker, Batsman, or Batter
Manager~Captain (who also usually played)
Batboy~Mascot (became the Batboy in 1909)
Bat~Bat,
Ash, Willow, or Timber
Ground Ball~Bug-bruiser, Daisy-cutter, Grass Clipper or Ant Killer
Fly Ball~Cloud-Hunter, Sky-Scraper, Skyer or Air-Ball
Outfield~the Outer Garden or Garden
Run~Ace or Tally
Out~Hand Out, Dead or Out
Error~Error, Muff, Boot, Juggle, Mug or Loose Fielding
Hard Hit~Knock, Hammer, Stinger or Stunner
Fans~Cranks, Bugs or Rooters (Fan: a shortening of the boxing
term, fancy, came in 1889)
Compliments~Square, Hunky, having Pluck, Ginger or Muckle
Insults~Muffin, Milkboy, Boyo, Cheese (Braggart) or Sharp (gambler)
Interested
in playing Vintage Base Ball?
Have Questions? 
Contact:
Dale & Sonya Beye
c/o Stuhr Museum
3133 West Hwy. 34
Grand Island, NE 68801
308-382-3481
beyebeye@kdsi.net
Looking
for entertainment for that next family outing, reunion or
gathering at Stuhr Museum? Private Vintage Base Ball Games are
available! Contact Stuhr Museum's Facilities Coordinator (bjohnston@stuhrmuseum.org
or 308-385-5316) for more information on having your own game
of Vintage Base Ball!
