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What is the Vintage Base Ball Association?
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Vintage Base Ball Rules and Customs
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Periodical articles and game accounts Late 1850s Coming soon: “Out Door Sports. The Close of the Season.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1856. The account of the Putnam-Excelsior match game played Saturday, November 1, 1856, published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times. This account is one all vintage players should read, for it is not the typical play-by-play of the more competetive post-war games. Instead, the accounting is more about the gentlemanly nature of the game at that time, although the writer is clearly impressed that catches were made on the fly, “instead of the child’s play, ‘from the bound.’” Included are the many toasts offered, lyrics of a song performed solo, and other remarks made to the crowd. “Base Ball. The American National Game of Base Ball.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1856, includes the rules used by the Putnam Club Base Ball Club of Williamsburgh, New York and a field diagram. The Putnams formed in May 1855 and their rules were published by Baker & Godwin, New York. Coming soon: “Base Ball. How they play the game in New England.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1856 as a response to the above article, Bostonian “Bob Lively” reviews “the Yankee method of playing ‘Base,’ or ‘Round’ ball, as we used to call it,” includes the tradional rules and a field diagram (although it is believed that the typesetter interpreted this incorrectly). 1857 New York Convention Coming soon: “Convention of Base Ball Clubs.” published in The Spirit of the Times in 1856, reprints the resolution issued by D. L. Adams requesting base ball clubs to select representatives to meet in convention. Coming soon: “Convention of Base Ball Clubs.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1856, is a slightly different version of the convention resolution than the above, published here as an advertisement. Coming soon: Published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1856 as part of a column on base ball activities is a mention of the convention, which devolves into a comparison to cricket, and includes a reprinted letter from Williamsburgh, New York. Coming soon: “Our National Sports.” published in The Spirit of the Times in 1857, reviews the first session of the convention, held 22 January 1857 and reprints an account from the New York Herald of the following day. Coming soon: “Base Ball. ‘Young New York’ in Convention.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1857, is a curious look at the first great convention of ball players, which gained national attention and led to rapid adoption of the new codified rules. Coming soon: “Base Ball. The Base Ball Convention and their New Rules.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1857, is a follow-up to the above article and comments on the proposed rules to be adopted at convention. It is an opportunity to study how the early rules evolved. Coming soon: “Out-Door Sports. Base Ball. Base Ball Convention.” published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1857, reviews the final session of the convention, held 25 February 1857. It offers opinion on the rule changes, the rules as adopted, and a list of the delegates. Coming soon: “Rules for Sports and Pastimes. No. II. Rules and Regulations as Adopted by the Convention of Base Ball Clubs, Held February 25, 1857.” part two of a series, published in New York Clipper in 1857. “Base Ball.” published in New York Clipper in 1857, is this publication’s foray into base ball, soliciting clubs to notify them of upcoming games. “The National Game.” published in New York Clipper in 1857, observes the popularity of base ball. The Clipper’s cricket coverage at this time still dominates, but they can see the growing number of accounts in competing journals, such as Porter’s Spirit of the Times and The New York Sunday Mercury. “Base Ball.” published in New York Clipper in 1857, wraps up coverage for the year, and they admit they did not cover the game extensively, but they do offer a list of Long Island clubs. The “X” letters: 14 letters published in Porter’s Spirit of the Times in 1857 and 1858 about the history of the game and its current state of affairs, including controversies and responses from other writers. 1860 An 1860 advertisement and review of Chadwick’s Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player 1861 “The Olympic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia.” an 1861 article giving the history of the grand old club from Philadelphia, established in 1832 as a Town Ball club, and relates the challenge of switching to National Association rules in 1860. “To Base Ball and Cricket Clubs.” an 1861 article describing the wares sold at John C. Whiting’s “establishment at No. 87 Fulton street.” 1865 “The Massachusetts Game of Base-Ball.” an 1865 article about the 1858 Dedham rules game. “Sports of the Field.” an 1865 newspaper article from the New York Tribune on the state of the game and a comparison of it to cricket and other pastimes. 1866 Coming soon: “Summary of Last Year’s Doings.” a January 1867 article reviewing the base-ball season of 1866. 1867 Coming soon: “The Incoming Season.” an 1867 article outlining the upcoming base-ball season. “Base-Ball Practice.” an 1867 article reprinted from Chadwick’s Book of Reference for 1867, “the proof-sheets of which were kindly furnished us by Mr. Haney, the publisher of the work.” Coming soon: “The National Base-Ball Association, Its Tenth Annual Convention.” An 1867 article reviewing the convention and includes reports from the Judiciary Committee and Committee on Rules and Regulations. “The New Rule.” and “The New Reading of Section 10 of the Rules.” Two 1867 articles which includes the corrected Section 10 rule and how that rule is to be played. “The Big Match Game.” an 1867 newspaper article from Rochester, Minnesota describing an eye-opening game played under “old” rules and 1867 rules simultaneously. Now in web format. Coming soon: “The Masonic Fraternity Playing Ball; The Grand Masonic Benefit Match.” An 1867 article accounting one of the grandest of all “muffin” games, with “Brother Jones” as umpire and “Brother Chadwick” as scorer. Guides and rule books Coming soon: The base ball section of the 1868 Modern Pocket Hoyle. Base-ball advertising and ephemera 1860 advertisement and review for Chadwick’s Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player. Coming soon: 1860 advertisements for Richardson & McLeod, sellers of cricket and base ball supplies. Coming soon: An 1860 advertisement for Mayhew and Baker’s Base Ball Players’ Pocket Companion. Coming soon: 1860s cricket and base-ball advertisements for C. F. A. Hinrichs, one of the great general retailers of New York City. Coming soon: An 1867 advertisement for Peverelly’s The Book of American Pastimes. Coming soon: An 1867 advertisement for Hors[e]man’s Base-Ball and Croquet Emporium. Coming soon: An 1868 advertisement for Chadwick’s Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player. Base ball items in the 1875 Ward B Snyder catalog. Coming soon: Base ball items in the 1886 Peck & Snyder catalog. Illustrations and photographs 1859 woodcut from Harper's Weekly illustrating a game at Elysian Fields. 1865 photograph of Lowell Club of Massachusetts. 1865 Atlantics in Harper's Weekly 1866 photograph of Lowell Club of Massachusetts. 1866 composite illustration of Athletics and Atlantics from Harper's Weekly. 1867 photograph of Harvard Club of Massachusetts. 1867 illustration from Harper's Weekly of Harvard-Yale base ball game. 1867 illustration from Harper's Weekly of Union Club of Morrisania, New York. 1868 photograph of Harvard Club of Massachusetts. 1869 illustrations of Cincinnati players from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. Lithograph "First Nine of the Cincinnati (Red Stockings) Base Ball Club, 1869." 1870 Red Stockings and Atlantics game in Harper's Weekly. COMING SOON. Web Links Links to base-ball-related patents, 1866-1905. Coming soon: Links to 19th century base-ball articles posted on other websites. The VBBA is an institutional member of the Midwest Open Air Museums Coordinating Council. |
