VBBA 2024 Conference
Ft Myers, FL
March 15 - 17, 2024
Schedule Here - Hotel Information Here
2024 Conference Registration - Vendor Info & Registration
Spring Training Game Red Sox vs Twins, Friday March 15, 1:00 pm
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Get out to Ft. Myers, FL for the 2024 VBBA Conference.
Get there early and go to a Spring Training Game between the Red Sox & Twins, Friday March 15, at 1:00pm.
Interested? Check in to this Doodle so the VBBA knows how many tickets to reserve.
Doodle Survey
[doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/dBnE5VJd](doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/dBnE5VJd)
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The DelCo VBBA would like to thank the VBBA - Vintage Base Ball Association President Gary Schiacapasse for driving out to the burbs of Chicago to pick up a vintage butter churn and ship to the Bovina Dairymen to use as a celebratory artifact for the upcoming Cowtown Scramble Vintage Base Ball Festival.
We wanted to get one hand made locally from the Hanford Mills Museum, but the stars did not align for this to occur. We look forward to putting the churn on display for all to revere at our Fall classic for the east coast vintage base ball circuit. #earnthechurn
Bovina Dairymen Vintage Base Ball, Atlantic Base Ball Club, Delhi Polecats - VBBC Mountain Athletic Club Vintage Base Ball Dirigo Base Ball Club of Maine Providence Grays Saugerties Vintage Base Ball Club Monmouth Furnace Base Ball Club
Connecticut Base Ball Club of Hartford Westfield Wheelmen Vintage Base Ball Club
Douglas Dutchers celebrate 20 years of vintage base ball
Dan D'Addona
Holland Sentinel
Published 4:03 a.m. ET Aug. 14, 2023
DOUGLAS - "Hip, hip, huzzah!"
For 20 years the call from the Douglas Dutchers vintage base ball team - has rung out from Beery Field in downtown Douglas.
For two decades, "cranks" have come to watch 1860s base ball games - and yes base ball was two words back then - and enjoyed an entertaining look on how baseball was played before the major leagues were a think - even before gloves were a thing.
The team was created by Helen DeGeatano 20 years ago, which turned out to be just the beginning.
"I started the club because I had heard that they were going to turn Beery Field into a parking lot or put stores there. Because I had a family history here, I thought it would be a tragic move. I talked to the Douglas Historic Preservation Committee and started talking with people about a team and we had 10 players for the first game in 2003," DeGeatano said. "It is amazing because the club has had to be rebuilt a few times over the years. It is a passion for me. It is not only a fun event, but it is historic as well."
DeGeatano, 78, is a fixture at the games in her flowered hat, selling hot dogs, Cracker Jack and Douglas Dutchers T-shirts.
Meanwhile, the players are running the bases without sliding, catching the ball on one bounce for an out and playing without gloves.
The hurler throws the ball to the striker underhand and the striker can tell the hurler where to place the ball. These are the rules of the 1860s, with several variations depending on home team rules and what specific year, even back to 1858 rules.
Vintage base ball has grown quite a bit in the past 20 years with teams all over the state, including South Haven, which played the Dutchers on Saturday with the home team using a six-run eighth inning to win 9-3.
"The Vintage Base ball Association has teams that play from California to New York and down to Florida," DeGeatano said. "We have played in Rochester, New York and in Florida and have had teams from New York and Ohio play here. It is a nationwide association. We haven't got to Minnesota yet but that is in the plans."
The Dutchers have played as a part of Tulip Time for the past 10 years, been in a Tulip Time parade for 15 and have been part of the Saugautck-Douglas Fourth of July parade.
Some of the original Dutchers were on hand for Saturday's game at Beery Field, watching the next generation of historic base ball players.
"I came here 10 years ago and was fascinated by it. No gloves, and I wante to give it a try. Next thing you know, I am still here," said Tim "Shimmy" Knickerbocker, 64. "I enjoy the game and I am going to keep on playing as long as I can play. I picked my nickname because I just shimmy on down the line and kind of took it from there. The team is fantastic. Every team that we play is fantastic. It is a clean game, no arguing, no fuss. I love that about it. It is just a fun afternoon."
Some players come from around the state to play. Chris "Rush" De Liso lives in St. Johns and travels two hours to play with the Dutchers.
"I saw them at a historic village in Ludington and I immediately fell in love with it," De Liso said. "It was a neat way to reignite my passion for base ball."
De Geatano is hoping the passion ignites for others in the community as the team plans to keep the tradition going.
"If you would have told me I would be running a vintage baseball club for 20 years, I would have told you that you are totally out of your mind," De Geatano said. "But it has become a passion."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
Vintage Base Ball Association offers Long Islanders a true field of dreams by James Kindall
Newsday 7-14-23
www.newsday.com/long-island/li-life/vintage-baseball-long-island-old-bethpage-village-restoration...
Sent from my iPhone
If your vintage base ball club is free the weekend of July 20-21, 2024, Ashley Michigan is looking for vintage baseball teams to ride the famous 1225 steam locomotive, used in the Polar Express movie it will leave Owosso, Michigan and travel to Ashley, Michigan .
Contact Jane E Unterbrink, ihfarms@aol.com if your club is interested.
www.npr.org/2013/12/16/251643965/all-aboard-real-life-polar-express-chugs-through-michigan
All Aboard! Real-Life Polar Express Chugs Through Michigan
www.npr.org
Every brake screech, whistle and rattle from the movie The Polar Express came from recordings of a historic locomotive, the Pere Marquette 1225. After four years of costly repairs, passengers can once...VBBA Town Hall Facebook Group
This VBBA Town Hall group is designed to allow different vintage base ball (VBB) teams and players to learn about upcoming events throughout the nation. The intent is to enable folks from the different parts of this country to have discussions about how their seasons have been going and to facilitate interclub relationships.
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