VBBA 2023 Conference
Dayton
March 31 - April 2, 2023
Reservations are open! The room rate for any room is $119. Get your reservation in before March 1, 2023. Guests are able to call 937-660-5857 and identify themselves with the "Vintage Base Ball Association" for the group rate. Below is the link for any guest who would like to reserve online:
Vintage Base Ball Association Reservation Link
Discover the top things to do in Dayton near our hotel
Find a Club
There are over 200 vintage base ball teams across the country. Find one in your area.
Get Involved
Starting a team, or just looking to become a part of the game? Here’s how to get involved.
Sign the Petition
Support Doc Adams for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and read about The Abner Doubleday Myth.
About the Game
We play by the rules and customs of base ball as it was played in the 1860s.
Hamtramck Stadium
Hamtramck Stadium was built in 1930 for the Detroit Stars of the Negro National League, and today it’s one just a handful of remaining Negro League-era ballparks left in existence. Facebook Page
VBBA on Facebook
VBBA - Vintage Base Ball Association
This is the official Facebook page of the VBBA (Vintage Base Ball Association).
Happy Birthday to our grounds crew!
It was on May 12th, 2010 that we had our first cleanup.
At that time we were the Navin Field Grounds Crew.
We decided to fix up the site of Tiger Stadium after it was abandoned by the Tigers and the City of Detroit.
The weeds were 6 feet high in many areas, and garbage was everywhere.
The city kept sending out the police to kick us off the field.
We were threatened with arrest if we decided to return.
We came back anyway, and stayed for 6 years.
We restored the playing field, and hosted hundreds of games and events.
Thousands of people were able to enjoy the field for no charge.
In June of 2016, the site was handed over to Detroit PAL.
We no longer had a home, and were trying to figure out our future.
Tom Niczay was the longtime Superintendent of Hamtramck Public Schools.
He followed our grounds crew at the Tiger Stadium site.
Since plans were already in place to restore historic Hamtramck Stadium, he thought we would be a good fit to help out in Hamtramck.
In November of 2016, Niczay arranged a meeting with grounds crew founder Tom Derry and Hamtramck City Manager Kathy Angerer.
Our crew decided to join forces with the city and the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium.
We’re now in our 6th year of maintaining the former home of the Detroit Stars.
Our volunteer group does work that most grounds crews do not.
We cut down dozens of trees that were growing between the grandstand and home plate.
We assembled our own dugouts and foul poles.
We don’t have a sprinkler system.
We run 700 feet of fire hose from a fire hydrant down the block.
We then connect the hose to a solar powered water reel, since we still have no electricity.
We then are able to extend the water reel hose another 280 feet into the outfield.
It’s an honor to be able to restore the field where Turkey Stearnes, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige once played.
It’s also an honor to help out the community of Hamtramck.
Our volunteer grounds crew is looking forward to many more years of preserving baseball history in Hamtramck.
Thank you for your support since 2010.
Dedicating this season to Freighttrain… (sorry Doug lol)
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Dave Stutler, John Husman, Jim Tootle, Big Bat Anderson, Joanna Shearer (RIP)
Old Dutch
Thank you to everyone that attended the 2022 VBBA Dearborn Conference. Plan now for the 2023 VBBA Dayton Conference. See what is planned so far at vbba.org.
VBBA Vintage Base Ball Association – Historic Base Ball
vbba.org
Vintage Base Ball Association VBBA promotes base ball as played in the 19th century and other historic eras. It also supports member clubs in various ways
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.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.
