2023 Conference Presentation Guide
Bob Kendrick, 2023 VBBA Conference
Keynote Speaker
Bob Kendrick was named President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in March 2011. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America.
And while he doesn’t fashion himself to be a historian, Kendrick has become one of the leading authorities on the topic of Negro Leagues Baseball history and its connection to issues relating to sports, race and diversity. He has been a contributing writer for “Ebony Magazine” and the national Urban League’s “Opportunity Magazine.”
Read more...
Watch this page for more about the 2023 Presenters Line Up.
Safety Committee Dayton Fire Department
"AED and CPR"
AED How - and when - to use an automated external defibrillator.
CPR How high-quality CPR improves survival.
Richard "Grumpy" Heinick, Umpire, Keystone Base Ball Club of Harrisburg
"History Isn't Always Pretty - Pennsylvania's Involvement in the Segregation of Base Ball in 1867"
The role of the Keystone Base Ball Club of Harrisburg D.D. Domer, in 1867, of preventing the 267th applicant, the Pythian Base Ball Club of Philadelphia, a club comprised of African American players, from joining the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Base Ball Players. And the reputation of the NABBP in December of 1867 when at the national convention, a policy of excluding clubs with 1 or more African American players was adopted by NABBP.
Bill Helm
"How to Connect with the Media & Communities"
Tips and suggestions on how to tell newspapers, radio stations and television stations about your team and your games so even more people can take part in the phonemon that is vintage base ball. Learn how and when to write short stories and briefs to get the word out about your team not only to expand participation but also to increase fandom. Learn how to develop relationships with sports editors and sports reporters.
Founder of the Whatcom Aces Vintage Base Ball team of the Pacific Northwest Vintage Base Ball Association, Bill Helm is editor of the Lynden Tribune and Ferndale Record newspapers in Whatcom County, Washington. For eight years, Bill played on and then captained the Fort Verde Excelsiors of the Arizona Vintage Base Ball League.
Evette Griffore Jacobson & A Living History Specialist from Carillon Historical Park
“1800 Dress”
1800's Fashions of Men, Women, and Children for all Vintage Base Ball Reenactors, players and fans.
Eric Laudenbacher
"The Art of Umpiring and More"
The history of rules, umpiring etiquette and proper dress. The umpires responsibility.
Tracy Martin
"The History of Baseball Uniforms"
Tracy’s love for the game of baseball started when he was a young boy growing up in Dayton, Ohio during the1970’s watching The Big Red Machine. His passion for collecting started with baseball cards, pennants, and posters of his favorite teams and players. In 1993, his interest of American history and baseball led him to become a volunteer at the Ohio Historical Society as a member of the Ohio Village Muffins, a vintage baseball team.
James R. Tootle, et al
"VBBA's 25th Anniversary Committee"
VBBA founders sharing the memories of the creation of the Vintage Base Ball Association twenty-seven years ago.
Bob “Droopy Drawers" Sampson
"Ballists, Deadbeats, and Muffins, Inside Early Baseball in Illinois*"
Bob Sampson, known as “Droopy Drawers,” has played vintage base ball since 1992 and presented at two VBBA conferences. An academically-trained historian who has taught baseball history, Bob spent nearly a decade researching the rise and transformation of the game in Illinois between 1865 and 1870. The research revealed a world of fun, disputes, gambling, professionalization, and declining interest. He will share what the game was like “on the ground” in Illinois in the post-Civil War years. *https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p087189.
Mark “Mule” Willis (with Jim “Tomahawk” Wilson, Nate “Frenchie” Buckner, & other veterans)
“Dayton Base Ball / Baseball / Vintage Base Ball (1860’s to Present)”
Early history in the 19th century, 20th century clubs in a growing town, and the “vintage” era clubs from this area (Champion City Reapers, Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers, and Iron Horses of the Erie Railway). Also honoring veterans of the 25th anniversary of Clodbuster’s first win (of 3) at “Vintage World Series” in Michigan.
Mark is a history buff and has been playing vintage base ball for over 30 years. He is a Cubs fan, has a son who played with the Clodbusters, and is teaching his grandchildren the vintage game. He is also an avid photographer.
Day Air Ballpark
Day Air Ballpark
Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field, is a minor league baseball stadium in Dayton, Ohio, which is the home of the Dayton Dragons, the High-A Central affiliate of the nearby Cincinnati Reds.
Special Exhibition:
Tracy Martin’s Vintage Baseball Museum
As Tracy Martin learned more about the history of the game, he began to focus more heavily on acquiring early vintage pieces to add to his collection. He wanted to share the evolution of the game in a timeline format using these pieces. Today, his collection now consists of gloves, bats, uniforms and various other items that can be dated back to as early as the 1850’s.
Throughout the years, he has been fortunate enough to have been able to share items from his collection at various museums and events such as The National Baseball Hall of Fame, The 2006 All Star Fan Fest, The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, and had a featured segment on Mysteries at the Museum, season 5, episode 6, which showcased a fingerless glove from his collection. In addition, Tracy’s collection has been featured in numerous media segments, including local news stories, magazine profiles and podcasts.
