Time Machine

For a couple of hours yesterday, my husband and I felt like we took a trip in a "time machine".

Right in the middle of this urban modern day city we live in is a 100 year old ballpark "League Park". Sadly, all that remains of this park is a small portion of it's red brick facade and the building that once housed the "ticket office".
Historical moments in baseball happened here. Babe Ruth hit his 500th homerun here, The Cleveland Indians won the 1920 world series here. The first grand slam in world series history was hit here. The first unassisted triple play in world series history happened here.

Players such as Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, Joe Dimaggio, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, "shoeless" Joe Jackson played here at this park! Both of us tried to imagine these baseball greats as we looked at the clubhouse steps leading onto the field. We really felt the history!

Seeing the park was not the only reason we were there. We were there to watch a baseball game, a very special game.ame that transported us back the year 1864.

The moment we stepped into the ballpark and looked out onto the field and saw two teams dressed in 1864 baseball uniforms, we both felt like we were in a "time machine". The uniforms were amazing. The players used 1864 terminology, everything was done with amazing detail.
The rules of 1864 baseball are also different than baseball rules today:

Summary of Rules Base ball is a gentleman’s game:

•There shall be no bunting, sliding, or running out of the base paths.
•Uncivil language, ungentlemanly behavior, spitting, alcohol consumption, chewing of tobacco, and wagering are not tolerated.
•The pitcher delivers the ball where the striker requests it.
•Balls and strikes are not called unless the umpire deems it necessary.
•The ball is delivered underhand in a shallow arc to allow good striking.
The fielders play the following position until the pitched ball has crossed home base:

•First, second and third basemen play near or on their respective bag.
•Shortstop may position himself anywhere on the field.
•Behind plays behind home base by not farther than forty-five feet.
•Left, mid, and right fielders play in the middle of their respective positions.
The striker is dead when:

•A batted ball is caught on the fly, fair or foul.
•A batted ball is caught on one bound off the ground, fair or foul.
•Three hurled balls are swung at and missed.
A baserunner is dead when:

•Forced at base or the ball is held at any base when he arrives.
•Tagged out.
•Runs three feet or more outside of the base path.
Other rules:

•Foul ticks are not considered strikes.
•A batted ball is determined by the umpire to be fair or foul by where it first hits the ground.
•A baserunner may advance at risk if a batted ball is caught on one bound.
•A baserunner may advance on a fair ball caught in the air after it is caught.
•A baserunner may lead off after the ball has left the hands of the pitcher.
•A baserunner may attempt to “steal” a base at his own risk, after the ball has left the hands of the pitcher.
Vintage Base Ball Terms •Ace or Tally - run; crossing home base
•Apple, pill, horsehide, onion - the ball
•Artist - proficient player
•Baller, Ballist - player
•Basetender - an infielder
•Bench - manager or coach
•Blind - no score
•Blooper, banjo hit - weak fly ball, "Texas leaguer"
•Boodler - ungentlemanly maneuver
•Bound - bounce
•Bowler, hurler, thrower, feeder - pitcher
•Club, Nine - team
•Cranks (or Throng) - fans
•Daisy Cutter - sharp grounder
•Dead or Hand Dead, Hand down - put out or batter out
•Dew Drop - slow pitch
•Dish - home plate
•Foul tic - foul ball
•Four Baser - home run
•Garden - outfield
•Ginger - enthusiastic play
•Ground - field
•Huzzah! - hooray
•Leg it - run swiftly
•Match - game
•Midfielder - centerfielder
•Muckle - power hitter
•Muff or Duff - error
•Muffin - enthusiastic but unskilled player
•Pitcher's Point - pitchers mound or rubber
•Player Dead - out
•Pluck - fine strike or play
•Plugging (or Soaking) the Runner - throwing the ball at runner to put him out (illegal after 1845)
•Rover - shortstop
•Scouts - outfielders
•Show a little ginger - play harder or smarter
•Sky Ball, Skyer - flyball
•Sky scraper - A high Pop Fly
•Stinger - hard hit ball

•Stir your stumps - run fast/hustle

•Striker - hitter

•Striker to the line - batter up

•Talleykeeper - scorekeeper

•Three Hands Dead - 3 outs, side retired

•Whitewash - team held scoreless for a match or at-bat

•Willow – bat