Vintage Base Ball: Recapturing the National Pastime

Every spring, thousands of ball players across the country step back to the nineteenth century to play vintage base ball using the equipment, uniforms, rules, and customs of the game's early years. A unique combination of athletic contest, living history, and outdoor theatre, vintage base ball transports players and spectators alike to that fascinating and innocent time when athletes gathered on the diamond for recreation, exercise, and pure enjoyment. This lore-laden how-to provides all the information needed to play this entertaining, educational, and fast-growing game and to present it properly to the public, covering everything from historically accurate equipment and etiquette to the rules of play and game-day preparations.

James R. Tootle has spent more than twenty seasons as a member of the Ohio Historical Society’s vintage base ball program. He holds a Ph.D. in American history from Ohio State University. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research and the North American Society for Sports History, he serves on the board of the Columbus Historical Society. He lives in Worthington, Ohio.