Vintage Baseball
When the Brooklyn Atlantics faced the New York Mutuals earlier this month in Islip, they played by the rules of 1864.
The most obvious difference between 1864 and the modern era? No gloves and hand-made balls. Home plate was round!
Any reachable ball was in the strike zone. Foul balls weren’t strikes. Catching the ball on one hop? That’s an out!!
While some of these rules may seem arcane, it’s pretty easy to see the appeal of Vintage Baseball. Some leagues play by the The Atlantics and Mutuals are among the approximately 250 teams competing in Vintage Baseball Leagues across the country.
Different teams and leagues play by different rules. Some use the early style of gloves, some use none at all. Check out the VBBA for information about teams playing in your area.
Learn more about the early days of baseball here. And be grateful for your glove!