Base ball takes island back to 1850
12 Sep, 2010 By: Ron Hall Athletic Turf NewsI do not know if the Put-in-Bay Mossbacks ended up defeating the visiting Ohio Village Muffins or not. But, the Mossbacks, the local team, comprised of younger and more athletic players, was getting the best of it when I had to rush away toward the end of the contest to catch a boat to return home.
Each year, on the first Sunday following Labor Day a team of “old-time” baseball players travels to the Village of Put-in-Bay on Lake Erie’s South Bass Island to test itself against a team of locals gleaned from the island’s softball teams. The tiny island village, with a downtown very much out of the 19th Century, is the perfect setting for the game.
This year, on what turned out to be a perfect Sunday afternoon, the Muffins from Columbus, OH, took the ferry over to the island to play a “gentlemanly” game of base ball against the local Mossbacks. The two teams played base ball on the Mother of Sorrows Field across the street from tiny Put-in-Bay School. About 400 people live on the island year-round and the school graduates anywhere from five to eight students annually.
And yes, that’s base ball (two words), not baseball. Let me explain.
Base ball was the name of the game played by the New York Knickerbockers in the mid 19th Century. That club, formed in Lower Manhattan area of New York City, is credited with writing down the rules of the game that later evolved into the modern game that we see played in every community 
across the United States. The Muffins dress in period uniforms, and play other vintage base ball teams by the original rules of the game.
While base ball resembles the modern game in that the object of t is to strike the ball with a bat, run bases and score, there are, nevertheless, many differences in the two games, including having each scoring player walking over to an official seated at a nearby table and ringing a small bell announcing that he successfully crossed homeplate.
Right away you also notice that the fielders do not wear baseball gloves. They field their positions barehanded. Gloves came later in the evolution of the sport. However, fielders don’t have to catch the ball on the fly to record an out. Catching a ball on the first bounce works just as well.
Another big difference — the pitcher must deliver the ball to home plate underhanded, but he can do this anywhere behind the pitcher’s line. However, he must deliver the ball where the batsman directs him to with his bat.
Decorum seems only slightly less important than athletic ability in a base ball game. This was as true for this annual island game as it must have been more than 150 years ago.
Uncivil language, ungentlemanly behavior, spitting or any actions that would offend a lady are not tolerated on pain of a fine. Spectators cheer players for a good play, regardless of the team. Players from opposing teams often congratulate each other during play for an exceptional effort or play.
As custom has it, the players for both teams, regardless of who wins, gather after the game for “a fine repast, cigars and fine liquors.” As often as not, many of the fans join in.
As I mentioned earlier in this report, I had to leave before the last out was made. Too bad. There’s much to be said for this game of base ball.
To learn more about the gentlemanly sport of base ball visit the Vintage Base Ball Association at http://www.vbba.org
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