“Vintage Baseball Game Set At Fort Trumbull” – The Day
“Vintage baseball returns Saturday, with the Thames Base Ball Club playing a doubleheader against a club from Long Island, the Atlantics.
The games will start at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Fort Trumbull State Park.
For more information, call the New London County Historical Society at 443-1209.”
“Replaying The Old Ball Game” – Karin Crompton/The Day
“No gloves, no helmets, pitchers throwing underhand and no walks. You call this baseball? Actually, it’s base ball, two words. And Sunday afternoon, it came to Fort Trumbull.
The Thames Base Ball Club, sponsored by the New London County Historical Society, played its first “home” game Sunday at the fort. The team competes in the Vintage Base Ball Association, whose members play the game according to 1861 rules.”
“Batter Up!” – Kathleen Edgecomb/The Day
“What’s become of America’s favorite pastime? Once a “healthy recreation for gentlemen,” now it’s a multi-billion dollar business rife with inflated egos and salaries, and abuse of drugs and alcohol.
When baseball was invented in 1861, there were no gloves, so it was permissible to catch a ball on the first bounce for an out. Strikes had just been invented as a way to punish batters who refused to swing at good pitches. Underhanded pitching was the norm. The ball was close to the size of softball.
The New London County Historical Society is bringing back the more genteel game. The Thames Base Ball Club will face the Connors of Waterbury during the Thames’ first home game at 2 p.m. Sunday at Fort Trumbull State Park. Players will be dressed in vintage-style uniforms. There is no admission fee.
“I just wanted to try to reinforce the message that history doesn’t only live in historic houses; it can be experienced directly. And it can be fun,” says Edward Baker, executive director of the historical society.
A league of vintage clubs exists in southern New England with members from New Haven, Hartford and Waterbury in Connecticut; Coventry, Bristol and Providence in Rhode Island; and Melrose, Danvers and Lynn in Massachusetts. The New London club hopes to be admitted to the league for next year’s season.
Thames Club will play the Connors of Waterbury in a vintage baseball game at 2 p.m. Sunday at Fort Trumbull State Park, New London. There is no charge to watch the game. Call the New London County Historical Society at 443-1209.”
“Vintage-Rules Baseball May Be Played At Fort Trumbull” – Karin Crompton/The Day
“A group of baseball enthusiasts hope to form a local club to play in a vintage-rules league, with Fort Trumbull as the “home” field. The team would be named after a past professional team in New London, the Pequots. Edward Baker, who played for a similar team in Mystic that disbanded last summer, said on Sunday that the team has permission to play at Fort Trumbull and would be sponsored by the New London County Historical Society.”
Vintage-Rules Baseball May Be Played At Fort Trumbull – The Day/Karin Crompton