The latest baseball scandal involving New York Yankees player Roger Clemens has many of us longing for the “good ol’ days” of our country’s national pastime. Perhaps that’s the appeal behind the vintage base ball game planned for this weekend at Emporia’s historic Howe House.
The afternoon of vintage base ball is a fundraiser for the historic site, but it’s also sure to be a fun-raiser for the “cranks” (fans) who will get a unique opportunity to see how the game used to be played when they cheer on Emporia’s first-ever vintage “club nine” (team), the W.A. Whitesocks, against Wichita’s vintage base ball team, the Cowtown Nine.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, the Welsh Farmstead at the Howe House, 315 E. Logan Ave., will be rolling back to the year 1867 when a bat was called a “willow,” a ball was an “apple,” “pill,” “horsehide” or “onion”, a run was an “ace” and the game was base ball (not baseball, as it is called today).
Cranks will also get to see how the game was played when it was governed by rules like “plugging” or “soaking” the runner, which means hitting the runner with the ball to put him out.
Or, another oddity of the vintage game that folks will likely see Saturday: the selection of umpires. The home team will present three candidates to be umpire, and the visiting team chooses the one they want to officiate.
Other activities at the site, which will begin at 10:30 a.m., will include food vendors, outdoor games, tours of the Howe House, historic demonstrations and talks on living in older homes.
Emporia’s own W.A. Whitesocks vintage base ball team will consist of coach George Milton and players Larry Adams, Stephen Coleman, Darus Dixon, Jeff Eubank, Ted Hollembeak, Dave Hollond, Kent House, Scott Irwin, Greg Jordon, Floyd Thomas, Eric Huggard and Mark Summey.
Apparently, in 1870s base ball, players of lesser talent were referred to as “muffins” on the field. But we’re sure with a club nine like the W.A. Whitesocks, the only muffins on the field at Welsh Farmstead will be found on the visiting team.
Let’s play ball!
Ashley Knecht Walker
Editor
To purchase a $2 game admission button or for more information about the fundraiser, call 341-6310.
kuSportsPA (anonymous) says...
Please watch the Betty White SNL episode to find out why they were referred to as "Muffins"
September 2, 2010 at 5:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )