Vintage baseball is back on the Elmhurst College Mall for another exciting competition. So summon the “strikers” up to “the dish” and let the “kranks” hiss and boo!
Played by the wildly different rules of 1858, the Vintage Baseball Game will be played on Sunday, June 23, at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public, and tickets are not required. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and lawn chairs, and enjoy a family-friendly game played by true sportsmen from an era of wooden bats and iron men.
It’s the second year in a row that the Elmhurst History Museum and the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation will present the Vintage Baseball Game. Fans (known as “kranks”) will learn to cheer and jeer in fine Victorian fashion as two Elmhurst clubs play for their favor.
The Elmhurst History Museum’s executive director, Dave Oberg, will lead the activities in the role of “barrister” (an umpire by today’s standards) and share the rules and slang with the audience. The roster includes a number of local Elmhurst community leaders, baseball enthusiasts and two Elmhurst College alumni—Mike LoCicero ’77 and John Quigley ’77.
“Vintage Baseball celebrates the history of America’s favorite pastime in a fun and interactive way,” Oberg said. “It honors the traditions and history of a sport that everyone knows so well, and allows participants and fans to learn the way the game was originally played in baseball’s early days.”
Last year’s game drew nearly 300 guests, he said. “It was a wonderful afternoon, so we’re anticipating another great day at Elmhurst College.”
For more information, visit the Elmhurst History Museum web site at elmhursthistory.org or call (630) 833-1457.