Anticipation

The first outside game of the 2009 season is tomorrow. We (The Whately Pioneers) are playing the Hartford (CT) Senators. The Pioneers are a Vintage base ball team which means we play according to a set of rules that approximates rules that were in use in 1886.

The rules for pitching in Vintage makes pitching in these games very different from pitching in modern baseball. Rather than 4 balls and 3 strikes there are 7 balls, and 3 strikes. However, foul balls are not strikes so the batter could foul of the first 3 (or 20) pitches and the count would still be 0-0. This makes for very high pitch counts.

If the rule changes stopped here I'd say the advantage goes to the batter but there are more changes. The pitcher throws from a box that is 6 feet long and 4 feet wide with the front of the box at 50 feet from home plate. Since you must be in the box when you throw the ball this amounts to about 56 feet from the rubber (except there isn't one) to the plate. That's 4'6" closer than in modern baseball. In addition if the batter foul tips the ball and the catcher catches it it's an out. Also all check swings are strikes. Another hugh rule is that a pitch that hits a batter is just a ball. The batter is not awarded first, the ball is dead and no runners may advance. Ouch!

If that isn't enough changes for you try this: it's almost impossible to balk. The only balk is when the pitcher starts to pitch to the batter then stops and makes a pick off throw to a base. Anything else is allowed -fake a throw to a base then throw to the plate, quick pitch, hidden ball trick while in the pitching box and pretending to have the ball. No set position require, just throw the ball however you want whenever you want after doing pretty much whatever you want. It's pretty wild!

The hard part is making the transition from Vintage pitching to modern pitching. Since I pitch in both modern and Vintage games every week I really have to remind myself of which rules I'm playing by.

The other main difference between Vintage and modern baseball is that in Vintage the fielders use gloves that resemble leather work gloves - basically a leather work glove with an extra layer of leather in a few spots, with no webbing. The catcher's glove is a little bit larger and has a little bit more padding but still no webbing. And the catcher gets no shin guards - just a mask and a chest protector.

If you ever get the chance watch (or, better yet, play in) a vintage game don't pass it up. It's a whole different game and yet exactly the same.