By Bruce Rolfe

Players from both the Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo and a group of Climax-Scotts High School graduates that played a vintage base ball game Memorial Day, enjoyed the game so much they hope the game can be a regular  part of the holiday event each year.

The Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo was playing its first game in the Village of Climax and the group of C-S graduates were playing their first vintage base ball game using rules from the 1880s.

Before the game, team members from the Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo, including Andy Gilbert of Climax, walked in the Memorial Day parade.

Gilbert made the club aware about the opportunity to play a game in Climax as part of the Memorial Day schedule of events.

The Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo played under 1864 rules so the Memorial day game that was played, had a little different look then what the C-S alumni were accustomed to seeing.
Players played without gloves.

Pitchers pitched the ball under hand.

A batter was out if a player caught a ball on a bounce. 

Many players on the Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo wore long pants and long sleeves, with no lettering on the uniforms, which was common for the era. 

And of course, only wooden bats were used.

With baseball having a long and deep tradition in the Climax and Scotts areas, 1994 C-S graduate Ryan Miller felt playing the vintage base ball game Memorial Day in Climax fit perfectly.

“It felt like Climax-Scotts would be a perfect back drop for a tournament like this. You’ve got such a rich history. You’ve got some modern improvements on both the softball and baseball field here but with such a long standing tradition and success of baseball and softball in this area is perfect. The opportunity to bring a vintage game, both for spectators and some former Climax-Scotts alumni in the tournament as well. Hopefully, a yearly tradition perhaps going forward,” said Miller.

Despite playing without previous experience playing a game using 1864 rules, the group of C-S graduates prevailed 21-9.

Miller said playing a game using 1864 rules, especially playing without a mit, was different.

“It took a little getting used to, especially how to absorb some of the shock on the hands. I’m sure we’ll have a few bruises. And then the ball could bounce and you can still make an out, although runners could advance. So you had a mix of some of the modern baseball rules but still trying to have the mindset of thinking back to what these vintage rules were. So for us first timers, it took a little getting used to. The opponents had a little advantage on that today,” said Miller, who was the oldest C-S graduate playing in the game.

Chris Fusciardi, captain of the Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo, said the rule allowing a player to record an out by catching the ball in the air did not go into effect until 1865.

Miller admits the rule took a while to get used to.

“It kept the game moving. That way there was a little strategy too, of whether to let it bounce or catch it in the air,” said Miller.

The game was played in a large grass area behind the C-S Intermediate School next to the C-S softball field, offering a look similar to the field conditions for a game played in the 1860s. There weren’t outfield fences or lined base paths. If a player hit a ball over the softball outfield fence behind the players, the batter received a warning and the ball hit was ruled a foul ball, however if the batter hit it over the fence again it was ruled an out.

Fusciardi said the rule came from the 1850s when there was a team called the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in New York that played games on Elysian Field in Hoboken, New Jersey on the Hudson River. 

“One of their actual club rules, was if you hit the ball into the river, which was in right field, you were out. That was because balls were expensive and you couldn’t get the ball back from the river. So this was our chance today to say, if you hit the ball over (the fence) they we’re going to kind of mimmick what they would have done in the 1850s. If you hit it over that wall, we’ll give you one warning, it’s a foul ball. But if you do it a second time, you’re out,” explained Fusciardi.

Fusciardi felt the Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo players enjoyed themselves as well.

“I think it was great for us to get out in front of a new group. We’ve never been out to Climax before. To bring 1860s baseball to Climax and give them a chance to see what it looks like. You had 10 guys out there on the Climax team playing, I think everybody had a good time and that was the most important thing,” said Fusciardi, who felt the C-S alumni adjusted to the 1864 rules well.

Fusciardi felt the Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo would like to return to march in the Memorial Day parade and play in another vintage base ball game in Climax next year.

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