The Mackinac Island Vintage Baseball Club will host the Rochester Grangers for their fourth annual vintage baseball game on Saturday, July 21, 2007 The evening begins with a pre-game concert by Traverse City's Northwind Brass quintet followed at 6:30 PM by the game at the Scout Barracks ballfield behind Fort Mackinac. Congressman Bart Stupak and John Hiller, a member of the 1968 World Champion Detroit Tigers and a standout reliever throughout the 1970s, will serve as co-captains of the Never Sweats with Hiller acting as the primary hurler.
Vintage base ball is played by rules dating back as far as the 1840s. Players wear reproduction baseball uniforms—based on those worn by 19th-century teams—and play ball without gloves and in a gentlemanly fashion, with no sliding, spitting, or swearing. Spectators (cranks) are coached on such matters as archaic position names (batters are "strikers," catchers are "behinds," and pitchers are "hurlers") and old-fashioned rules (e.g., a ball caught on one bounce is an out, just like a caught fly ball).
Prices for the game are $15 for families, $5 for adults, $3 for youth (6-17), and free for children 5 and under or for Mackinac Associates (Friend level and above). Tickets may be purchased at the game or in advance by calling 906-847-3328. Visit Mackinac State Historic Parks for much more about the parks, and also see this post on Michigan in Pictures for more about vintage base ball in Michigan and a great video from Tiger Stadium and photos from past Mackinac games and more than enough vintage base ball info to make you cry Huzzah! at the Rochester Grangers very cool web site.
photo: Former Tiger reliever John Hiller vies for ups
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