It’s a really old ball game this weekend at the state’s most popular historic park. Marty Perkins is the manager of the Eagle Diamonds, the vintage base ball team at Old World Wisconsin, which plays the game that was to become America’s pastime the way it would have been played around the time of the Civil War. “I think what attracts peoples’ attention almost immediately is the fact that no gloves are used,” said Perkins. And, since it was a ‘gentleman’s game’ the batter gets to indicate where he wants the pitcher to place the ball, which is pitched underhand. On the defensive end of the game, balls could be caught either on the fly, or on the first bounce, for outs.”
And the Eagle Diamonds take the field in uniforms just like players would have worn in the period. “I’m not a very popular guy on the days where the temperature is above ninety and it’s quite humid,” said Perkins. The Diamonds wear all wool uniforms. And base running or chasing down a fly ball can be tricky — the players don’t wear spikes. The Diamonds take on the Quarrymen of Lamont, Illinois this Saturday at Old World Wisconsin.
