If you’re tired of watching the same old baseball game, may I suggest watching a game that’s a bit older? Check out Historic Base Ball: Base Ball 1867 Style at Greenfield Village.
Every weekend between now and August 20th, Greenfield Village has their own baseball games and it’s unlike any game you’ve seen on TV. For one, they play by the 1867 rules, which means there’s no baseball mitts and no foul balls. Every ball hit is fair game. Just like in the 1860s, there are no ropes either, so spectators can sit as close as they want to that 3rd baseline – although they do recommend that you keep your eyes on the balls and the players. When I say every ball is fair game, this also includes balls hit into the crowd and players will run after them.
With that in mind, I don’t suggest sitting too close to the bases if you’re kids won’t make the whole game. My oldest (9yo) had a blast sitting so close, but my youngest (5yo) would lose interest every so often and kept wanting to roll down the hill. If we had sat farther up the hill, this wouldn’t have been as much of an issue since there is plenty of grass; but rolling down into the game isn’t really recommended. *grin*
But even if you’re little one needs a little distraction during the game, there’s plenty of action going on off the field. For one, the game is played near the train tracks and every time the train comes by, all the players stop and wave to the passengers. Considering there are a few players who like to hit the ball over the tracks, it’s good that they stop playing while the train steams by.
In addition, many of the players will walk the crowd and show the kids how the baseball and bats differ from what they’ve seen before. The kids (and you if you want) get some up close and personal time with the bats and balls, and I can tell you that they are definitely not what the kids are playing with these days.
After the game, the kids have the chance to swing the bat and run the bases. The players are really great with the kids too. They’ll keep throwing balls until the kids get a hit; they’ll even step in and help the younger ones swing.
If your kids are into baseball, then I highly recommend taking in a game; even if they’re not, I would still recommend it. It’s a fabulous two hours spent out in the sunshine, watching a game that’s not really seen anymore. Yes, I know it’s baseball, but the way these guys play it is truly a unique experience. I’ve taken my kids to a Michigan Whitecaps game and they were bored, but they had a blast watching these guys. The first pitch is thrown at 1:30pm, so there’s also plenty of time to do some wandering around Greenfield Village itself.
If you’re looking to check out a game, here’s the 2017 Schedule; if you want to know more about the game, the I would read the 2017 Historic Base Ball Program.
Author: Jackie LE
Jackie is a stay at home mom to two adventure loving boys; a wife to a husband who is very tolerant of her reading addiction; and the owner of Literary Escapism where she has actively promoted books since 2006. Since introducing her boys to the world of superheroes and Doctor Who, she has realized that she is a bigger geek than she knew. She loves exploring and finding new adventures to take her boys on, and it turns out they love checking out the unknown as well.
Jackie is a stay at home mom to two adventure loving boys; a wife to a husband who is very tolerant of her reading addiction; and the owner of Literary Escapism where she has actively promoted books since 2006. Since introducing her boys to the world of superheroes and Doctor Who, she has realized that she is a bigger geek than she knew. She loves exploring and finding new adventures to take her boys on, and it turns out they love checking out the unknown as well.
