Take Me out to a Vintage Ball Game
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Volume 18, Number 32 Thursday, August 15, 2002 The vintage base ballers are introduced before the game begins. On home turf, The Deep River Grinders and… Take Me Out to a Vintage Ball Game By Paula McHugh If you want to be taken out to the old ball game, con- yourselves down along a shady stretch of treeline sider a Sunday afternoon at Deep River County Park that borders the Deep River Grinders’ field. And get in Hobart. ready for a peek into the past, before the National There is no admission charge and you won’t find a Pastime grew to be what it is today. The Deep River stadium. Nor will you find the players spitting, Grinders Base Ball Club Nine is a living history scratching, or stretching their cheeks with wads of tobac- reminder of a kinder, gentler game. co. No dugouts, no glittery scoreboards, no batting cages. On an early August Sunday with a heat index No cursing, no sliding, no leading off bases, no steal- threatening extreme discomfort, a dozen or so Grinders ing. No radios, no announcers, no commercials, no mil- await the arrival of the Mackville Mudcats. Rich lion-dollar salaries. The Boys of Summer at Deep “Rookie” Twardy of Dyer is one of the first to arrive. River Park play, as volunteers, by the old rules, the He’s been told that his team will have to ask permission 1858 rules. of umpire Don Good to roll up their billowy shirtsleeves. Bring your own peanuts and Crackerjack, if you The Grinders’ wear blousey cotton tops in baby blue. must. Bring your own chairs (or blanket) and plunk Ball Game Continued on Page 2 …the visiting team The Mackerville Mudcats. Page 2 August 15, 2002 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ Published and Printed by THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $26 6 months $14 3 months $8 1 month $3 Ball Game Continued from Page 1 Thankfully polyester had close to a century before being introduced into wardrobes. The Mudcats have the disadvantage of dark uniforms and black wool caps and a long morning’s ride from Atwood, Illinois to face the Grinders under a 90-degree sun. The cranks (spectators) sit on the sidelines waiting for the game to begin. Neither heat nor humidity nor the seduction of an air-conditioned living room and television keeps vintage base ball cranks such as Don and Kay Granzow away from the game. They’ve come to sup- port their son-in-law, Grinder hurler Dave “The Tacker” Stutler. First-time base ball cranks Nick and Delaurentis and Ron and Anne Brennan relax in anticipation of witnessing a different ball game. A gentlemanly game. Seven-year Grinder veteran Richard Grey II does more than tip his cap and greet a crank writer with a “good afternoon, ‘mam.” With the utmost in manners, he overlooks this writer’s gaffe during a conversation about his father. (He figured it would be impo- lite to correct me when I identified his Post-Tribune columnist father as a pho- tographer). And while the Mudcats are waiting for three more of their play- ers to arrive, Richard takes time to A gentleman might enjoy a stogie before explain vintage base ball rules and cus- the game. Bob “Pudge” Szrom holds up the soft, hand-sewn leather ball toms to a trio of youngsters and their used in the vintage games. parents. The ballers, as they are called, play bare-hand- ed with hand-stitched, leather-covered balls. Grinder veteran Larry “Iron Man” Modglin hand-turns his teams’ bats when he has extra time, and the Grinders also use the services of the Hoosier Bat Company of Valparaiso to assure an adequate supply for each game. But Spectators at a vintage base ball game are known the day’s game is delayed while the Mudcats as “cranks.” Looking anything but cranky are four appeal for three players loaned from the home- Larry “Iron Man” Modglin has first-timers, from left: Ron and Anne Brennan provided the Grinders with his and Brenda and Nick Delaurentis. team’s roster. hand-turned bats. Grinder veteran Richard Grey II explains the vintage game rules to a family of cranks. The Grinders have a new logo, shown here stamped on one of the bats. August 15, 2002 Page 3 “We have 24 players total for the Grinders,” tally- keeper Joanna Shearer said. Joanna, whose day job Open ‘til 6 p.m. is Historical Programmer for Lake County Parks at Evenings Deep River, can be credited with originating the vin- tage base ball phenomenon in Northwest Indiana. Joanna said that her interest was sparked after she and several local players were invited to an exhibi- tion involving many teams in Columbus, Ohio. www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel IN THE TENT SALE Let’s play base ball! Two Grinders wait near the tallykeepers’ table, where Sandy Fiala keeps score for the Mudcats while Two Racks $5-7-9 Joanna Shearer keeps track of the Grinders’ aces. Value to $80.00 “When we left (Ohio), I said I wanted to be part of this,” she said. Since her initial introduction to vin- Two Racks $10-15-20 tage base ball more than a dozen years ago, Joanna Value to $130.00 has helped organize teams in LaPorte and Elkhart coun- ties and formed new, lasting friendships with the Two Racks $10-20-30 other teams. The Grinders are charter members of the Value to $200.00 Vintage Base Ball Association (VBBA), a national organization formed to preserve, perpetuate and pro- Two Racks $30-40-50 mote the game of Base Ball as it was played in its for- Value to $265.00 mative years in the mid-19th century. Closer to Beacher territory, the Door Village Prairie Dogs have Two Dress Racks formed a Club 9 and will be hosting the Grinders on $10-40 September 8. Value to $330.00 As tallykeeper, Joanna wears period clothes with long sleeves and a straw hat and sits at a table where Liz Purses 1/2 Price she records each baller’s ace (run). But before she does that, the baller must approach her table after his ace Foxcroft and announce his name. The cranks and ballers Blouses/Sweaters cheer their huzzah, huzz-ah no matter which team 1/2 Price makes the ace. From a distance, what sounds like a dinner bell is actually the baller striking an iron tri- Discontinued Patterns angle announcing his ace at the tallykeepers’ table. 1/2 Price The game, Joanna explains, is not about competition, but sportsmanship. Vintage base ball is played for the love of the game and for the physical exercise. INSIDE SALE Ball Game Continued on Page 4 UP TO 60% OFF Pendleton, Bleyle, Susan Bristol, (Separates) Henry Lee, Philippe Maques and Castleberry Dresses Morning Sun Tees, Michigan Rag, Blast, Koret, Michael Simon, Copa Cabana (Casual Wear) Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 - ROSKOE’S, LA PORTE THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 - TIPPECANOE PLACE, SOUTH BEND 409409 AlexanderAlexander StreetStreet LaPorte,LaPorte, IN IN 326-8602 OnOn Hwy Hwy 35 35 - - 55 BlocksBlocks South ofof Lincolnway Lincolnway TTurnurn RightRight on Alexander Monday - Friday 9:30 to 7 Saturday 9:30 to 5 Joanna welcomes the Mudcats to Grinder Field. Monday-Friday 10 to 6 Saturday 9:30 to 5 Page 4 August 15, 2002 Ball Game Continued from Page 3 Sandy are wearing ankle-length calico dresses and roll The Mudcats’ tallykeeper Sandy Fiala has joined up their long sleeves just short of the elbow. But, they’re Joanna at the table for the afternoon game. Sandy, sitting in the shade and it’s comfortable enough. whose husband Rick and sister-in-law Kari are Mudcats, explains that this is basically her family’s summer vacation, going from town to town participating in vintage base ball. The Fiala’s discovered the game by accident while they were hiking at a state park near Decatur, Illinois. “The trail we were hiking lead out of the woods onto the base ball field where the Decatur Ground Squirrels were playing,” she said. They watched the old-time game and were hooked. Grinder rookie Steve “Goose” Modglin tips his cap and shouts out his name as each member introduces himself to the cranks who have come to watch the game. Three members of the Fiala family strike a 19th-century pose for the camera. From left, Kari “Small Behind” Fiala, Tallykeeper Sandy, and Mudcat Captain Rick Fiala. In vintage base ball parlance, the catcher is the “behind.” Does that help explain Kari’s team nickname? During a normal game—normal meaning when moderate temperatures prevail, the umpire will be wear- ing his top hat and tails, usually carrying a fancy walk- ing stick and commanding the respectful attention of ballers and cranks. But safety and common sense pre- Mudcats Captain Rick Fiala expresses his team’s “great pleasure vail during summer’s dog days. Umpire Don Good dress- to travel to Grinder Field.” It’s all part of vintage base ball’s es in shorts and suspenders and puts aside authen- code of gentlemanly conduct.