Vintage base ball match set to play Aug. 24 in Fort Oglethorpe
Last-minute scheduling will bring the Mountain City Club of Chattanooga back to the polo field in Fort Oglethorpe on Saturday, Aug. 24, to play their weather-delayed match from May 4 against the Stones River Scouts.
This match will have playoff ramifications for both clubs as they prepare for the 2019 Sulphur Dell Cup to be played at the Rippavilla Plantation in Spring Hill, Tenn., Sept. 7-8.
These two clubs know each other well as they each reached the championship finals in 2018 with the Scouts raising the Sulphur Dell Cup in triumph with a 15-10 win.
“This is going to be a huge match for Mountain City,” team captain John “The Mayor” Hixson said. “We’ve waited a year to get back on the field with the Scouts, and we’ll be ready for them.”
For those not familiar with vintage base ball, this is base ball played by rules, equipment, costume and culture of the 1860s. Think of it as living history through base ball. Players are all volunteers who incorporate the early history of base ball. The game, called a match, is played with wooden bats, no strike zone, and no gloves. The arbiter, who today is known as the umpire, explains the rules and differences to the crowd. The players play
for the sheer joy of playing, and it shows.
The single match plays Saturday, Aug. 24, at noon. Admission and parking are free. The 6th Cavalry Museum will also be open with free admission. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and a picnic or snacks as there is no bleacher seating or concessions stand.