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How to be a "Crank" and Other Vintage Terms

By attending the Vintage Base Ball Game, you'll witness base ball rules of the 1860s, which are somewhat different than those of today's game.  (By the way, baseball was spelled at that time as "base ball.")  To help you play your role as a "crank" (fan), here are some of the rules and phrases you will see and hear at the game.

• Ballists will play with bare hands; no ball glove
• Balls caught on one bound are still outs
• Balls are considered fair by where the ball first touches the ground. That is, a ball hit in front of home plate that then spins into foul territory is still a fair ball. Watch for skilled “strikers” to purposely hit these “fair-fouls”
• “Hurlers” pitch the ball underhanded
• Spitting, swearing, and other “ungentlemanly” behavior may elicit a 25-cent fine from the umpire (who wears a top hat) and may not rejoin the game until he apologies to the “cranks” and the “cranks” accept his apology