The Old Game

stitched by hand

Baseball is a very old game, and is stitched together like this ball, year by year, and game by game.

A lot has changed from 1840's, dirt fields, gloves, no padding, balls cherished, bases of flour sacks, and grey as the sleet.

Uniforms were washed when there was clean water, and slept in, on rail cars, or wagons, or in the back of taxi cabs.





Nothing sounds like what the game is today, does it ?  Clean uniforms for every game, every practise, new gloves, bats honed to perfection just to please the user. Masks made to fit the catcher, with art work emblazened for all to see.

The ball was a mishapen, often oblong thing that changed direction when wet, or muddy, or hit a dozen times. The days gone by and the tools used are far different, but the men and boys that play are the same in many ways. While many play for money now, it was just as important then, it was their living, their craft, and there was always someone trying to take their job away.

the Aleysian fields

Games were hard fought then, as they are now, that has not changed. Yes, players make more money, and yes there are some that seem to take it for granted, but the game weeds them out. They don't fit in, they get replaced, or the game forces them to change.

Games are played indoors, with roofs and windows now, that much is different, but they were played in front of large crowds, on summer afternoons, or early fall days in cold climates. That much still happens. Is there more media, yes, but does that change the game, I don't believe it does.

Are the dimensions different, it's still 60 feet 6 inches to the plate, 90 feet between bases, and the outfields are somewhat the same as they were. There are fences now, back in the 1900's many parks just had rope outfields so more fans could watch, early bleacher creatures I suppose.

I'm sure many can build a strong case for why the game is not the same, but 3 strikes and you're out, 3 outs and it's the other guys turn. PED's and year long training have produced a string of super athletes that once found out revert back to old body types, and singles hitters. There are as many injuries, maybe more now than before. 5 man rotations, specialist relievers, and pinch runners, are these the improvements ?

Babe Ruth did his best on hot dogs and beer, and soda pop, hit 60 home runs, after the dead ball era ended.

Is the game so different, are the players that much better, most would have you believe it, just on the way they look and the body of work, but maybe the Old Game ain't so bad after all.