The Old Ball Game
The Old Ball Game
Description
It’s a brisk October afternoon in Kingston, New York, for the final game of the Vintage Base Ball 2025 season between the Kingston Guards and the Ulster Nine.
We're at Herzog Field, beside the Catskill Mountain Railroad Station and the Hannaford parking lot, to watch two teams play baseball by 1864 rules.
From “ballists” and “muffins” to hand-caught fly balls and gentlemanly arbitration, this episode dives into the language, spirit, and spectacle of vintage base ball culture.
We hear from:
- Dan Torres, co-founder of the Kingston Guards
- Jon Palmer, team historian and player
- Brady, youngest ballist
- Holley Boncek, vintage baseball umpire
- Max, musician and Kingston Guard
- Brock, and additional members of the Ulster Nine and Kingston Guards
We get to know about:
- The rebirth of 19th-century baseball in the Hudson Valley
- 1864 rule differences: no gloves, fair/foul quirks, gentleman’s umpiring
- The community appeal of vintage sports
Music played:
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (1908) — Edward Meeker, Edison Records
Digitized by the Internet Archive. Public Domain (U.S.).
Links & References:
- Kingston Guards — kingstonguards.com
- Instagram: @kingstonguardsbaseball + @ulsterninebaseball1864
- Vintage Base Ball Association: vbba.org
- Rules of Base Ball (1864 edition) — Library of Congress archive
- Jon Palmer’s photography: @joninthewoods
The Kingston Guards are a nonprofit organization. Donations help fund their community outreach, education programs, and historical research. Visit their website to join, volunteer, or contribute.
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"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.
New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.
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