....the mice will go to old-timey baseball games and free concerts in parks, apparently.
This past weekend Eric was down in D.C., attending the U.S. Open and having a fun "guys' weekend" with our former roommate Jeff. (Don't worry, I will be sharing pictures from Eric's D.C. trip later this week!) While Eric was away, I kept myself plenty busy and had a pretty nice little "bachelorette" weekend back here in Hoboken.
Saturday afternoon Hoboken was holding a 19th-century baseball game at Dobbelaar Field on the Stevens Institute of Technology Campus, which is very near our apartment. You see, Hoboken is credited with hosting the first officially recorded organized baseball game, back on June 19, 1846. The game was played at Elysian Fields along the Hudson. Today there is a monument commemorating Hoboken's baseball history at the intersection of Washington and 11th Streets. In addition to the stone monument, there is a "base" at each of the corners of the intersection, and a giant baseball shape in the brick pavement in the middle.
In honor of the anniversary of that historical event, the City of Hoboken and the Hoboken Historical Museum re-created a mid-19th century baseball game this past weekend, featuring historical interpreters playing the game according to the rules as of 1864. They wore replicas of 19th-century uniforms and played with 19th-century replica equipment. I thought this sounded like great fun and went to see this spectacle.
And it was quite fun, indeed. My favorite part was the umpire, who wore a top hat and cane, and at one point fined one of the players five cents for some offense. And when there was dispute over whether or not a runner actually touched third base, the umpire simply suggested, "well, why don't we just ask the fellow?" There is only one umpire, and he stands to the side of the batter. The players did not use baseball gloves, but rather just played barehanded (as they would have in 1864), so there were lots of missed catches. According to this article on TheBokenOnline.com, other differences in the rules (as compared to what we are used to today) include the following: the pitcher throws underhand from 45 feet in front of home plate (as opposed to overhand from 60.5 feet today); three balls for a walk and three strikes for a strikeout, but the first pitch to the batter is not called; and a ball is fair or foul depending on where it touches the ground first (as opposed to today, when it has to be fair past the bases).
I stayed for a couple of innings (until I started to feel like the sun was taking its toll on my poor fair skin), then went into the city for some shopping. What's a girly weekend alone without shopping? That night I relaxed at home with some wine and Anne of Green Gables, which I have not watched (or read) since I was a kid. Oh, how I have missed Anne and Diana and Gilbert Blythe in my life! Classic.
Sunday I did some housework (living on the edge over here!), made the requisite Father's Day calls and then went to a free concert at Shipyard Park entitled "Summer Afternoon Cabaret." They had several different people singing a mix of music, and I found a nice spot in the shade to relax on my blanket while I listened. After the concert I stuck around to read for a bit, before heading home to get ready for Eric's return.
Achilles and I met Eric at the PATH station that evening and welcomed him home with open arms (and licks, from Achilles). We had a fun weekend despite his absence, but it sure was good to have him back!
This past weekend Eric was down in D.C., attending the U.S. Open and having a fun "guys' weekend" with our former roommate Jeff. (Don't worry, I will be sharing pictures from Eric's D.C. trip later this week!) While Eric was away, I kept myself plenty busy and had a pretty nice little "bachelorette" weekend back here in Hoboken.
Saturday afternoon Hoboken was holding a 19th-century baseball game at Dobbelaar Field on the Stevens Institute of Technology Campus, which is very near our apartment. You see, Hoboken is credited with hosting the first officially recorded organized baseball game, back on June 19, 1846. The game was played at Elysian Fields along the Hudson. Today there is a monument commemorating Hoboken's baseball history at the intersection of Washington and 11th Streets. In addition to the stone monument, there is a "base" at each of the corners of the intersection, and a giant baseball shape in the brick pavement in the middle.
Baseball Monument at 11th and Washington:
"On June 19, 1846 the first match game of baseball was played here on the Elysian Fields between the Knickerbockers and the New Yorks. It is generally conceded that until this time the game was not seriously regarded."
Bases at each of the corners of the intersection
In honor of the anniversary of that historical event, the City of Hoboken and the Hoboken Historical Museum re-created a mid-19th century baseball game this past weekend, featuring historical interpreters playing the game according to the rules as of 1864. They wore replicas of 19th-century uniforms and played with 19th-century replica equipment. I thought this sounded like great fun and went to see this spectacle.
And it was quite fun, indeed. My favorite part was the umpire, who wore a top hat and cane, and at one point fined one of the players five cents for some offense. And when there was dispute over whether or not a runner actually touched third base, the umpire simply suggested, "well, why don't we just ask the fellow?" There is only one umpire, and he stands to the side of the batter. The players did not use baseball gloves, but rather just played barehanded (as they would have in 1864), so there were lots of missed catches. According to this article on TheBokenOnline.com, other differences in the rules (as compared to what we are used to today) include the following: the pitcher throws underhand from 45 feet in front of home plate (as opposed to overhand from 60.5 feet today); three balls for a walk and three strikes for a strikeout, but the first pitch to the batter is not called; and a ball is fair or foul depending on where it touches the ground first (as opposed to today, when it has to be fair past the bases).
Batter up! Check out the dapper umpire attire!
Underhand pitch
I stayed for a couple of innings (until I started to feel like the sun was taking its toll on my poor fair skin), then went into the city for some shopping. What's a girly weekend alone without shopping? That night I relaxed at home with some wine and Anne of Green Gables, which I have not watched (or read) since I was a kid. Oh, how I have missed Anne and Diana and Gilbert Blythe in my life! Classic.
Sunday I did some housework (living on the edge over here!), made the requisite Father's Day calls and then went to a free concert at Shipyard Park entitled "Summer Afternoon Cabaret." They had several different people singing a mix of music, and I found a nice spot in the shade to relax on my blanket while I listened. After the concert I stuck around to read for a bit, before heading home to get ready for Eric's return.
Concert in Shipyard Park - don't worry, that guy in the foreground is not actually dead.
My view
Achilles and I met Eric at the PATH station that evening and welcomed him home with open arms (and licks, from Achilles). We had a fun weekend despite his absence, but it sure was good to have him back!
That old-time baseball game looks awesome! Nerd alert: One of my favorite shows as a kid was Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and the pictures totally remind me of the time the whole town learns how to play baseball :) I had no idea the rules were so different though--very interesting!
ReplyDeleteFind anything good while shopping?