1858 Base Ball

The McHenry County Historical Society’s “club nine,” the McHenry County Independants, will play Oregon Ganymedes starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Village Hall Park, 3125 Barreville Road in Prairie Grove. The park features a shelter and restrooms, but you will need to bring a blanket or chairs to sit on.

This type of  Civil War-era baseball, or “base ball” as it was called, differed radically from today’s rules. Players did not use gloves. A ball caught on the first bounce was considered an out, and a ball was considered fair or foul based solely on where it first touched the ground.