Take me out to the vintage game Baseball takes journey back in time
The Allegheny Ironsides’ Tom Bernick gets a hit during the game against the Mon Valley Pride Sunday at Palmer Park in Donora.
Andrew “Doc” Giran, who was the lone umpire for a vintage baseball game played Sunday at Palmer Park in Donora, keeps score on a wooden painted scoreboard.
Mon Valley Pride pitcher Pat Schmidt catches a popup during Sunday’s game. Notice Schmidt didn’t use a glove, as they were not part of the game in the 1860s.
Allegheny Ironsides third baseman Kerry Fraas pulls a rabbit from the hat of umpire Andrew “Doc” Giran after making a great play at third.
The bats and balls are fashioned after the equipment used in the 1860s during a vintage baseball game.
DONORA – Stan Musial would have loved to play in this game.
So would William “Candy” Cummings, James “Deacon” White and George Wright.
If you don’t recognize the latter three names, it’s OK. They were excellent baseball players but just happened to play in the 1860s and ’70s.
To get a feeling of what those times were like, and to raise money for a worthy cause, the Allegheny Ironsides, a vintage baseball team from Donora, played the Mon Valley Pride Sunday at Stan Musial Memorial Field in Palmer Park.
The nine-inning game, won by the Pride, 16-15, was played under the rules of vintage professional baseball and the format thrilled the approximately 70 people who filled the stands and set up their seats along both sides of the field.
Differences existed from the games of the 1800s to today, most notably that no one wore baseball gloves, barehanding each and every hit of a baseball that is very similar to the size and weight of the ones used today. In his day, that didn’t stop Wright from becoming the best player in the game playing shortstop for the Cincinnati Red Stockings.
The pitches came to plate underhanded and no balls were called. In the 1860s, White flourished under those conditions for the Cleveland Forest Citys, the first of nine teams over a 20-year career as a catcher.
Later, the underhand pitches would change to overhand and Cummings dominated as the hall of fame pitcher was credited with inventing the curve ball.
“I played baseball as a kid and I’m fortunate to be able to keep playing,” said Ironsides manager Ted Pavlack. “People get a history lesson on the game and see a version of the game they see on TV, and what it was like when it was first invented.”
Prior to the start of the game, a ceremony to recall the 9/11 attacks in New York City was held next to the field, a fine version of the national anthem was sung and the players were introduced. The interesting part of the latter event was that the players were presented by their nickname. There was T Dog, Baby Face, Cooter and One Lung, who got the nickname because he really only has one lung.
The Ironsides wore as close to the traditional garb as possible, including the short-billed baseball cap. The Pride wore their normal uniforms.
Vintage baseball teams are spread mostly along western states. Pavlack said there are four teams in Western Pennsylvania. A team is made up mostly of adults and play only a handful of games from spring to fall.
“Games are like a Civil War re-enactment to show people what baseball was like in its formative years,” he said. “It’s not about winning or losing but giving a good showing of the game and rules.”
There was only one umpire, mainly because there were no balls called and the only strikes were ones that came from a swing and a miss or foul ball. For this game, the inimitable and highly entertaining 70-year-old Andrew “Doc” Giran undertook those duties. Doc graduated from West Mifflin North High School and has been a chiropractor for 48 years.
“Ted recruited me,” said Doc. “When he asked me to umpire a vintage baseball game, I laughed. My wife helped me prepare. We read the rules and I understand that I can throw anyone out of the game that I want.”
After one particularly fine defensive play, Doc walked out to the infielder and had him pull a rabbit – stuffed not real – from his black hat to the roar of the crowd. Doc wore a black and white striped outfit over his voluminous body and stitched together by his wife, giving him the look of a statesman rather than someone players call “Blue” today. Doc carried a massive walking stick, which might be why none of his calls were challenged.
“I had a few tricks up my sleeve,” Doc said. “The umpire used to lean on a bat as he stood along the base line. I had a patient donate the cane. It’s a Shalalie stick.”
The crowd was encouraged to engage the players, cheering good plays and asking about rules they might not be familiar with. At one point, with an Ironsides player taking a pitch high and tight, a female voice could be heard from the seats yell out, “Don’t hurt him, he has to go to work in the morning.”
Outs were not called outs; they were called “hands,” so there were times when the bases were loaded with two hands. Batters were not called batters, but “strikers.” So, at times, the on-deck striker could have been One Lung with two hands. The other major change in the field was a batter could be called out if his fly ball was caught on one bounce. As the game wore on and bare hands became sore from not using gloves, that mode of getting a “hand” was to catch a fly on the first bounce.
Proceeds from the event, which included children activities, food and a 50-50 raffle, benefitted Love First, Inc., a community nonprofit outreach program that serves the Mon Valley.
“They Ironsides came to us and offered to donate the proceeds from this to us, which was a very nice thing to do,” said Stan Hendricks, who with Danielle Doerfler-Maggert are co-owners and co-presidents of First Life. “They want to help a charity that wants to get the Mon Valley’s luster back to what it once was. This is a family event and something we’re trying to do to bring people back out to the park.”
First Love has numerous community events, including Halloween and Christmas activities.
The Pride is coached by Rob Dorcan, a 41-year-old Donora police officer and Belle Vernon graduate. The team competes in a fall league with younger players. Some of them could not make the game so Dorcan recruited some ringers from the area police departments. That seemed to cut down on arguing calls, too.
“We just learned the rules,” Dorcan said. “Ted explained the rules and we’re flying by the seat of our pants. But everyone here loves baseball. One thing though, the ball was harder than Ted said it would be.”
At one point, Doc seemed to have been distracted and missed a call at the base. As all eyes turned to him, Doc’s face lit up.
“I’m going to the replay,” he shouted.