Joining the Cincinnati Vintage Base Ball Club

For the most part, the CVBBC plays vintage base ball games! We meet up and play ball with other like-minded clubs, often associated with historical villages, museums or other organizations... though we also play many games just for the fun/exercise of it! We are not historical actors or re-enactors, where we are reproducing a moment in history or are supposed to be in-character for the duration of the event. Rather, we simply demonstrate the game as it was played, highlighting the differences between now and then, using terms and methods of play that were accurate to the time... and whenever possible, give the crowd a fun and exciting game to watch.

On occasion, we also make appearances at non-playing social events, such as parades, festivals and youth/educational demonstrations, and will occasionally assist in fund-raising causes for worthy organizations. We hold 1-2 business meetings per year, and if times are good, we’ll have a fun Club night out or two, along with the annual Golf Outing at the close of every season.

A typical season consists of 20-25 dates, with 10-15 of those dates consisting of multiple games (2-3). Those dates are mixed between Saturdays and Sundays (usually not both in the same weekend), during a schedule that starts in April and ends in early October. A typical season will also include an “overnight” event at a distant location. We do not play on Easter weekend, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day (usually), and Memorial Day weekend, and we have several other “off” weekends mixed in to give our players a break.

For what it’s worth, not every player is expected to be available for every event; we understand that players do have lives outside of this recreational activity. However, it is important to realize that you’ll be joining a team, and that a team needs its players to be reasonably dependable, or at the very least, honest about their playing time. The more you put into this experience, the more you will get out of it.

Our home field is Dan Lyon Field in Heritage Village Museum, Sharonville, OH. We aim to get 8-10 home dates for any given season. Outside of our home games, we do play regularly in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Dayton, Springfield and Columbus each year. With a recent reduction in local teams, traveling away from Cincinnati will be more regular. We also tend to schedule a trip outside of the region requiring an overnight stay, visiting places like Northern Ohio, Detroit, Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis and more.

The fields we play on range from empty grass fields in the middle of a larger park, to the open grounds of a museum, historical village or reenactment, to more modern baseball diamonds (despite the historical inaccuracy). Our Club has played at Great American Ballpark, Progressive Field and several Minor League parks, as well as Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY, and the Field of Dreams in Iowa.

For players joining the CVBBC for the first time, dues are $25 plus the purchase of your team uniform ($100/170, depending on which roster you’re joining). For all other returning playing members, annual dues are currently $69/year. You can also be a non-playing member of the CVBBC for $50/year. Your dues give you a guaranteed spot for any game your team plays that season, as well as access to any additional events our Club may take part in. It also gets you a family season pass to Heritage Village Museum, so you can tour and learn more about our home at your leisure. When it comes down to it, it's a much sweeter deal than most other adult sports leagues! That said, Club dues do not cover travel expenses for players, uniforms or private equipment... though in certain circumstances, we may vote to financially assist members who participate in special events or for other extenuating reasons.

We expect our members to be outstanding when it comes to the gentlemanly spirit of the game. We expect them to honor fair play and to applaud any successes by teammates and opponents alike. We expect them to learn more and be knowledgeable about the early days of base ball, and be honest when they don't know the right answer. We expect them to be capable and competent on the field of play. We expect members to communicate regularly and honestly with their team captains about availability and with Club leaders concerning organizational matters. We expect members to be engaged in the Club outside of game time, to assist their fellow members in the proper operation of the Club, and to be exceptional hosts to the nines that come to visit us. We expect our members to LOVE the CVBBC and help it succeed... obviously!

Usually, yes. There are times, however, when one team needs players more than another, so we have to direct new players to one team in order to keep that team operational. Each team does have its own personality, though; friendly as we may be, there is a genuine rivalry between the Red Stockings and the Buckeyes! Eventually, players will be able to migrate to the team they enjoy playing on more. Players are also encouraged to purchase both uniforms in order to help the other team out if they are a bit short of players (though a player may only be on one roster at a time).

First thing to do is to contact us and let us know you're interested in playing! Once you've given us your intention to join along with your first year of dues, you'll be put on a roster, where the Captain will find out more about you and your availability.

You'll also be given info on how to acquire your uniform. You’ll meet with our seamstress who’ll make the necessary parts of each uniform (jersey, hat, and for the Red Stockings, knickers). Then you’ll need to supply the rest (for the Red Stockings, it’s the “red stockings”; for the Buckeyes, it’s navy blue slacks). Both will also require a black leather belt and black non-metal cleats that have all logos and other bright design covered up with black (dark brown is also acceptable - the idea is to appear as vintage 1869 as possible and not draw attention to your feet).

We supply team balls and bats at the games, but you can choose to purchase your own as the opportunities arise. Again, the idea is to appear vintage for 1869, so shades, watches, phones, medical braces and other such sporting equipment must either be left with family in the "stands", at the bench in a period-appropriate bag, or well-concealed under your uniform.

Unfortunately, baseball gloves weren‘t widespread until the 1880’s. Yes, it can hurt at first. Yes, there‘ve been fingers broken. But once you get the proper technique down, it’s really not that bad. Pulled hamstrings and other leg injuries seem far more common than broken fingers... which should serve as a PSA for proper stretching before games!

Not at all! While presenting base ball games is our mission and focus, we always have roles that could be manned by non-players, such as being an umpire, scorekeeper, or any other behind-the-scenes role that could help us with our cause. Even being a team captain doesn't necessarily require playing ball (though it does help to know what you're doing to properly lead a vintage nine).

The biggest role would be that of the umpire, who is there to make sure the match is played fairly. At minimum, it requires someone to dress in their "Sunday-in-1869 best" and call foul balls, settle the occasional dispute and simply look the part. Ideally, though, this person would not only call a fair game, interceding only when asked of the captains, but entertain and educate the crowd on the 1869 game. This is an important role that we could use more help with to improve the experience at Heritage Village Museum and really turn Dan Lyon Field into a destination for all vintage base ball teams.

You can email us right now at contact@cincyvbb.com and let us know you‘re interested in joining. Or, take a look at our teams' schedules (1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings or Cincinnati Buckeyes), come out to our next game and introduce yourself to any one of us. We’re friendly folks who are always interested in adding like-minded individuals to our Club!

On Saturday, April 15, 2023, we are hosting our annual Opening Day Game & Open House, with the hopes that people new to and interested in playing the game will come out and give it a try. The game begins at 12:00pm at Heritage Village Museum.

OR... if you still have questions about joining the Club, email us at contact@cincyvbb.com and ask away!

No. Since our founding in the year 2000, the CVBBC has always been our own private organization. For many years, though, we were sponsored in part by the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame & Museum. As a result, we would be regularly invited to attend special events to advertise the Hall of Fame as well as our own Club. But that association officially ended in 2016, and we currently do not participate in any events hosted by the Cincinnati Reds or the Hall of Fame & Museum.

We are aware that they advertise their own vintage base ball team, but we do not recognize them as such, nor do many in the vintage base ball community. If attending Reds events is more your scene, then they are probably the organization for you; if playing vintage base ball and having fun with Cincinnati's finest vintage club is more your speed, please contact us today!

That said... we do have our own annual spot in the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade that we share with many of our regional vintage base ball friends, and we do still "ROOT, ROOT, ROOT for the Redlegs"... even as this 30+ year rebuild trudges on!