Fit: Past Perfection

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THE ONLY SPORT that's more American than baseball? Base ball. That extra space might seem trivial, but it signifies a difference of about 150 years, back before professional leagues, million-dollar stadiums and even gloves.

Last year, White Marsh resident Jeff Turner, 36, was on the prowl for a sports team. Softball didn't seem very thrilling, and baseball was more competitive than he wanted. Then he stumbled across the Vintage Base Ball Association, a group dedicated to promoting the early rules and practices of the sport. There were already two Maryland teams (one on the Eastern Shore and another in Elkton, near the Delaware border). Turner figured it could be a hit in the Baltimore-D.C. area, too.

He spread the word through Craigslist and the local chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research and, by last summer, the Chesapeake and Potomac Base Ball Club was in the game, playing by rules circa 1864.

"It's like living history," said 35-year-old Ben Pauwels (called "Moon" by his teammates, who have a penchant for nicknames) at a recent game in Elkton, where they played on a historically accurate field — plain grass with bases spread 90 feet apart. A rustic barn stood a short distance from first base; scores were chalked onto a slate board (albeit by a woman in modern garb).

A handful of fans — or "cranks," as they were called back in the 19th century — arrived dressed in period costumes. One might pity the ladies in full skirts and towering floral headgear on an 80-plus-degree day — until one sees the umpire enduring in a tux and top hat.

The players also boast traditional attire: knickers and long-sleeved shirts made from a polyester-wool blend (forgive them for forgoing pure wool), knee socks and brimmed pillbox caps. Their jerseys sport shields emblazoned with the team's insignia — numbers didn't appear for another couple decades. "The uniform looks better than it feels," admitted 27-year-old Wayne Hsieh.

Running around in that getup can make base ball rougher than today's version — plus, the no-gloves mandate can make catching sting (and, no, using hats is also forbidden). But rule tweaks help keep it manageable. Pitching is underhand, and batters strike out if a fielder catches a ball after one bounce.

Once a player gets on base, he is expected to attempt stealing. But he must be careful lest he become a "hand dead," old-timer lingo for an out.

Team historian Richard D'Ambrisi doesn't play, but he does research and reports back to the players about how to improve their authenticity. There are still a few anachronisms, however. "The bats would have been larger and heavier, made from either the spokes of a wagon or the tongue," he concedes. He wears a modern reproduction of the traditional canvas and leather shoes, but they're too slippery for competition, so he lets the guys play in regular sneakers.

Don't confuse this gang with the battle reenactment crew, says Scott Rogers: "No one has to play dead." They certainly dig the hallmarks of the past, but it's more about the camaraderie and exercise, even for Hsieh, dubbed "the Professor" for his job teaching Civil War history at the U.S. Naval Academy. "Base ball, for me, is mostly fun. Otherwise, it would be like work," he says.

And even when they don't win — the Elkton doubleheader ended up being a rout — they finish in high spirits, with each team cheering on the other with three "hip-hip-hurrahs." That's a custom the Nationals could stand to look into.

» A BALL ON THE MALL:
Who needs a time machine to catch a base ball game? You can just take the Metro. This weekend, the Chesapeake and Potomac Base Ball Club has organized a downtown D.C. tournament for the Maryland, New York and New Jersey teams.

» Games will be held at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday on the fields at 23rd Street and Independence Avenue SW. All games are free and open to the public. Plus, team historian Richard D'Ambrisi will have a tent set up displaying antique uniforms and equipment.
» Bone up on the full rules from 1864 on the team's site, where you'll also find a glossary of useful vocabulary. The most important terms: striker (hitter), hurler (pitcher) and scout (outfielder). But you'll really wow the team if you know to call out "stir your stumps" (run fast).

Photos by Holly J. Morris/Express