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The Old Ball Game
Manage episode 515755371 series 3672295
It’s a brisk October afternoon in Kingston, New York, for the final game of the Vintage Base Ball 2025 season between the Kingston Guards and the Ulster Nine.
We're at Herzog Field, beside the Catskill Mountain Railroad Station and the Hannaford parking lot, to watch two teams play baseball by 1864 rules.
From “ballists” and “muffins” to hand-caught fly balls and gentlemanly arbitration, this episode dives into the language, spirit, and spectacle of vintage base ball culture.
We hear from:
- Dan Torres, co-founder of the Kingston Guards
- Jon Palmer, team historian and player
- Brady, youngest ballist
- Holley Boncek, vintage baseball umpire
- Max, musician and Kingston Guard
- Brock, and additional members of the Ulster Nine and Kingston Guards
We get to know about:
- The rebirth of 19th-century baseball in the Hudson Valley
- 1864 rule differences: no gloves, fair/foul quirks, gentleman’s umpiring
- The community appeal of vintage sports
Music played:
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (1908) — Edward Meeker, Edison Records
Digitized by the Internet Archive. Public Domain (U.S.).
Links & References:
- Kingston Guards — kingstonguards.com
- Instagram: @kingstonguardsbaseball + @ulsterninebaseball1864
- Vintage Base Ball Association: vbba.org
- Rules of Base Ball (1864 edition) — Library of Congress archive
- Jon Palmer’s photography: @joninthewoods
The Kingston Guards are a nonprofit organization. Donations help fund their community outreach, education programs, and historical research. Visit their website to join, volunteer, or contribute.
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"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.
New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.
Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave
Chapters
1. The Old Ball Game (00:00:00)
2. Arrival At Kurzog Field (00:00:03)
3. Setting The Stage: 1864 Rules (00:00:16)
4. From Conan To Curiosity (00:01:09)
5. Meet The Kingston Guards (00:02:18)
6. Game Day Energy And Injuries (00:03:20)
7. What Makes 1864 Baseball Different (00:07:48)
8. Strategy On The Field (00:08:50)
9. The Mysterious Umpire Arrives (00:09:49)
10. How Umpiring Worked In 1864 (00:10:31)
11. Who Can Play And How To Join (00:12:15)
12. Public Reactions And Recruitment (00:13:48)
13. Accuracy Vs Access: The Conan Question (00:14:37)
14. Season Five And America’s 250th (00:15:26)
15. Community Projects And Local History (00:16:51)
24 episodes
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