Probably one of the most fun stories I've worked on as a sports journalist. @shakervillageky hosted a Vintage 1869 Baseball Game between the Bluegrass Barons and Cincinnati Redstockings Saturday. pic.twitter.com/V4zCDDCjJC
— Eli Gehn (@EliGehnLEX18) June 15, 2019
Lexington (LEX 18) — What better event is there to enjoy on Father’s Day weekend than a good old fashioned baseball game.
Well that was literally the case Saturday afternoon at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, where the past met with the present.
Shaker Village had its second annual Vintage Baseball game, which featured to Bluegrass Barons and the Cincinnati Redstockings.
“We’re so fortunate to do such cool things here at Shaker Village and have the space to do it,” said Billy Rankin. [We] make really nice friends like we do with the Bluegrass Barons and Cincinnati Redstockings [and] people are attracted to this place, and we’re lucky to be able to do these kinds of activities for the public.”
The vintage matchup featured baseball as it was played 150 years ago. Players and rules were kept as authentic as possible featuring periodic-reproduction uniforms and authentic equipment – wooden bats and no gloves.
“To have that opportunity to play vintage baseball without a glove, it’s a whole new challenge and I love it,” said Cincinnati Redstockings shortstop Chris ‘Rockwell’ Felix. “It brings back the history, I love history. When you get out there and you realize what those guys were thinking and how they went through the game, which is a lot different than today, time was different back then so I love that.”
The Bluegrass Barons are Kentucky’s only Vintage Baseball Association league team. The club began in 2016 and has been in full force ever since, typically playing games at the Waveland State Historic Site.
“It is like a brother hood,” said Bluegrass Barons catcher Kevin ‘Ace’ Garland. “We cheer for each other’s good plays, we cheer for each other’s bad plays, that kind of thing.”
You can catch regular Cincinnati Redstockings games at the heritage Village Museum in Sharonville, OH. The team was formed in 2000 to honor the original 1869 Cincinnati Redstockings who had a historic 57-0 season.
The Barons went on to defeat the Redstockings 42-2.
