Vintage LAVBB Seeking Players To Challenge San Francisco
It’s the bottom of the 9th, bags are juiced, two hands, and the home team is down 4 aces to 1. The striker wants a low ball, and the hurler does his best to comply. And with a crack of the bat…
What?
These are some of the terms you’ll hear thrown about at Los Angeles Vintage Base Ball League (LAVBB) games. The LAVBB plays base ball (two words) as it would have been played in 1886. Replace “hands” with “outs,” “aces” with “runs,” and the above statements make perfect sense.
The league is having its inaugural 2016 get-together on Saturday, January 23rd at 10 a.m. It’s a game being played inLawndale at the Alondra Park Baseball Field (on the corner of Prairie Ave & Manhattan Beach Blvd).
And you are invited to play!
The league will provide all necessary equipment and there is no cost to participate. Players may want to wear their favorite pair of spikes, however. After the game, there’s a BBQ where everyone can brag about how good they played during the day (embellishment encouraged).
The LAVBB is the brainchild of local musician, Jay Constable (Barley), who played in a similar league while living in San Francisco. He realized upon moving to the South Bay that such a league does not exist in the area, so he decided to start one.
The LAVBB uses period-authentic equipment – right down to the bats, balls, gloves, and uniforms – and plays by the rules of base ball as they were outlined by Albert Spalding in 1886. It strives to be authentic in every way,down to an umpire (called the “Sir”) dressed in top hat and tails and smoking a cigar.
The goal is to have eight to 10 teams around Southern California and will create a rivalry with the Bay Area league for California bragging rights.
To that end, the league is now looking to recruit players, ideally someone who plays/played softball, baseball in high school or college or even someone who hasn’t picked up a bat since Little League. Talent and skill are not prerequisites for placement on a LAVBB team. Only sportsmanship and love of the game are necessary.
So show up for the first game and for more, connect the commish, Jay Constable at (310)343-0544 or [email protected].
The LAVBB is also on Facebook. Just search for Los Angeles Vintage Base Ball League.
Not in Palm Springs yet; I suggest contacting the event organizers. Cheers!
Would like to know more about the vintage baseball league. I live in the Palm Springs area was wondering if there’s any leads out of here