1880 SILVER DOLLAR

This is a shot of a section of the Silver Base Ball Park - a 19th-century replica ball park (on a very rainy, gloomy day). Looking out across the field you will notice the high end of the fence. Like modern ball parks, advertising was prominently placed. The high board fence in the far right of the field, in fact, was generally reserved for a tobacco advertisement. Info: Homeplate - In base balls early days, home plate was frequently a small inverted washbasin buried in the ground. Later it was replaced by a round metal plate. The proportions of the field are smaller than a modern diamond. The outfield fence is closer, the area behind homebase is smaller, and the pitcher's "mound" is only 45 feet from homeplate and isn't a mound at all. You also won't see rubber covered bases. In the 1860s sand or sawdust filled the bags making first, second and third bases. More info: Aces, matches and strikers -- "aces" were runs, "matches" were games and a "striker" was a batter. In addition players didn't wear gloves, catchers masks or any protective gear. Bats could vary in length and the balls were pitched underhanded much like softball today. Prior to 1865, not only would catching a fly ball produce an out, catching a ball on the first bounce would too. Pitching was done with a locked arm and hand upon the leg. There was only one umpire / referee and his decision was final. However, he would occasionally take into account a spectators view of the play before making a call. This field is located behind George Eastman's Boyhood Home near rthe Antebellum Village section at the Genesee Country Village & Museum, 1410 Flint Hill Road (George Street) in Mumford, NY

Survey markings for where home plate will go in the new Twins ballpark. You can see my silver car just to the left of the 3rd to home baseline. I usually parked there, or a few spots closer to home. Found no markings for the pitcher's mound.