Vintage Base Ball National Festival in Gettysburg

The ninth edition of the Gettysburg National 19th Century Base Ball Festival kicks off this weekend with 20 clubs from all over the country converging on Adams County for this great Gettysburg Summertime Tradition!

While the main attraction is the 40 games that will take place on Saturday and Sunday at 965 Pumping Station Road using the rules of 1863, there are many other things to do during the weekend event.

Things get started at 6pm at the Gettysburg Rec Fields in the center of town with a kids clinic put on by the Gettysburg Generals vintage base ball club.  Following the clinic, the Generals with help from other clubs that are already in town, will take on the Gettysburg Little League Coaches in a game with rules and equipment from 1863.

Saturday morning games kick off at 8:30 on 5 fields and go on until about 5pm.  See players from all over America play using the same rules and customs and playing with the same style equipment and uniforms of the 1860s.

There will be many vendors there selling vintage base ball wares including bats, caps, balls and more.  There will also be local businesses set up giving out information about their companies and of course great ballpark fare for sale as well.  Of course you can bring your own picnic basket in and your own chairs and blankets to this totally free event!

Manny Sanguillen, former Pittsburgh Pirate great, will be signing autographs from 1-3pm on Saturday under the big top (appearance courtesy of Doubleday Inn, a 2018 Festival sponsor)

Also on Saturday, Lawrence Knorr, the author of Gettysburg Eddie will be in the big top signing and selling copies of his book.

Saturday night there will be a bar crawl sponsored by and benefiting LK5K.  Bracelets are $10 and available also at the Big Top.  Several Gettysburg establishments up and down Steinwehr Avenue will be providing specials for participants beginning at 5:30

Sunday morning, the games continue starting at 8:00am and continuing until about 4:30pm.  20 more games featuring clubs from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Rhode Island will take place throughout the day.

The event is free (donations accepted!) and parking is provided by the Gettysburg Little League (donations appreciated).  See  you there!

Beautiful weather ruled the weekend as thousands of fans and participants flocked to the 8th Annual Gettysburg National 19th Century Base Ball Festival as 22 clubs from 10 states battled in optimal conditions during a great weekend of base ball.

44 games took place over the weekend but more importantly old aquentences were renewed and new friendships formed  as over 300 players came together in Gettysburg.

A huge thank you to all of those clubs who came and played and those who umpired. Of course we couldn’t have such a great event without the help of the town’s businesses and organizations. Our great partners included Gettysburg Eddies, Destination Gettysburg, Steinwehr Ave BID, Quality Inn, Best Western, Regemental Quartermaster, Gettysburg Ghost Tours, Brewery Products, Stockbridge Sewing Works, Prowler Bats, 19thC Base Ball, Hockley O’Donell Insurance and many others.

Of course we have to thank our great friends the Schroeders for use of their great farm.  We also want to thank our friends at Gettysburg Luttle League for their assistance with parking this year and for the last 6 years  thank you all!

The results of the games are published on this site.  If your club wants to participate next year let us know  if you even have the slightest interest.  We book early so let us know.  If you want to sponsor or participate in some way let us know.  See you all next year!

The Gettysburg National 19^th Century Base Ball Festival returns to Adams County for the 8^th year in a row as a record 22 clubs from all over America converge on Gettysburg to play base ball the same way it was played in 1863.  This completely free family oriented festival draws thousands to see what base ball was like when it first started out—before million dollar contracts, televisions—and gloves!

On Saturday night, July 15, the 4^th Annual Base Ball Walk Down Steinwehr Avenue will take place at 8pm.  Instead of the typical ghost walk, come out and hear all about 19^th century base ball at this completely free family friendly walk. The event is sponsored by the Steinwehr Avenue Business Improvement District.

After spending the day at the base ball festival, grab a bite to eat and join us starting at 1 Steinwehr Avenue for a stroll down the avenue where we will make stops along the way to hear about 19^th century equipment and uniforms, rules of the day, and famous teams and players from the 1800s.  The event will wrap up about 45 minutes to an hour later at the Reliance Mine Saloon.  The Walk is led by the captain and president of the Flemington Neshanock, Brad Shaw.  Flemington is one of the 22 clubs participating in the event.  Other participants will be using their knowledge of the game to tell you all about it along the way.  If you’re lucky, you may even get Brad to do his great rendition of Casey at the Bat.

Don’t miss this totally free event and make sure you come on out to the Base Ball Festival this weekend!

The 8th Annual Gettysburg National 19th Century Base Ball Festival returns again to Gettysburg for this great annual Summertime family tradition.  22 clubs from all over America are gearing up their wagons, getting on steam ships and hitting the railroad cars to get to central Pennsylvania where they will competing on Saturday and Sunday by playing other clubs by the same rules and customs of 1863 and using the same style uniforms and equipment of the day.

Bring your lawn chairs, shade tents, blankets and picnic baskets and come out and enjoy this completely free family oriented event!  (Parking is managed by Gettysburg Little League and if you’d like to make a donation they would love it!).

965 Pumping Station Road is the location and it starts at 8:30 on Saturday and 8:00 on Sunday and goes on for most of the day.  On Friday night, July 14th don’t miss the kids clinic starting at 6:00pm at the Municipal Fields at 545 Long Lane followed by the All Clubs Match.  Saturday night at 8pm is the 4th Annual Base Ball Walk Down Steinwehr.  Don’t miss a minute of this great weekend!