As the weather gets warmer, most clubs in the MAVBBL are getting ready to start their season.  On March 28th, the MAVBBL got started with a double header between the Chesapeake Nine of Baltimore and the Potomac BBC of Washington DC.  The Potomacs swept the two matches but both contests were close.  While official games were being played near the Nation’s capital, 5 clubs got together for a day of practice and scrimages as veterans and muffins gathered at Elk Landing in Elkton to either learn the rules, learn to catch without gloves or learn how to swing a wood bat the same way as it was done in 1864.  It was a great day of rekindling and starting new friendships as over 50 players from Philadelphia, Delaware, Elkton, Havre de Grace and Arundel came together to start knocking the rust off to start a great season.

In other news, one of the MAVBBL’s own was re-elected as Vice President of the Vintage Base Ball Association.   Congratulations to Paul Salomone of the Elizabeth Resolutes on his reappointement.  Paul also gave a speech to the clubs in attendance at the National Convention of the VBBA in Port Huron, Michigan about the MAVBBL.

The first big festival of the year involving MAVBBL clubs is coming up on April 24 and 25 in Elkton as the 4th Annual Chopper Festival will take place.  The following clubs are scheduled to appear:  Elkton, Delaware, Somerset, Philadelphia, Flemington, Elizabeth, Talbot, Chesapeake, Havre de Grace, Potomac and Arundel.  Stay tuned on the website for more information.

The MAVBBL’s Expansion committee is going to be headed up by the Diamond State’s Captain, John Medkeff.  This committee is looking at viable areas for the MAVBBL to expand to in 2011 and beyond in territories that are not yet served by a vintage base ball club.  Some targets include: Southern New Jersey; Sussex, Delaware; Chester County, PA; north eastern Pennsylvania; York/Lancaster, PA; Gettysburg, PA; Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Richmond, Virginia to name a few areas.  If you are interested in starting a club in these areas or want more information, please contact us!

Several clubs will be playing their first matches ever this month including the clubs from Philadelphia and Arundel.  There is still room on their rosters for more players.  If you are interested, please contact them or us and we’ll get you going in no time.  Vintage base ball is an easy sport to pick up right away- it just takes a long time to “master” it, but anyone from 21 to 75 can play it–all you need is a love of the history of the game and a desire to meet like minded people.  Huzzah!

  Mid Atlantic Region— The Mid Atlantic Vintage Base Ball League (MAVBBL) announces the kick off of its 2^nd season.  The league has more than doubled in size from 6 clubs in 2009 to 13 in 2010.  The original six clubs are joined by some of the most established and finest vintage clubs on the east coast as well as several new clubs to round out the league.  The circuit now extends from Brooklyn in the north to Williamsburg in the south.  Three divisions:  the northern division, eastern division, and southern division make up the 2010 league.

The Northern Division is made up of some of the best clubs in the Vintage Base Ball Association (VBBA).  The clubs include: the New York Gothams out of New York City, the Brooklyn Atlantics from Smithtown, Long Island; the Flemington (NJ) Neshanock, and the Elizabeth (NJ) Resolutes.  The Eastern Division is made up of the defending league champion Elkton (MD) Eclipse as well as the Chesapeake Nine from Baltimore; the Diamond State Base Ball Club of Delaware; the Dauntless Base Ball Club of Havre de Grace (MD) and newcomer the Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia.  The Southern Division is made up of perennial power Talbot Fair Play BBC from Easton, MD as well as the Potomac Base Ball Club of Washington, DC and the Pastime BBC of Williamsburg (VA).  The newest club in vintage base ball will reside in the Southern Division in the Excelsior BBC of Arundel from Glen Burnie, MD.

The 13 clubs will be competing throughout the Summer by playing base ball (two words) the same way it was played in 1864 while civil war still ravaged and divided the country.  When fans come out to see a MAVBBL match, they will be transported back in time and see matches played using the same rules and customs used in 1864 using the same style of uniforms and equipment that clubs in the infancy of the nation’s pastime used.  Each club plays matches from the beginning of April until the end of October.

Each club will play each other club in its division at least once and no more than 4 times throughout the season.  The clubs with the best winning percentage in each division will move to the post season on October 2 and 3 in a format still to be determined.  Clubs not only will play matches within their division but also will play most of the other clubs in the league as well as participate in events with other vintage base ball clubs as well as compete in tournaments and festivals throughout the season.

Sanctioned MAVBBL tournaments in 2010 include the 4^th Annual Chopper Festival in Elkton on April 24 and 25 featuring 12 clubs from the league and the inaugural First State 19^th Century Base Ball Festival at Fort Delaware on May 22-23 with 14 clubs from Connecticut to Virginia.  MAVBBL clubs will be playing in other prestigious tournaments and festivals including the Silver Ball Tournament in Rochester, the NY/NJ Cup, the Gettysburg 19^th Century Base Ball Tournament, the John Clarkson Classic in Cooperstown, the Colt Meadows Invitational, and the Old Time Base Ball Festival in Old Bethpage.

Keep up with the MAVBBL all year long by visiting the league’s website at http://www.mavbbl.wordpress.com .  A fan and the press can find everything from field locations and directions, schedules of clubs, results, standings, rules, match of the week information and much more.  The first league match is March 28 when the Chesapeake Club visits the Potomac Club of Washington.

This is the official site of the Mid Atlantic Vintage Base Ball League which plays base ball (two words) the same way it was played in 1864 using the same style uniforms and equipment and using the same rules and customs as were used just after the Civil War. 

The League in 2010 has more than doubled in size from 6 clubs in 2009 to 13 in 2010.  It now extends from Southern Virgina to New York City with the addition of some of the finest clubs in vintage base ball as well as some newcombers for the upcoming season.

The League is made up of 3 divisions: The Southern Division made up of Williamsburg, Potomac, Talbot and Arundel; The Northern Division consisting of Brooklyn, Flemington, New York, and Elizabeth; and the Eastern Division which includes Philadelphia, Delaware, Elkton, Havre de Grace and Chesapeake.

The league plays matches from the beginning of April until the end of October each year.  Each club is required to play each club in its own division at least once and no more than 4 times.  The club with the best winning percentage in each division will move on to post season play.

For more information about the league, please browse through this website for directions to individual clubs fields, schedules, results, links, press releases, and game of the week information as well as the rules and much more. After looking through our site, please come out and visit one of our fine matches located from southern Virginia to the south and as far north as Long Island, New York.  So step back in time to an era of gentlemanly play before million dollar contracts, televisions,….and gloves!