MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Baseball fans looking for a different kind of game can find it in Hutchinson, where players leave behind modern gloves, aluminum bats and fastballs in favor of the rules and traditions of the 1860s.
"There are about 400 teams nationwide," Steve Miller of the Hutchinson Base Ball Club said. "We play or perform baseball in the same way as much as we can as it was played in the 1860s."
The game features several notable differences from modern baseball. Players compete without gloves, use handcrafted wooden bats and handmade baseballs, and pitchers throw underhand. A ball caught after one bounce is still an out, and there are no called balls or strikes, allowing batters to wait for a pitch they want to hit.
"It's an interesting game," Miller said. "It's fast-paced. The ball is in play a lot more than in modern baseball, and it gives people like me, at 52 years old, a chance to play baseball."
The club also strives for authenticity by wearing period-style uniforms. While the team previously played at Orchard Park, irrigation issues have moved games to Rice Park.
A Chance Discovery
For Michael Plank, joining the club happened by accident.
While taking his children to Orchard Park one Saturday morning, he noticed an unusual baseball game taking place nearby.
"They wanted to go play on the playground," Plank said. "I said, 'Let's go check out this baseball game.'"
After talking with spectators and learning about the club's Facebook page, he became involved and now encourages others to do the same.
"We'd love to have more people joining us," Plank said.
The club welcomes players of all ages and experience levels.
A Gentleman's Game
Although many of baseball's original rules remain intact today—including the familiar 90-foot base paths—vintage base ball emphasizes sportsmanship over competition.
"It's very much a gentleman's game—or gentlewoman's game," Miller said. "We have women that play with us."
Players often tip their caps or applaud opponents after exceptional plays, creating a friendly atmosphere rarely seen in competitive sports.
The club's roster ranges from a 12-year-old player to participants in their 70s.
"It's a great game that's kind of an equalizer in terms of athletic ability," Miller said.
Reviving Hutchinson Baseball History
Miller first experienced vintage base ball in 1998 while playing as a guest with the Denver Blue Stockings. He hoped to bring the sport to Hutchinson but waited years before making that vision a reality.
After coaching a local high school baseball team, he organized a vintage game during an end-of-season picnic that included parents, siblings and players.
"They loved it," Miller said. "My wife said, 'You have your team. You have a bunch of friends. You should do vintage base ball.'"
In the fall of 2022, he sent invitations for what he called the revival of the Hutchinson Base Ball Club, inspired by an actual Hutchinson club that existed in 1887.
Today's organization fields two teams: the Salt Packers and the Prairie Dogs.
The Salt Packers name honors Hutchinson's professional baseball team from the early 1900s, which once featured Hall of Fame pitcher Smoky Joe Wood. The Prairie Dogs name was created to reflect the region.
A Community Event
One of the club's goals is making baseball accessible for everyone.
At festivals in Kansas and Nebraska, players have invited spectators—including children, parents and even high school softball players—to join games.
"It's very accessible for people," Plank said.
The Hutchinson Base Ball Club typically plays twice each month, facing its own teams as well as clubs from Emporia, Topeka and Wichita's Cowto
The club returns to Rice Park at 10 a.m. Saturday for an intra-squad game between the Salt Packers and Prairie Dogs. Admission is free, and spectators are encouraged to attend, ask questions and learn about the sport.
The team will also travel to Wichita's Cowtown on July 4 for a doubleheader during the community's semiquincentennial celebration, play an exhibition before the Hutchinson Monarchs' all-star game, and compete at the Czech Festival in Wilson later in July.
Preserving Baseball's Past
For Miller, vintage base ball is about more than simply playing the game.
"It's part sport, part performance," he said. "When you're in a field on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, it feels like you could be in the 1860s. There's something nostalgic about it that's pure. It's a glorious thing. It just makes me smile every time I think about it."
Those interested in attending games or joining the club can find schedules and contact information by searching for the Hutchinson Base Ball Club on Facebook.