The Vintage Lewes Base Ball Club plays according to the rules of 1864

The Lewes Base Ball Club lost a doubleheader against the visiting Deacons from Southern New Jersey on June 29th by 11-8 and 15-13 at the Villages of Five Points field.

John Chisholm, pitcher and coach for the Deacons, said this was the first time the prison chaplaincy team had played outside of a prison. Chisholm also plays for the Lewes Base Ball Club. Warren “Yankee” Miller, who retired from the Lewes team last year, also played for the prison chaplaincy team.

He said the team is preparing for its Bay Loop Crusade, which will feature games at Sussex Correctional Institution, Eastern Correctional Institution and three Virginia prisons.

The Lewes Base Ball Club plays by the rules of 1864, which include that balls must be caught on impact to be out, that fielding gloves cannot be used, and other rules of the 19th-century American pastime apply. Pitchers throw from under the ground and stand 45 feet from home plate.

Next up for the club is a trip to the National 19th Century Base Ball Festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 20-22, where the team will challenge clubs from New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and more. The annual Base Ball at the Beach Festival will be held August 24-25.

The Lewes Base Ball Club traces its origins back to 1874 and will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first recorded baseball game in Lewes during the 2024 season.

The current team was re-formed in 2010 and was crowned Delaware state champions in 2016 and 2023. Interested players and volunteers are asked to contact the club via the Facebook page or email. [email protected].