World Tournament of historic baseball underway at Greenfield Village – WDIV Detroit

SO GET OUT AND ENJOY. GOING TO HAVE NICE WEATHER. ALSO, IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR THE PERFECT AMERICAN PAST TIME, THE CLASSIC ONE. AND TODAY IT’S BEING CELEBRATED WITH A LOT OF STYLE. GREEN FIELD VILLAGE IS THE PLACE TO BE PAYING TRIBUTE TO BASEBALL TWO. WORDS, BASEBALL. ROB MALONEY IS LIVE IN DEARBORN THIS MORNING. YOU LOOK ALL SET WITH YOUR BALL AND HAT. THIS IS MODERN BASEBALL. THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE AND KNOW. WE WATCH THE TYINGERS LOSE LAST NIGHT TO THE BOSTON RED SOX. SOME OF THE OLDEST NAMES IN BASEBALL. BUT NOW THAT IS THE MODERN BASEBALL. WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK 148 YEARS. ALMOST 150 HERE AT THE GREEN FIELD VILLAGE THIS WEEKEND FOR THE WORLD TOURNAMENT OF HISTORIC BASEBALL. JEFF IS HERE AND CHECK OUT THIS UNIFORM. THIS IS GREAT. AND THIS IS WHAT THEY WEAR AND IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN OUT HERE TO THE HENRY FORD TO SEE THIS, BASEBALL IS DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT, JEFF. TODAY THAN IT WAS KNOW WHO50 YEARS AGO. WE PLAY BY THE RULES OF 1867. IN 1867, THE GAME WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MORE GENTLEMANLY. YOU DID EVERYTHING FOR THE GLORY OF BASEBALL. THERE WERE NO PROFESSIONALS. YOU WERE THERE TO PLAY FOR THE BENEFITS OF GAME AND NOT NECESSARILY FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL BENEFIT. AND THERE WERE DIFFERING RULES IN TERMS OF CONDUCT. YOU SAID GENTLEMANLY PLAY BUT ALSO LIKE WE WATCHED GUYS SPITTING IN THE DUG OUT. THEY WEREN’T ALLOWED TO DO THAT THEN? NOT AT ALL. IN 1867, THE WHOLE PURPOSE FOR ONE OF THE BIG PURPOSES OF BASEBALL WAS TO BRING WOMEN THERE. IT WAS THE MORE GENTLEMANLY PURSUITS OF THE GAME. SO SPITTING WAS LOWERING YOURSELF OF WHAT A CONDUCT OF A MAN WOULD BE. ALL RIGHT. JEFF IS A HISTORIAN ALONG WITH A BALLPLAYER AND THERE WILL BE A BUNCH OF TEAMS PLAYING IN A TOURNAMENT. SO THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT TIME. IF YOU WANT TO WATCH, IT STARTS AT 9:30. LET’S GO TO OUR FULL SCREEN AND SHOW THE DEAL F YOU’RE A HENRY FORD MEMBER, IT’S FREE TO COME OUT AND WATCH THE BASEBALL. BUT, IF YOU’RE AN ADULT, IT’S 25 BUCKS. 22.50 FOR SENIORS. 18.75 FOR 5-12 AND THEN FREE KIDS 4 AND UNDER. YOU CAN ALSO GET DISCOUNTED TICKETS AT MEYER AND ALSO A $6 PARKING CHARGE OUT HERE. THEY WILL BE PLAYING OLD-FASHIONED HIS STORIC BASEBALL AT THE HENRY FORD AND COMING UP, ON LOCAL4 NEWS IN OUR NEXT EDITION OF THIS, WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THEY PLAY WITH TODAY AND THE ONE THEY USED TO PLAY WITH DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME OUT HERE. BACK TO YOU GUYS. PRETTY COOL STUFF. YOU KNOW THE TYINGERS WEAR THE THROW BACK JERSEYS? HAVE PLENTY OF SEATS TO FILL. TODAY IS AMERICA’S FAVORITE PAST TIME IS BEING CELEBRATED. N GREEN FIELD VILLAGE AND OUR ROD MA LEANY IS LIVE THERE — ROD MALONEY IS THERE THIS MORNING. YOU’RE UP. BATTER UP! AND THE BALL IS THE THING WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS HOUR. JEFF IS A HISTORIAN AND PLAYER FOR THE DETROIT — THE GREEN FIELD VILLAGE LADDIE DAS ORIGINALLY FROM MICHIGAN. THIS IS ONE OF SIX TEAMS THAT WILL BE HERE THIS WEEKEND. AND IT STARTS AT 9:30 AND GOES UNTIL WHAT? THE LAST GAME WILL PROBABLY GET DONE AROUND 5:00 AND THEN SUNDAY GAMES UP UNTIL 5:00 AS WELL. TALKING TO JEFF IS AMAZING BECAUSE YOU GET THE WHOLE HISTORY OF BASEBALL AND IT’S FASCINATING. FOR INSTANCE, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE BALL HERE. THIS IS THE BALL THEY PLAY WITH TODAY. I BOUGHT THIS AND YOU CAN SEE THE DO. THERE. I BOUGHT THIS AT THE PARK RECENTLY. THIS IS THE BALL THEY USED TO PLAY WITH. TELL US WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS AND HOW IT WORKS BECAUSE IT IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT THAN MODERN DAY. THE BALL IN 1867 IS BIGNER CIRCUMFERENCE AND HALF OUNCE HEAVIER BUT MADE OF THE SAME MATERIALS. LEATHER, YARN AND RUBBER. THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM IS THIS BALL GETS TAKEN OUT OF PLAY AFTER 5 OR 6 PITCHES FOR WHATEVER REASON AND THIS BALL HAS TO STAY IN FOR ALL OF 9 INNINGS OF THE GAME. BRUTE BY THE TIME WHO ISSUES THE CHALLENGE AND THE WINNING TEAM GETS TO KEEP IT AS THE TROPHY. AND YOU HAVE A TROPHY? I HAVE A TROPHY BALL. SO THIS BALL HAS BEEN THROUGH ONE GAME. IF THEY HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK OR THE WOODS YOU HAVE TO GO GET. IT’S THE BALL. SO THE SPECTATORS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN IT TO THE GAME F IT IS HIT INTO THE WOODS YOU STOP THE GAME AND FIND IT. NO SEWN EARS? NO. THIS IS THE. HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED A BALL WHERE THEY COULDN’T FIND IT? YES AT THE END OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS A LAKE. SO WE HAD TO GET A TROPHY BALL OUT AND BRING IT INTO PLAY FOR THE REST OF THE GAME. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT DISTINCT. WHEN YOU PITCH THIS BALL NO OVER HAND. NO OVER HAND. THAT WON’T COME ABOUT FOR AT LEAST UNTIL THE 1880s, IT’S ALL UNDER HAND PITCH. STILL GOING TO COME IN RATHER SWIFTLY BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO GET SNELLED YOU’RE A PITCHER. BUT IT’S ALL UNDER HAND STYLE PITCHING. SO MUCH MORE TO TALK ABOUT. THE BATS, THE RULES, AND THAT KIND OF THING. THE RULES ARE VERY INTRICATE LET’S. TAKE A LOOK WHAT THE IS GOING ON OUT HERE TODAY. IT IS THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT OF HISTORIC BASEBALL. IT’S FREE FOR MEMBERS OF THE HENRY FORD. BUT IF YOU’RE NOT A MEMBER, STILL COMMIT O $25 FOR THE ADULTS, $22.50 FOR SENIORS. $18.755-12 AND FREE FOR 4 AND UNDER KIDS. GET DISCOUNTED TICKETS AT MEYERS AND PARKING IS $6. THEY START AT 9:30 A.M. AND GO UNTIL 4. THEY WILL HAVE A LOT OF BASEBALL. FASCINATING TO WATCH AND LEARN ABOUT AND WE’LL BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES AND WE’LL SHOW YOU THE RULE BOOK. THAT WILL CURL YOUR HAIR. BACK TO YOU. I LIKE TO SEE THE MAJOR LEAGUERS PLAY WITH ONE BALL LET’S. SO, IF YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT, TODAY IS THE DAY. AND THEY DON’T USE MITTS. THEY SPELL BASEBALL WITH TWO WORDS AND THE BALLS THEY USE ARE REALLY BIG. THIS WEEKEND, BASEBALL TAKES A STEP BACK IN TIME AT GREEN FIELD VILLAGE. THIS IS GREAT WHERE ROD MALONEY IS LIVE FOR THE WORLD TOURNAMENT OF HISTORIC BASEBALL. TWO WORDS. YES, TWO WORDS. AND TAKE ME OUT TO THE BASEBALL DIAMOND HERE AT THE HENDRY FORD AND WITH ME IS JEFF, A HISTORIAN, PLAYS ON THE TEAM, YOU GIVE UP YOUR ENTIRE SUMMER FOR THIS? IT’S WHAT I LIKE DOING. IT’S WHAT I ENJOY MOST. I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS NOW AND I CAN’T THINK OF MYSELF WITHOUT IT. 11 YEARS? YOU HAVE GIVEN UP 11 SUMMER? 11 SUMMERS. YES, I HAVE A VERY UNDERSTANDING WIFE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. INDEED YOU DO. SHOW ME THE RULE BOOK BECAUSE THE RULE BOOK IN 1867. YES. THE RULES WERE PUBLISHED EVERY YEAR BUT THE RULES THAT WE GO BY IS 1867, DETROIT HOSTED THE BIGGEST BASEBALL TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR HERE IN THE CITY OF DETROIT. AND HENRY CHADWICK PUBLISHED THESE RULES IN HIS COMMENTARY SO HOW HE FELT THE GAME SHOULD GO PLAYED AS WELL. AND A DETROIT TEAM. A JACKSON TEAM THAT WON THE FIRST, WHATEVER YOU MIGHT CALL THE WORLD SERIES? A TEAM FROM JACKSON WON THE ORIGINAL WORLD TOURNAMENT BASEBALL IN 1867 BUT HOSTED BY THE DETROIT BASEBALL CLUB. SO SEVERAL TEAMS FROM DETROIT. TUESDAY IS 156 ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST GAME OF BASEBALL PLAYED IN THE CITY OF DETROIT BETWEEN THE DETROIT BASEBALL CLUB AND THE EARLY RISERS. AMAZING. WE ARE THE EARLY RISETHERS MORNING. GIVE ME A QUICK RUN DOWN OF SOME OF THE RULES THAT ARE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT. A PITCHER HAS TO DELIVER THE BALL UNDER HAND MANNER. IT CAN’T BE AN OVER HAND STYLE OF PITCHING. THE FOUL TERRITORY WHEN A BALL IS DECLARED FOUL, A RUNNER CANNOT ADVANCE ON IT AND THEY CAN BE PUT OUT IF THEY DON’T GET BACK TO THE BASE FAST ENOUGH. AND IN THE DEFENSIVE SITUATION, IF THE BALL BOBS ONCE IN FOUL TERRITORY AND A DEFENSIVE PLAYER CATCHES IT IT’S STILL AN OUT. WE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF TEAMS, 16 TEAMS WILL BE OUT HERE TODAY AND LET’S SHOW YOU IF YOU WANT TO COME OUT AND WATCH THIS OLD BRAND OF BASEBALL, FASCINATING TO WATCH. IT’S FREE FOR MEMBERS. 25 BUCKS FOR ADULTS IF YOU’RE NOT A MEMBER OF THE HENRY FORD. 2250 FOR SENIORS, 18.75 IF YOU’RE BETWEEN 5-12 AND FREE FOR THE KIDS 4 AND UNDER. GET A DISCOUNTED TICKET AT MEYERS. THEY HAVE PARKING AT 6 DOLLARS T RUNS FROM 9:30 A.M. UNTIL ABOUT 4:00 THIS AFTERNOON. THE NATIONAL HIS STORIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT RIGHT HERE AT THE HENRY FORD ALL DAY TODAY. A LOT OF FUN AND SO, WE’LL HAVE ONE MORE HIT HERE. COMING UP, WE’LL BASE BALL. ,GOT TO BE THAT WAY. FASCINATING STUFF. FOR BETTER ACCESSIBILITY. IT’S STILL COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S LARGEST CAPACITY STADIUM. JUMP BACK IN TIME AND SEE HOW BASEBALL WAS PLAYED BACK IN THE DAY. WE ARE TALKING 19TH CENTURY. THIS IS ALL HAPPENING AT GREEN FIELD VILLAGE FOR THE WORLD TOURNAMENT OF HISTORIC BASEBALL. THAT’S WHERE ROD MALONEY IS THIS MORNING. HERE WE ARE AT THE HENRY FORD. A GORGEOUS MORNING FOR BASEBALL. AND BACK IN 1867, BASEBALL WAS BASE BALL. TWO WORDS. HERE IS JEFF. HISTORIAN, PLAYER FOR THE LADDIE DAS, WHICH WAS A REAL TEAM? A REAL TEAM FROM WATERFORD, MICHIGAN. TELL ME ABOUT BASE BALL AND THE TWO WORDS AND HOW IT MORPHED. IT WAS ONE OF A WHOLE SLEW OF STICK AND BALL-TYPE GAMES. SOME WERE JUST SIMPLY CALLED BASE OR STOOL BALL. BUT BASE BALL WAS ORIGINALLY A TWO-WORD PHRASE BUT AS IT BECAME MORE AND MORE POPULAR, NEWSPAPERS TRYING TO SAVE HEADER SPACE EVENTUALLY MORPHED IT INTO ONE WORD. BASEBALL. THANK YOU FOR THE “NEW YORK TIMES.” TELL ME ABOUT THE BAT. THE BAT IS DIFFERENT TOO, RIGHT? THE BAT, IN 1867, HAD TO BE AT MOST 2 1/2 INCH BARREL AND TODAY IT’S ABOUT 2 AND 5/8. AND THE TAPERING IS DIFFERENT SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A THICKER HANDLE BUT OTHERWISE THE BAT ISET FROMY WELL SIMILAR. WE HAVE BATS MADE OF ASH AND MAPLE LIKE THE PROS TODAY. CAN YOU HOLD THIS FOR ME? I’M GOING TO TAKE A SWING. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR BACK FOOT ON THE WHITE LINE.