All photos in this chapter are © by Joe Konz
As a longtime baseball fan, I was delighted and intrigued when I learned that there was something in central Indiana called the Vintage Base Ball Association ... and that some of its teams played games in Garfield Park.
I first learned about it in 2010, although the VBBA, on its website, says it’s been around since 1996. The VBBA adopted as its mission the goal of preserving, perpetuating and promoting base ball (and yes, it spells baseball as two words that way) “as it was played “during its formative years in the 19th century and other historic eras.”
I first learned about it in 2010, although the VBBA, on its website, says it’s been around since 1996. The VBBA adopted as its mission the goal of preserving, perpetuating and promoting base ball (and yes, it spells baseball as two words that way) “as it was played “during its formative years in the 19th century and other historic eras.”
One of the important ways to achieve those objectives, the VBBA says, is to “conduct all matches, meetings and other activities – on and off the field – according to the highest standards of sportsmanship, gentlemanly behavior, courtesy and respect for others.”
One easy way to spot players in the Vintage Base Ball League are the baggy, old-style uniforms. Such as the ones worn above in the sepia-treated monochrome conversion. The above image, showing players for a combined team from two St. Louis squads -- the Perfectos and Unions -- was taken Sept. 16, 2012, during a tournament at the park. I was inspired to apply the sepia treatment by the Old English fonts of their uniform lettering ... and, well, the whole vintage thing.
The photo below was taken during another tournament at the park on June 19, 2010.
I made three visits to the park in all to shoot Vintage Base Ball action. The third was actually, in chronological order, the second visit, which occurred on May 6, 2012.
In October 2023, while perusing the VBBN’s current list of teams in the country, I noticed that a few teams I photographed in Garfield Park are no longer listed – the St. Louis Unions and Perfectos, the Batesville Lumbermen and West Lafayette Couriers, for example.
In October 2023, while perusing the VBBN’s current list of teams in the country, I noticed that a few teams I photographed in Garfield Park are no longer listed – the St. Louis Unions and Perfectos, the Batesville Lumbermen and West Lafayette Couriers, for example.
On the other hand, several others I remember from that period 10-12 years ago – the White River Base Ball Club, the Indianapolis Blues and Vermilion (Ill.) Voles – are still listed and active. Other Indiana active clubs today according to the website list are the Black Flags BBC of Drovertown, Deep River Grinders BBC, Elkhart County Railroaders and Valparaiso Lookouts.
Next up: Final Chapter 40: The Mayor of Garfield Park, a tribute
Previously in the Garfield Park in Pictures series:
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