Historic Base Ball Tournament Returns to Greenfield Village

Editor's note: This press release was submitted by Melissa Foster.

Watch as the “boys of summer” battle it out by the 1867 rules for two days during the 11th Annual World Tournament of Historic Base Ball at Greenfield Village, Aug. 10-11.

Just as the Detroit-area hosted the World’s Base Ball Tournament in 1867, Greenfield Village keeps the tradition alive as village clubs—the Lah-De-Dahs and the Nationals BBC—compete against 14 vintage baseball teams from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio until one is declared champion.

Complete with music from the Dodworth Saxhorn Band, dramatic performances and legendary sports artifacts, the weekend has everything that made baseball our great national pastime.

See the actual championship trophy bat awarded to the Unknowns from Jackson, winners of the first-class division at the World’s Base Ball Tournament in Detroit in 1867, along with other baseball artifacts on display at the Luther Burbank Birthplace.

Test your pitching arm or take a lap around the bases in the "1867 Base Ball Skills Test" taking place throughout the day on the village green. Also taking place on the village green, try your hand at Cricket, a pre-Civil War stick-and-ball game, with expert Tom Melvin.

On Sunday, check out the Players Skills Competition and see the most accurate thrower, the fastest runner and the ball thrown the farthest from among the tournament clubs at Walnut Grove.

It all leads up to the championship and reserve championship games on Aug. 11 at 2:30 p.m on Walnut Grove. Stick around for the awards ceremony immediately following the game, where clubs will receive original prizes from the 1867 World’s Tournament, including a $300 cash prize for the champions and a bag of peanuts for the club with the least amount of wins.

The World Tournament of Historic Base Ball is free with membership or admission to Greenfield Village. Tickets are $24 adults, $22 seniors (ages 62 and up), $17.50 youth (ages 5-12) and free for children ages four and under.

For more information, call 313-982-60001 or visit thehenryford.org.