Creating a Sports Guild at Allaire Village (Part II)

Creating a Sports Guild at Allaire Village (Part II)

By Russ McIver

To read the first part of Russ’s article, visit our previous post. 

Things were slow the first day, but with a little recruiting help from fellow villagers it took off! From that point on, Townball has been a popular activity at the Village. Some of my happiest moments as a volunteer at Allaire come when I overhear visitors say “this is fun”, and younger volunteers telling their parents about it as they are picked up at the end of the day.

To my knowledge, visitors and Villagers participating in 1831 Philadelphia Townball at Allaire Village are involved in a unique experience not replicated anywhere else in the country! Most other historical site interpretations of Townball play the 1850’s Massachusetts-style Game. We play the game that Howell Works residents most likely would have known.

The Bog Iron Boys practicing for the big game!

While playing Townball in the Village, we are also recognizing an overlooked episode in the history of Allaire Village: In early 1898, the baseball team that became the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, needed a place to train for the upcoming season. The new owner, Charles Ebbetts, arranged for the use of the Village and the area around it as a training location. That muddy spring saw Hal Allaire (son of James P. Allaire) fearing for the health of the players, “I’ve expected to see the whole lot laid up with pneumonia”, he told a correspondent for The Cincinnati Post, as he witnessed the players’ rigorous training routine. One of my ongoing works as an Allaire Volunteer is to add more to this story- stay tuned!

Charles H. Ebbets. Bain News Service/Library of Congress.

Allaire Village is celebrating its connection to the National Game with the May 17th event, “Bog Iron Boys Pitching the Past”: A 19th Century Baseball Reenactment, featuring Allaire Village’s own Bog Iron Boys! The company team of the Howell Works takes on the Hoboken 9, and with luck, the Elizabeth Resolutes. Both are members of the Mid Atlantic Vintage Baseball League. The Village will turn all things baseball, as the buildings will have baseball-themed exhibits, the games will be going on in the show field, and all the players will be available to meet afterwards!

Baseball isn’t the only activity the new Sports Guild will be pursuing. But it sure gives it a solid start! If you have any interest in baseball history or other forms of early 19th century recreation, feel free to join the Guild or contact Allaire. I’m always looking for new ideas!

Russ McIver is the Sports Guild Master at Allaire Village. He received one of two 2013 New Volunteer of the Year Awards at the Annual Banquet this past February. Russ’s research and devotion is at the heart of our May 17th Baseball Reenactment, where you will find him as the Bog Iron Boys’ Team Captain! Be sure to come out to our event to learn more!