Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1909 — Old Time Baseball. [ARTICLE]

Old Time Baseball.

I shall never forget the good times I used to have. Our principal sport was to play ball, but not the kind known as baseball now. That was not heard of at that time. In the old style game we had four stakes, which answered for bases, about four feet high and fifty feet apart. We had a catcher and a man to throw the ball, similar to the pitcher of today. The batter could use a flat bat or anything he wished. The ball was quite soft, and when it was thrown the batter could hit It in any direction he might wish. If he wanted to knock it backward he had that privilege. If he hit the ball he had to run to the first stake, just the same as we run to the first base now. If the ball was caught he was out, but In case It went on the ground and he started to run around the bases the man that got hold of the ball could throw It at him. and if he could only hit him It put him out of the game.—George E. Keith In Huntington School Souvenir Book.