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Lewes Base Ball Club wins doubleheader
No gloves, no problem; vintage team brings back rules of the game in 1864
Ed “Chief” Rush fires an underhand pitch toward the plate during a May 20 Lewes Base Ball Club doubleheader with Diamond State from Delaware City. Lewes won both games. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
May 23, 2023
The Lewes Base Ball Club won a home doubleheader 11-8 and 8-1 over Diamond State Baseball Club of Delaware City May 20 at the Villages of Five Points field.
Formed in 2012, the team plays by 1864 rules, which include no gloves and catching balls on the bounce for an out. Outs are called hands, and the umpire is an arbiter.
The first reference to a local baseball game dates back to Feb. 28, 1874, when Lewes and Milton played.
Lewes Base Ball Club will host the Baseball at the Beach tournament Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Villages field. For a schedule and more information, go to lewesbaseball.org.
Lewes Base Ball Club’s Adam “Hans” Baker slides safely into second base as Diamond State’s Rob “Lightning” Zappaterrini tries to locate the ball.
Russ “Five Points” Huxtable keeps his eye on the ball as he awaits a pitch.
Pat “Bulldog” Zmuda rounds third and heads for home in his team’s first game May 20.
Rhawn “Shorty” Short steps up to the plate. The left-hander is one of the hardest hitters on the Lewes Base Ball Club. His father, the late Chris Short, was a Phillies pitching legend from 1959 to 1973.
It may not be Iowa (as in the movie “Field of Dreams”), but it’s still old-time baseball played in Lewes.
Doug “Coop” Cooper is ready to take a swing at the ball.
