Historic Base Ball
in Greenfield Village
Special Event at Greenfield Village®
- Most Weekends, June 15-September 2, 2024
- Time: First Pitch 1:30 p.m.
- Location: Walnut Grove
Free for members or with admission.
What happens when you decide to play by a different set of rules? Let’s explore a time when the game was different. When base ball was an amateur sport played town versus town for nothing more than the rush and glory of victory.
Step into a 19th-century summer — when the game was known as “base ball” — as one of the early official rule books comes to life in Greenfield Village. Join in as players parade down Main Street each Saturday before they take the field with the uniforms, equipment and umpiring used in 1867. Cheer on the action alongside live brass music and the whistle of a passing steam locomotive. Root for Greenfield Village’s two teams, the Lah-De-Dahs and the National Base Ball Club, as they take on rival clubs from across the Midwest.
This is the origin of America’s pastime. Base ball the way it was meant to be played — an action-packed gentleman’s game, gloves optional.
World Tournament of Historic Base Ball: It’s a championship like no other. Every summer, we commemorate Detroit’s 1867 World Base Ball Tournament with a gathering of teams that play one outstanding weekend of America’s game by the rules of 1867. It is unquestionably the nation’s greatest two-day exposition of historic base ball.
Your Experience Includes:
- Base ball played with uniforms, equipment and rules from 1867
- Live music from the Dodworth Saxhorn Band (featured in Ken Burns’ popular Baseball series for PBS), Saturdays only
- Visiting teams from throughout the Midwest
- Pregame parade through Greenfield Village with the teams
- Live commentary throughout the game by our umpire and scorekeeper
Free Admission for Members
Become a member for free admission to historic base ball games, plus free parking and special perks. Then use your membership for free admission to the museum and village all year.
