Mason is going back to 1865 this weekend — the year the city was incorporated and baseball was beginning to take hold in mid-Michigan.
The Mason Area Historical Society, celebrating 50 years, will bring history to life Saturday with a presentation on old-time baseball followed by an 1860s-style exhibition game at Rayner Park.
Doug Klein, secretary of the Mason Area Historical Society, said 1865 is an important year in Mason's history.
“Well, 1865 for us in Mason was an important year because you'll see that when you come into Mason on our signs welcoming you into town, that we were incorporated in 1865, and so we had our sesquicentennial back in 2015, and so 1865 means a lot to to us here in Mason,” Klein said.
“It’s also the last year of the Civil War, and a lot of our history goes back that far. So 161 years ago, we found out that there were baseball teams starting around the country, and that was true for Mid Michigan too.”
The Capital Base Ball Club will demonstrate how the game was played in the 1860s, including some rules that are very different from modern baseball.
“There are no mitts or gloves that are used, and so as a result they have to play on a grass field, not a baseball diamond,” Klein said.
That is why Saturday's game will be played on the south soccer field at Rayner Park rather than a traditional baseball diamond.
The Capital Base Ball Club will face the Flint Lumber City Base Ball Club at 1 p.m. Saturday. Klein said the game is an actual vintage baseball game, not a staged reenactment.
“But they play on a regular basis, so they have a season that they play. This time, they're playing a team from Flint.”
The Capital Base Ball Club normally plays at Francis Park in Lansing but is coming to Mason for the special event.
The Mason Area Historical Society's presentation begins at 11 a.m. at the Mason Area Historical Museum, 200 E. Oak St. The presentation is free and will cover the rules and history of vintage baseball.
Klein said the history extends beyond Lansing. Mason had its own baseball club in 1865 and later had a team called the Challengers in the 1870s.
“Well, it was surprising to me that all these clubs kind of sprung up at about the same time, so 1865, 1866. Almost everybody who was anybody was thinking about doing it then.”
Klein said baseball clubs were generally organized as recreation for young men in communities.
The vintage players also wear period-style uniforms and use special nicknames for the players.
“It’s really cool. It has this element of cosplay to it, where they actually have old-fashioned uniforms and that kind of thing, the Capitol Baseball Club also has special names for each player, which is nicknames for each player, which is also kind of endearing.”
The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday with free admission. Visitors can attend the 11 a.m. presentation, grab lunch in downtown Mason and then head to Rayner Park for the 1 p.m. game.
The game will be held at the south end of Rayner Park, 730 E. Ash St. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
If rain affects the afternoon game, Klein said the museum will remain open until 3 p.m. with free admission.