McHenry County Historical Society looking for prospective players for its vintage baseball team

For those ever wondering what it was like to play baseball in the Civil War era, their chance has arrived.

The McHenry County Historical Society is looking for prospective players for its vintage baseball team to practice with the “Club Nine” at 10 a.m. June 5 in Prairie Grove, according to a news release.

“Formed in 2013, the McHenry County “Independants” [spelled that way in a newspaper article more than 150 years ago] follow 1858 rules,” the McHenry County Historical Society said in the release. “That means no gloves, lemon-peel baseballs [stitches meet at the top], no pitched balls from the ‘hurler’ and called strikes only if ‘striker’ swings and misses. A ball caught on the first bounce is considered an out and a ball is ruled fair or foul based solely on where it first touches the ground.”

Participants should be fit enough to run the bases, even slowly, and need to commit to two exhibition games each season, the first of which is at 2 p.m. June 19 at Village Hall Park in Prairie Grove. The Independants are hosting the McLean County Prairie Chickens.

Fans – called kranks, bugs or rooters – are encouraged to use the terminology of the time, telling the players to “lay that willow on that onion” and “hit the apple out of the orchard,” the historical society said in the release.

Those interested should contact historical society administrator Kurt Begalka at kurt@mchenrycountyhistory.org or call the office at 815-923-2267.