Baseball of Yesterday & Today: Celebrating Dover & Portsmouth NH 400th anniversaries
PORTSMOUTH – “Baseball’s History and Evolution” is the highlight of a day of free family fun at Portsmouth’s historic Leary Field as Dover and Portsmouth join forces to celebrate their respective 400th anniversaries.
The event, Sunday June 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. will feature a double header - two nine inning games with two teams from the Essex Base Ball Association (EBBA) from Newbury, Massachusetts. These "base ball reenactors" play baseball using rules from the 1860s, wear period uniforms and use period equipment.
The Lowell Nine team will play as Dover against the Portsmouth Rockinghams (named after a team that played out of Portsmouth in the 1860s) who will play as Portsmouth. The day will also feature games with teen players from local Portsmouth American Legion Frank Booma Post 6, Dover American Legion Post 8 and Exeter American Legion Post 32. The combination of vintage base ball games and teen players of today will allow fans to experience both the origins of the sport and its current evolution while cheering for both their favorite vintage teams and local young teams. And as a bonus warm up to the vintage double header, adult players from Dover and Portsmouth will play three innings against the vintage team.Mary Lyons, former Portsmouth High School Principal, spoke about the importance of including the younger players, “By including the American Legion Baseball teams whose players range from 13 to 19 years old, we are bringing in the younger generations so they and spectators can see the origin of the game and by the end of the day see the evolution of the sport. It’s a perfect vintage-to-contemporary baseball day!”And Jeanette Poulin, Executive Director of Dover 400, reflected on this collaborative anniversary event. “We are thrilled to see our communities come together for this unique and exciting event. The vintage baseball game between Dover and Portsmouth offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our shared history and love for America’s pastime. We are looking forward to this thrilling clash of historic rivals as they battle it out on the diamond. Let’s play ball!”
Event Schedule
8:30 a.m.: Color Guard – National Anthem; recognition of Legionnaires and American Legion Clubs (Prep: 15 and younger; Junior: 17 and younger; Senior: 19 and younger)
9 to 11 a.m.: Game One - Honorary first pitches by Dover and Portsmouth mayors, games start with the youngest local American Legion teams playing - Prep Divisions, Dover vs Portsmouth
11 to 11:15 a.m.: Attendees will hear brief history and rules of the 1800s sport from Brian Sheehy of the Essex Base Ball Association
11:15 a.m. to noon: Game Two - As a warm up to the noon doubleheader, a team of adult Portsmouth and Dover players will challenge the vintage team for three innings.
12:15 to 3:30 p.m.: Games Three and Four - a double header - two nine inning games featuring two teams from the Essex Base Ball Association (EBBA) from Newbury, Massachusetts. These "base ball re-enactors" play baseball using rules from the 1860s, wear period uniforms and use period equipment. The Lowell Nine play as the Dover team vs the Portsmouth Rockinghams as the Portsmouth team.
3:30 to 4 p.m.: Attendees will hear the history and importance of American Legion Teams
4 to 6 p.m.: Game Five Junior Division, Dover vs Portsmouth American Legion Teams
7 to 9 p.m.: Game Six Senior Division, Exeter Post 32 vs Portsmouth American Legion Team.A rosewood bat which will be used by Brian Sheehy, President of the Essex Base Ball Association, during the vintage games, will be donated to the City of Portsmouth. It was copied from an original 1860s bat in the Portsmouth Historical Society collection that was awarded the Portsmouth Rockinghams after a game against their Concord rivals. According to Tom Watson, “No ordinary bat, it is made of rosewood and bears a silver plate, inscribed, ‘Presented to the member of the Rockingham Nine making the best score in the second match between the Kearsarge Club of Concord and the Rockingham Club of Portsmouth, Sept. 11, 1866.’”Concessions - The Leary Field Concession Stand will be operating throughout the dayMerchandise available Show your Portsmouth Team Spirit bypurchasing your own 3/4 sleeve PNH400 Baseball shirt here: https://www.portsmouthnh400.org/portsmouth-nh-400-mercantile/p/34-sleeve-raglan-shirtEvent sponsors include Essex Base Ball Association; Patty B’s Restaurant; Lyons Law Office and CP Management; Portsmouth NH 400; and Dover 400.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dover and Portsmouth NH to celebrate 400th anniversaries with baseball
