See the Spiegel Grove Squires Play Vintage Base Ball in Fremont

Did you know baseball was once spelled with two words — base ball? That’s just the beginning of what you can learn about the history of the game from Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums’ resident vintage base ball team, the Spiegel Grove Squires. This summer, the Squires will play vintage-style base ball against other local teams, hosting eight home events on the lawn of the Hayes home on the museum’s historic estate. 

The Spiegel Grove Squires — named for Ohio-born U.S. president Rutherford B. Hayes’s estate, Spiegel Grove — are a group of volunteers that have devoted their time to learning and mastering the version of base ball that first gained popularity in the 1860s. The players are referred to as “ballists,” play bare handed and wear a period-style base ball uniform complete with a ribbon and an S-shaped insignia. Each game is also called using 19th-century base ball terminology. 

You can catch the action at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums for free June 22, June 29, July 13, July 20, Aug. 17, Aug. 24 and Sept. 7. Teams the Squires will face off against include the Canal Dover Redlegs, Bay Villagers, Canton Cornshuckers and Akron Black Stockings. Plus, a team of local celebrities will take on the Squires for the June 29 game.

On June 21, the Squires will play an exhibition game with kids as a part of GroveFest, a free event at Hayes Presidential Library & Museums that shares the Hayes’ appreciation for the outdoors and wildlife.

For more information about the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums visit rbhayes.org.

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