The Farmers Branch Mustangs faced off Sunday against our own Rockwall Retros in the first-ever Vintage Base Ball Game & Car Show at the RISD Campbell Spring Sports Complex across from the high school. Played according to rules as they existed in 1860, in period uniforms and wooden bats, the game provided an object lesson in how Base Ball (as it was known then) has changed, yet remains the same. Over the last 150 years, many rules have evolved, but the game still shows why it was and has remained Americas Game.
The Heritage Brass Band set the tone with tunes from the era until game time, when Mayor Bill Cecil threw the first pitch to begin the main event. Players with nicknames like “Crusher”, “Muffin”, “Bear” and “Chuckwagon” gave each other their best steely-eyed glares as the score seesawed back and forth throughout the nine-inning thriller. It was down to the wire in the second half of the ninth before the game was decided in favor of the Retros by a score of 9-8.
The Teams
Rockwall Retros
Irv Swerve Avila
Frank The Tank Fite
Sherri Crusher Fite
Mikey Too Tall Brown
Don The Babe Deering
Marcus Spy Murphy
Gil Boodler Nelson
Tyler Muffin Holmes
Maribeth The Vacuum Harper
Carl Clean Up Harper
Farmers Branch Mustangs
Cap
Hurler (pitcher)
Bear
Buffalo
Bubba
Catfish
Shiny
Chuckwagon
Woody
Throughout the game fans won prizes provided by game sponsors:
American National Bank * Auto Zone * Brakes USA * Brookshires * Costco * Culvers * Frank Fite and The Fite Agency * Johnny Carinos * Kroger * McDonalds * Richards Barbeque * Sail With Scott (Seawolf) * Velocity Industrial * Walmart
Bob Lewis
Contributing Writer
