In the latest episode of Kaatscast, Captain Drewski of the Delhi Polecats—formerly the Delhi Vintage Baseball Club—talks about the resurgence of vintage baseball in Delaware County, New York.
He shares the story behind a 200-year-old baseball challenge first printed in an 1825 issue of the Delaware Gazette, considered the earliest documented account of an organized baseball game in the United States. Today, the Hamden 9 carry on that legacy, playing by 19th-century rules with authentic uniforms and equipment as part of the town’s bicentennial festivities.
Host/producer Brett Barry explores the rich history, local teams, and community events that celebrate this rare version of America’s pastime—and dives into the intriguing claim that a Catskills newspaper was the first to ever publish a baseball game.
Visit hamden1825.org for more on Hamden, NY’s 200th anniversary celebration.
Image: The Delaware County Vintage Base Ball Association is dedicated to producing historically-accurate and competitive nineteenth century base ball, when rules were changing yearly and only the catcher wore a mitt. (Credit: VisitDelhiNY.com)