{"product_id":"c-1908-usa-rppc-geneva-ny-hydrants-firemen-indoor-baseball-team","title":"c.1908 USA RPPC Geneva NY Hydrants (firemen) indoor baseball team","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003ePhoto postcard of the Geneva NY Hydrants indoor baseball team, with 10 players and their coach. The Hydrant Hose Company was founded in 1880 and is Geneva’s oldest volunteer fire company.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eScarce image!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eIndoor baseball—sometimes called “indoor base ball”—was a variant of baseball played in gymnasiums or halls, especially popular from the 1890s through the 1910s. It was a popular winter pastime for fire departments and athletic clubs in the Northeast Fire companies often formed teams as part of their social and athletic culture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e‘AZO’ photographic paper dates it from 1904-1918.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eToned on back.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eIndoor baseball—sometimes called “indoor base ball”—was a variant of baseball played in gymnasiums or halls, especially popular from the 1890s through the 1910s. Fire companies often formed teams as part of their social and athletic culture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eHow Indoor Baseball Differed from Outdoor Baseball (c.1900–1915)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e1. The Ball\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eMuch softer and larger than a regulation baseball\u003cbr\u003eTypically 12 inches in circumference (today’s softball is 12 inches—this is where softball comes from)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e2. The Bat\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eShorter and lighter. \u003cbr\u003eOften no longer than 30 inches Sometimes flat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Cambria Math',serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Cambria Math';\"\u003e‑\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003esided or modified to reduce rebound\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e3. The Field Dimensions\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003ePlayed in gymnasiums, armories, or drill halls\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eBases placed closer together (often 45–60 feet instead of 90)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eOutfield was whatever space existed—often a wall 40–70 feet behind the infield\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e4. Pitching\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eUnderhand or “restrained” delivery depending on the league\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003ePitcher’s distance shortened (often 35–50 feet)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e5. Number of Players\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eOften 10 players instead of 9\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eExtra fielder used to compensate for small spaces\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e6. Scoring \u0026amp; Pace\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eGames were shorter (5–7 innings common)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eHigh\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Cambria Math',serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Cambria Math';\"\u003e‑\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003escoring but with short hits\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;\"\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003elots of singles, bunts, an\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e- d errors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003e7. Equipment \u0026amp; Safety\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003eGloves were minimal or optional\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chadbourne Antiques \u0026 Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50048813826294,"sku":"CA-5820","price":96.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/7290\/files\/IMG_4243rszTXT.jpg?v=1771993191","url":"https:\/\/chadbourneantique.com\/products\/c-1908-usa-rppc-geneva-ny-hydrants-firemen-indoor-baseball-team","provider":"Chadbourne Antiques \u0026 Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}