How to Get Involved in Vintage Base Ball, Including Starting a Team

Updated

The VBBA (Vintage Base Ball Association) offers two main paths to get involved: join an existing club near you, or start your own team and join the association. The site's "Get Involved" section points to both options, plus a third way to participate—signing the petition to support Doc Adams for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The right path depends on whether a club already exists in your area and whether you want to play or help grow the game.

Find an Existing Club First

The VBBA states there are over 200 vintage base ball teams across the country, and its "Find a Club" tool is the fastest way to see whether one is near you.

What to do:

  1. Go to vbba.org and use the "Find a Club" link.
  2. Search for teams in your area.
  3. Contact a nearby club to ask about joining, practice schedules, or spectator opportunities.

Expected result: You connect with a club that plays by 19th-century rules and customs, which is the core of what the VBBA promotes.

Common sticking point: If no club appears nearby, the "Find a Club" path won't help—move to the starting-a-team path below.

Start a New Team and Join the VBBA

If there's no club in your area, the VBBA's "Join the VBBA" path is designed for people starting a team or looking to become part of the game.

What to do:

  1. Visit the "Join the VBBA" page on vbba.org.
  2. Follow the instructions for starting a team or joining as a member.
  3. Use the VBBA's resources for member clubs—the association says it supports member clubs in various ways.

Expected result: Your new team becomes part of a national network that plays by the rules and customs of base ball as it was played in its formative years.

Common sticking point: Starting a team means more than registering—you'll need players, a place to play, and a grasp of the historic rules. The VBBA's "Learn More About the Game" page is the place to start on rules and customs.

Other Ways to Participate

Not everyone needs to play to get involved. The VBBA lists additional entry points:

Way to participate What it involves
Sign the Doc Adams petition Support Doc Adams for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and read about The Abner Doubleday Myth
Attend the VBBA conference The 2026 conference is in Phoenix, AZ, March 13–15, 2026, with registration, vendor registration, and a schedule listed on the site
Watch conference recordings Recordings are available on the Videos page and the VBBA YouTube page
Follow VBBA content The official Facebook page shares interviews and history, such as Andrew Schiff's interview with Gary Schiappacasse about Henry Chadwick
Support historic ballparks The site highlights Warren Ballpark in Bisbee, Arizona, built in 1909 and described as the oldest continuously operating multi-sport facility in the country, with a donation option through Friends of Warren Ballpark

Which Path Fits You

  • Choose "Find a Club" if you want to play and a team already exists near you—it's the lowest-effort way in.
  • Choose "Join the VBBA" and start a team if no club is nearby or you want to build something new.
  • Choose the petition, conference, or videos if you want to support and learn about the game without playing.

For rules and customs before you commit, start with the VBBA's "Learn More About the Game" page; for the history behind the game, the site's Chadwick interview and Doc Adams material are useful starting points.