Batter Up Bovina to Host 19th Century Base Ball Fest

A former dairy farm in Bovina Center will become the epicenter of 19th century baseball this weekend as the Delaware County Vintage Baseball Ball Association and Livestock Foundation host the 5th Annual Cowtown Scramble Vintage Base Ball Festival. Saturday, October 4th play begins at 10am with games every hour and forty-five minutes across three fields and wraps up with a family-friendly concert by Daria Grace and the Pre-War Ponies at the new Creamery Park pavilion. Sunday’s games begin at 8:30am and wrap up with the final matches concluding around 3:30pm. Baby Smoker BBQ will be cooking all day and into the evening for festival-goers. The Creamery Park pavilion will be open during games on Sunday.

Most games will be played according to the rules and customs of 1864 before mitts were common, the pitching was underhand and balls caught on the bound were an out. With eleven teams from six states participating, organizers say this is the largest turnout since the festival launched in 2021. The following slate of teams will be participating: 

Atlantic of Brooklyn, Bovina Dairymen, Brickmakers of Saugerties, Polecats of Hamden, Kingston Guards, Mountain Athletic Club, Mutual of N.Y., Rising Sun of Maryland, Providence Grays, Tri-Mountain of Maine, and the Westfield Wheelmen. 

Admission to the event and post-game concert are free and spectators are encouraged to bring their own seating. Catskill Mountain Little Leaguers will be on hand for parking assistance, distributing festival programs, accepting donations. 

Creamery Park is located at 1394 County Highway 6 Bovina, NY. For lodging suggestions and more information, visit www.delcovintagebaseball.org/festival.