The Lansing Senators Vintage Base Ball Club kicked off their inaugural season Saturday at Francis Park against the Monitor Baseball Club of Chelsea.
“It’s just fun to be out with people on a Saturday doing something that you enjoy doing,” said Lansing Senators Captain Michael Jarema.
Captain of the Monitors John Van Hoek said they were happy to kick off their eleventh season by welcoming a new team to the vintage baseball leagues.
“We were really fortunate to meet some good new friends here from Lansing the Lansing Senators playing their first-ever match of vintage baseball,” Van Hoek said.
The teams started off playing by rules from 1867.
“We played a couple innings with our standard fly rules where if you catch a ball in the air it’s an out,” Jarema said
Eventually, they went back even farther to rules from 1863.
“We also played an inning or two with bound rules where if the ball bounces off the ground and then you catch it, it’s still an out,” Jarema said.
Van Hoek said it was an honor to play against the Senators for their first game.
“We were really excited to be able to be the first opponents for the Lasing Senators and kind of show them our take on vintage baseball and that we just love playing,” he said.
Especially after their last season got cut short.
“Last year was very difficult with the pandemic we really didn’t get to play much at all," Van Hoek said. "So, it just felt good to be outside again. It felt good to do what we love with the people we love.”
The Monitors won. The game ended with a 22-2 score. But Jarema said the most important thing was that they had fun and he's happy they started their season against a team with a lot of experience.
“They were really kind with us helping us figure things out and understanding if we didn’t have everything down pat,” Jarema said.
Leading up to their next game in a couple of weeks, Jarema said he knows what to do.
“I think we just need to practice more and that will help,” he said
Jarema was happy to see his dream of starting a vintage baseball team finally come to life.
“We have a baseball team," Jarema said. "This is a real baseball team that came here to play against us because we are also a real baseball team and that is just outstanding.”
The Lansing Senators will hit the road in two weeks to face the Monitor's and the Mount Clemens Regulars in Chelsea for a double header.
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