19^th Century Base Ball

Wilmington, Delaware

About

Diamond State Base Ball Club is a vintage base ball organization dedicated to bringing the 19th-century game back to life. Inspired by the original club of the same name—one of Delaware’s first organized teams—we take the field using period rules, uniforms, and equipment, giving players and spectators a true taste of baseball’s earliest days.We play the game the old-fashioned way: no gloves, underhand pitching, and a strong emphasis on fair play, camaraderie, and spirited competition. As proud members of the National Association of Historic Base Ball Clubs, we’re part of a growing community devoted to preserving and sharing the traditions of early base ball. You’ll find us playing matches at parks, museums, and historic sites, where history and sport come together in a lively and memorable way.Founded in 2008, Diamond State is all about celebrating the roots of the game—and having a great time doing it. While we emphasize fair play, comradery, and historical accuracy, the competition is a meaningful part of our approach. Diamond State proudly claimed both the 2018 National Silver Ball and 2026 National Association of Historic Base Ball Clubs tournament championships.Whether you’re looking to step onto the field or simply enjoy a match from the sidelines, Diamond State always welcomes new players and spectators to join us and experience base ball as it played in the mid-19th century.

2026 SCHEDULE

2026 RESULTS

(Current Record 12-1)

2026 ROSTER

Brian “Triple B” Bartnicki
Matt “Black Bart” Bartnicki
Brian “Anchor” Betts
Ken “Buzz” Bonsall
Frank “Dutch” Brevoort
Adam Christian
Patrick “Short Order” Cook
Jeremy “Colt” George
Keith “Boots” Glines
Sam “Iron” Hirzel
Jeff “Swampy” Kabacinski
Nate “Hawthorne” Kukulich
Constantin Livanov
Sonny “Dewey Devil” Maiorano
Alan “Slick” Menase
Tony “Tiger” Pallanta
Gavin “Spare” Ross
John “Strike” Ross
Craig “Growler” Wensell
Bob “Thunder” Zappaterrini
Rob “Lightning” ZappaterriniUMPIRES
Jeff "Swampy" Kabacinski
John "El Jefe" Medkeff

HISTORY

The Diamond State Base Ball Club of Wilmington was organized on October 2, 1865, during the explosive growth of baseball following the Civil War. The sport itself had evolved gradually from earlier bat-and-ball games played in America and Europe, with standardized rules first popularized by clubs in New York during the 1840s and 1850s. Like many early clubs, Diamond State was founded by local businessmen and professionals who viewed the game as both recreation and social activity.Just days after its founding, Diamond State played the first match between formally organized Delaware base ball clubs, defeating St. Mary’s College of Wilmington 69–26 on October 7, 1865. The club’s home grounds stood at the northwest corner of Delaware Avenue and Adams Street. Soon afterward, the inexperienced Wilmington club challenged the powerful Athletic Club of Philadelphia, one of the nation’s elite teams, and suffered a humbling 104–7 home defeat. Despite these early struggles, the club quickly developed into one of Delaware’s strongest teams.

In 1866, Diamond State became the first Delaware club admitted to the National Association of Base Ball Players, the sport’s first governing body. That same year, the club posted an impressive 17–2 record and defeated every Delaware opponent it faced, earning recognition as the state champion. Diamond State’s success reflected the rapid spread of organized base ball across Delaware, where new clubs formed not only in Wilmington, but in New Castle, Newark, Delaware City, Middletown, Smyrna, Dover, and Milford. In the years that followed, ball clubs formed in nearly every town in the state.The 1866 championship club's most notable players were catcher and captain Andrew Gibney and pitcher Fergy Malone, both recruited from the Olympic Club of Philadelphia. Malone never lost a game as Diamond State’s pitcher and later became one of the early stars of professional baseball and would later play, manage, and umpire in the major leagues. Most notably he starred for the 1871 champion Athletics of Philadelphia. Malone was one of the pro ranks earliest Irish-born players and was regarded as an important pioneer in the development of the catcher position during baseball’s formative years. Gibney, having earlier played for the Gotham Base Ball Club of New York, went on to a short pro career with both the National and Olympic clubs of Washington, D.C.

Diamond State’s dominance proved short-lived. In 1867, they ceded the state championship to city rival, the Wawaset Club, and then disbanded. Diamond State reorganized several times during the 1870s but never regained its former prominence, as stronger clubs, particularly the Wilmington Quicksteps, emerged. By 1878, the original Wilmington club had disappeared, but its legacy endured as one of Delaware’s pioneering baseball organizations and an important part of the state’s early sporting history.The “Diamond State” name itself briefly lived on with unrelated clubs organized in Newark in 1874 and Middletown in 1885, both of which lasted only a single season.

JOIN US

The Diamond State Base Ball Club is always seeking those interested in playing old time baseball, particularly those with prior experience with organized baseball or softball. All others are welcome to try out as well.If you’re not interested in playing but would like to help off the field with tally keeping, field set up, or duties, we’d love to hear from you.Reach us at:

[email protected]

SPECTATOR GUIDE

Diamond State generally plays using the 1864 National Association of Base Ball Players rules, giving you a glimpse of how the game looked over 160 years ago. Sometimes, by agreement, teams use rules from other years in the 1860s or 1870s.
Below are the key differences you’ll notice compared to modern baseball.

• A full guide to 1864 rules can be found here.

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EQUIPMENT
• No gloves: Fielders catch bare-handed, so a bobble or muffed catch is normal.
• Balls: Slightly larger (9½" vs. modern 9") and stitched differently – and a single ball is used for an entire game.
• Bats: Longer, heavier, and less tapered than today’s bats.
• Bases: Smaller squares of canvas (12" each) at first, second, and third.
• Home plate: A flat, circular 9-inch white plate, unlike today’s pentagon-shaped plate.
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FIELD
• Foul lines: Only marked from home plate to first and third bases (90 ft.).
• Foul flags: Placed further down the lines, 100 ft. from the bases, to mark territory that’s clearly foul.
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UMPIRING
• One umpire oversees the entire game from near home plate.
• Calls on runners at bases are made only if requested.
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STARTING THE GAME
• A coin flip decides which team bats first and which takes the field.
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STRIKING
• The striker (batter) stands on a line through the center of home plate, extending 3 ft. on either side.
• Bunting is usually frowned upon, though not officially banned.
• The first striker of an inning is the player who follows the last out from the previous inning.
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PITCHING
• The pitcher stands in a marked area 45–48 ft. from home plate (no mound).
• The ball must be thrown underhand to the striker.
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BALLS & STRIKES
• If the pitcher throws unhittable pitches, the umpire may warn him, then call balls on subsequent bad pitches.
• On the third ball, the striker and all runners advance, even if they are not forced.
• If the striker refuses to swing at good pitches, the umpire may warn him, then call strikes.
• A striker is out after three strikes.
• Foul balls do not count as strikes.
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WHEN THE BALL IS HIT
• An out can be made on a catch on the fly or a single bounce, including foul tips backward to the catcher.
• A fair ball touches the ground, a player, or an object inside the lines extending from home through first and third bases.
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BASE RUNNING
• Runners cannot advance on foul balls.
• On a foul ball, a runner may be put out if the ball is returned to the pitcher and then thrown to the base before the runner returns. The pitcher can receive the ball anywhere on the field.
• The batter-runner can be tagged out if he overruns first base.
• There are no base coaches; teammates may call advice from the bench at any time.
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TIPS FOR SPECTATORS
• Expect slower pitching but more strategic base running.
• Watch for catches on a bounce—they count as outs!
• Fielders often look bare-handed and agile, so some “misses” are part of the game.
• The game is as much about sportsmanship and tradition as competition.