Again… The Buckeye Bowl is a one-time special event to kick off the Cincinnati Buckeyes’ 20th 21st season of 1869 base ball, and is to feature Buckeyes past, present, and honorary playing in a fun and unique “Tri-Cornered Game” of vintage base ball… Buckeyes vs. Buckeyes vs. Buckeyes! We will follow it up in classic Buckeye style… some family wiffleball fun.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, this event is not being advertised by Heritage Village. And while it is technically open to the public, it is a reunion FIRST, a vintage base ball game SECOND (we may have a crowd, as one of the very few positives of this pandemic). We hope to see our fellow Red Stockings and other local ball friends in attendance as well… but playing in the game itself is reserved only for former and honorary Buckeyes, by invite. While the aim is to have fun and reconnect with old friends, we also want it to be the same vintage game you remember and that our spectators enjoy.
IMPORTANT NOTES
We will continue to adhere to the same pandemic safety protocol that proved so successful last season. Players are welcome and encouraged to wear masks during the event, especially when not actively playing on the field. Ironically, all players will get a blue bandana to commemorate the event, which was the personal gift from me I had planned BEFORE the pandemic set in… they got a lot of use last year! We also need for players and their families to respect each other’s space and generally adhere to the six foot distancing guidelines. I’m aware the whole idea of this is to socialize with old friends, but we don’t need to be up in everyone else’s face to do it!
The event will go on regardless of most weather; the Buckeyes have a history of enjoying sloppy weather. In case of rain, or possibly even snow, we will do our best to accommodate our bravest guests. We have several pop-up canopies! If you are on Facebook, I invite you to follow our event page for the latest news concerning this day. If we experience a pandemic relapse, however, chances are we’ll have to cancel for good… or at least until our 25th season comes around!
Please take note of these current Heritage Village rules…
• The gravel lot in the Village is reserved for volunteers of Heritage Village and the handicapped. Unless you are one of those, please park in the main lot in front of the Sharon Centre.
• Dogs/pets are NOT ALLOWED on Heritage Village grounds.
• Smoking is NOT ALLOWED on Heritage Village grounds.
• No metal spikes are allowed on the field.
FORMER & HONORARY BUCKEYES
If at all possible, please wear your Buckeye jersey and hat at the very least, if not your full uniform, especially if you plan to play ball! Honorary Buckeyes… if you don’t have Buckeye attire, your team’s uniform will be fine. We will have a limited amount of spares available for the game. If all else fails… white/light grey/navy shirt over dark blue pants is best (not going to care too much about your shoes, just no metal cleats). Our hope is to see the field full of B’s, against a lineup of B’s, with a third team of B’s on the bench in front of even more B’s in the crowd!
I still have plenty of commemorative buttons from our 20th season, which every Buckeye should get and most of our opponents received last season. Newer Buckeye shirts will be available for sale ($15), as will the remaining stock of old Buckeye shirts (<$15).
SCHEDULE OF THE DAY:
10:30am or so – Myself and others will likely be there early to set up for the day and shake off some off-season rust… this’ll be our first action of the 2021 season! Please feel free to arrive early if you wish to loosen up as well, especially if it’s been a while!
12:00pm – We will officially “open the festivities”, and everyone playing in the game should have arrived by now.
12:15 – If most or all are present, we will gather for a group photo, then line up. I will address the crowd, introduce the other two captains (Doc & River City), and we’ll proceed to pick teams… schoolyard-style.
12:30 – We will begin the “Tri-Cornered Game”, where Team A will play Team B for one full inning, then Team A vs. Team C for a full inning, then Team B vs. Team C, then repeat that cycle three more times, for a total of twelve whole innings, with each team playing a full eight innings. We will have a sheet to keep track. This is a format that was executed by the three New York teams (Yankees, Dodgers & Giants) as a fundraiser during WWII. If the conditions are less than ideal, we may shorten it to nine innings (each team playing six).
During the Game – We will have water and light snacks available for players and our guests, and restrooms can be found at the Hayner House. Players in the game will have every third inning off to be social… just remember to pay attention to the field so you know when to get back to it. It will be a confusing game! Please remember that lineups and positions will be made up on the fly this day, and that Doc, River City and myself will do everything we can to make sure everyone gets playing time if we end up having a lot more than 30 players… which is a possibility. Be considerate… we’re all here to have fun!
“That’s A Dollar!” – We will resurrect an old tradition for this game, where we collect a dollar for every foul tick by a Buckeye player ($2 for a K). The pot will then be awarded to the player that makes the most catches on the fly that day… another typical Buckeye thing we do. Bring singles!
We might have other reunion-style activities going on, but the focus is mostly on the game.
End of Game, approx. 3:00-3:30pm – the team with the most runs wins the day. If two teams tied for the lead, they can choose to play one more inning between them to settle it, but that’s it. If all three teams tie… we’ll just celebrate how equally good all of us are!
Following the Game – Unfortunately, we will not be able to have a large meal as originally planned. But we will continue to have some snacks and drinks available for players and family – and welcome you to bring your own – while we all hang out and catch up afterward.
We will also set up a wiffleball home run derby on the field for ALL in attendance – kids & adult kids – with token prizes for best scores.
I imagine if there are people still lingering at 5:00pm, then the day was a great success!
At Some Point During the Day – There will be some classic Buckeye circle-juggling!
