Photo by Reilly Dixon
Balls of yore
- Published: August 28, 2026
The clocks turned back to 1869 on Thursday, May 28, when the Cincinnati Red Stockings faced off against the Antioch Nine in an old-timey baseball game played under the shadow of Antioch College’s main building.
The match-up was a tip of the cap to the famous game that never actually happened 157 years ago, owing to a rain out. Had it taken place, the Red Stockings versus the Antioch Nine would have been the first ever professional baseball game.
Thanks to Antioch archivist Scott Sanders, that game did, in fact, take place last week. Area historic baseballers the Champion City Reapers donned the Antioch “A” to take on the Red Stockings — the local team ultimately fell to Cincinnati, 9-19.
The few dozen attendees enjoyed hot dogs and suds from Yellow Springs Brewery, as well as occasional rule explanations from ye olde umpire.
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