What Equipment do I need?
1860s base ball equipment was characterized by its simplicity, featuring handmade, heavy wood bats (often ash or hickory), "lemon peel" style leather balls with black stitching, and no gloves. Uniforms consisted of long, woolen trousers (later knickers), flannel shirts, and straw hats.
- Balls: Roughly 9 3/4" in circumference, weighing 5 3/4 oz, with a "lemon peel" leather design and black stitching. They were often made with a rubber core, wrapped in yarn, and covered in leather.
- Bats: Ranged from 30 to 40 inches in length, weighing up to 48 ounces. They were typically thick-handled and made of ash, hickory, or maple.
- Uniforms: Long woolen pants (sometimes called pantaloons) were standard, often paired with laced-front white flannel shirts and straw hats. Knickers began to replace long pants in the late 1860s.
- Gloves: None were used; players caught the ball with bare hands.
- Accessories: Small, simple bases were used and sometimes bow ties and handkerchiefs were worn as part of the uniform.
Bats and Balls
Balls
Pants
