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Base Ball Day is a fundraiser for the Loudoun Preservation Society’s grants program, which has already injected upwards of $800,000 into the community, funding projects like a new slate roof on the historic Christian Community Church at St. Paul’s. Lori Kimball, president of the Loudoun Preservation Society, says they were brainstorming fundraising ideas and looking for something unique. The suggestion of 19th century base ball prompted an internet search, and “up pops lots of information from all over the country,” says Kimball. “I had no idea!”

Kimball emailed teams from the Mid Atlantic Vintage Base Ball League, and two teams in Maryland–the Chesapeake Nine of Baltimore and the Elkton Eclipse Base Ball Club–responded immediately. Game on. And don’t let the 19th century replica uniforms fool you into thinking these guys are just re-enactors. This is their sport and they’ll be playing to win. In fact interest was so strong that a third team— The Potomac Nine of Washington D.C.—was soon added, so now Oatlands will host three games (or “matches,” to use correct 19th century base ball terminology), played back to back.

A National Trust property like Oatlands may initially sound like an odd location for an event like this, but 19th century base ball was not a stadium sport. “Base ball was played in fields,” explains Kimball. “No manicured baseball grounds, no bleachers. It was a big social day, played on a Sunday. We needed a place with a big enough playing field,” and Oatlands was the perfect location. Kimball is expecting around 1,500 people to attend, and encourages everyone to bring blankets and lawn chairs, both for comfort and to help replicate the 19th century spectator experience.

The game itself will be familiar to baseball fans, but with key differences in the rules and customs. The same ball is used for the entire game, and is traditionally taken as a trophy by the winning team. No gloves, helmets or any other protective gear will be worn. Pitching is under-arm, and a ball caught after one bounce is an out. The pitcher (or “hurler”) is expected to throw a hittable ball, and the batter (or “striker”) is expected to swing at every hittable ball, which means “willow” hits “apple” in base ball with more regularity than bat hits ball in baseball. (If you have no idea what that means, see our 19th Century Base Ball Lexicon guide below.)