Ohio Village vintage 'base ball' teams to take a swing at Ohio Cup festival

Esteemed sportswriter Grantland Rice’s assertion, “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game,” is a philosophy the Ohio Village Muffins live by.

Sure, winning is fun, but the Muffins and their sister team, the Ohio Village Diamonds, knock it out of the park when it comes to sportsmanship while playing 1860s-style “base ball,” as word was written in that period.

“We just do it for the love of the game itself instead of the goal of winning,” said Chip Moore, a player and program manager for the Muffins.

“We still keep score, and people want to win, but it’s more about fun and seeing people we haven’t seen in a while.”

There’s no animosity or trash-talking when the teams go up against so-called rivals, many of whom have become buddies over the years.

“The 1860s was a gentlemanly era of base ball, so you’re not going to see anyone get angry and fling a bat!” said Neil Thompson, manager of media and public relations for the Ohio History Connection.

“There’s a friendly aspect to it and a great sense of camaraderie among the players, even if they’re on opposing teams.”

That more-convivial-than-competitive spirit will permeate the Ohio History Connection’s 33rd annual Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival, where the Muffins and the Diamonds will be among about 30 teams playing.  

The festival will take place Aug. 30-31 at the Westerville Sports Complex, 325 N. Cleveland Ave. Ohio Village, where the festival is usually held, is undergoing renovations as part of the Ohio History Connection’s Campus 2.OH initiative.

Games run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, with a new game starting at the top of each hour. Spectators can bring blankets or chairs and watch for free.

The Ohio Cup began as a tournament where the winner received a trophy, but the event “started to become too competitive,” Moore said, so it was reimagined as a festival to celebrate the sport.

“Vintage base ball goes back to the purity of the game,” he added.

As such, the teams are sticklers for historical accuracy, even eschewing gloves, which weren’t commonplace until the 1880s, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“As an outreach program of the Ohio History Connection, we try to educate the fans about the history of base ball by demonstrating the game the way it was played during the Civil War,” Moore said.

Moore has played in every Ohio Cup since it began, along with teammates Ian Frias, Craig Andersen and Don “Big Bat” Anderson,” who, in his mid-80s, still plays in the occasional game.

Thompson noted that the festival isn’t just for sports fans. “It’s not just the games that bring people in. The children’s activities are absolutely a draw, and the food trucks,” he said.

Agreeing, Moore said, “It’s truly a family event. There’s something for everyone to do.”

Check ohiohistory.org/events/ohio-cup-2025 for a game schedule for the Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival.

Base ball hits home with players

During their regular season, the Muffins face teams from Ohio, including local vintage base ballers such as the German Village Hobnobbers, as well as teams from across the country.

Moore said he appreciates the opportunities traveling with the Muffins has afforded him. “I get to do a lot of things most people don’t get to do,” he said.

“I’ve played at six Major League Baseball stadiums and been to the Field of Dreams (in Dyersville, Iowa) twice.”

The Muffins have a playing roster of about 65, while the Diamonds number between 40-45, Moore estimated. Members of both teams come from varied backgrounds.

Some played baseball in high school and college, and a couple of the Muffins played for the minor leagues.

They’re sales reps, homemakers, educators, painters, construction workers and “anything you can think of,” said Moore, a senior account manager for a biomedical company.

“We all share one thing: the love of baseball. We found that common theme,” he said.

Entertainment and Things to Do reporter Belinda M. Paschal can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Village vintage base ball teams play at Ohio Cup festival