March 12, 2019
Edison and Ford Winter Estates Sponsoring Vintage Base Ball Game and Presentations March 22-24 (Canceled)
Springfield Long Nine vintage base ball team from Illinois will play at Terry Park on March 24.
Please note: This event has been canceled.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 12, 2019) — Edison and Ford Winter Estates will sponsor a vintage “base ball” game at Terry Park in Fort Myers on March 24. The gates will open at 9:30 a.m., with the first game starting at 10 a.m. Three vintage style teams will play for the top honors in a mini tournament, featuring the Vintage Base Ball Club of Central Florida, the Mudville Base Ball Club from Massachusetts, and the Springfield Long Nine from Illinois.
The “Boss Lady” will be on hand in period costume as commentator for the event and guide spectators through the rules of 1860s vintage base ball. Elizabeth Carlson, also known as Ellie, is a historian and performer. She is an award-winning international speaker with experience working as a museum curator. As a hobby, she manages a vintage base ball team called the Chicago Salmon. Base ball during the 1800s was played for the love of the game without stats, stars or shame. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $1 for teens and free for children under 12.
Ellie will also give several amusing and informative talks at Edison Ford throughout the weekend, starting at 6:30 p.m. on March 22 with a Brief Double Feature on “The Rise and Fall of Ladies’ Underwear” and “Cup Check Please, A Scholarly Talk on a Jocular Subject.” The comedic presentation will cover the history of men’s and ladies’ underwear. Tickets are $5 for Edison Ford members, and $10 for non-members. There will be an intermission reception with complimentary tea and lemonade. A cash bar will also be available. Admission to the estates is not included.
Then on March 23 at 11 a.m., Ellie will be back, playing the role of Mrs. Potts in a “Visit with Mrs. Potts.” The story starts in 1871, when Mary Florence Potts was an inventress and just 19 years old. She spends the rest of her life perfecting and promoting her boon to women. In the presentation, she visits the modern world fresh from her appearance at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Over the next two decades, she gives a promotional lecture as she tours around the country. Mrs. Potts will visit Edison Ford as a stop on her tour to promote her invention. She will discuss domestic life in the 19th Century, the science and technology behind the development of her invention, and what it means for a woman to hold a United States patent and manage her own affairs. Her costumed interpretation will be a fitting tribute to Women’s History Month. Included with admission to Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
On March 23 at 2 p.m., the Boss Lady will present “The Distaff Side of Vintage Base Ball: Then and Now.” This presentation will offer stories and information that will help visitors understand the rules of a vintage base ball match. As the manager of the Chicago Salmon, she has baked thousands of pretzels, grilled tons of chicken, sewn hundreds of uniforms and costumes for umpires and followers, and mended more than several pairs of trousers (sometimes with the player still in them). The Boss Lady has also organized festivals, helped form new teams, and kicked at least one player off the team for having a bad attitude. Ellie will share some colorful stories, information, and answers to how vintage base ball was played. Included with admission to Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
Two special deals are being offered for visitors. Anyone attending any of Ellie’s presentations on Friday or Saturday will receive a free wooden nickel pass to attend the vintage base ball game at Terry Park on Sunday. For visitors that do not get into the game free and purchase a $5 adult admission ticket at Terry Park on March 24, they will receive a wooden nickel for $5 off one adult admission to visit Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Terry Park is located at 3410 Palm Beach Boulevard, Fort Myers, Fla. 33916. For additional information, visit EdisonFord.org.
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