In my experience, every vintage team handles substitutions differently. I
don't think any team adheres to the strict letter of the law and to strictly
authentic practice. In 1884 (and I think 1886), the rules dictate NO
substitutions during a game whatsoever except in the case of serious injury,
and even then it had to be approved by the opposing captain. If a player
left the game without permission, the team just had to finish up with eight
players.

My team, the Providence Grays, tries to at least make a pretense of
following the rule - we bat nine players in order, and when we sub out
players we sometimes even ask the opposing team for permission. We rarely
make pitching changes during the game, and then it's usually switching the
pitcher with another fielder. This is how the '84 Grays did it.

However, we do often bring extra players to a game when we can, sometimes as
many as 13 or 14 men. In those cases, since we usually play double-headers,
that means each player might sit for half of a game, and play one and a
half. Players who show up regularly for road trips and practices get
preference as far as playing time goes, but everybody does some sitting, and
everybody who shows up gets to play at least a little. It rarely causes any
dissent on the bench, especially when we play double-headers. As we get
older, many of us really don't mind sitting for four innings after playing
fourteen innings... Players who sit can still be involved by keeping score,
talking to fans, etc. These kinds of substitutions are not exactly
authentic, but we have felt they are a good compromise.

On the other hand, many of our opponents handle matters differently. Quite
a few (even teams that are real sticklers for rules) practice free
substitutions and bat all eleven men in rotation. This doesn't affect the
way the game is played on the field all that much, and in recent years I
haven't heard many serious arguments against the practice. If anything,
batting 11 men in rotation hurts a team strategically, because you aren't
batting your best nine men - you're giving at-bats to your tenth and
eleventh-best hitters. So it doesn't give a team an unfair advantage, and
the crowd probably won't nootice unless they are scoring the game. I also
know one veteran team who only lets ten guys come on a road trip - they have
a point system worked out where the most dedicated players are allowed to
come, and the marginal guys are invited along as needed.

One area where substitutions do affect the practice of the game is relief
pitching. Nineteenth-century pitchers were expected to go nine innings,
unless they were getting creamed and the right fielder switched in to mop up
or something. Bringing a fresh pitcher off the bench to throw two innings
in a close game is against the spirit of the game. Every once in a while, a
team in the 1870s or 1880s would use a fresh pitcher as a "closer" in
something like the modern sense, but it was very rare.

The issue of "courtesy runners" for semi-injured players is a whole
different matter. I think the practice was common through the 1870s, and
formally banned not long before 1884, but I've seen very rare press accounts
where it was done as late as 1890. A player with a sore leg would be
replaced on the base paths, and then the next inning, or later in the game,
would come back into the game. I suspect this was fairly common in the
1860s and 1870s, and I know it was very rare in the 1880s. We have rarely
if ever used courtesy runners with the Grays, but I think in extreme
circumstances it is justified.

In general, having twelve guys at a game is a GOOD problem. Much better
than having eight. If you have questions about these kinds of customs, it's
good to make contact with the opposing captain before the game, to avoid a
dispute in the fifth inning. But like I said, I haven't seen too much grief
about substitutions in recent years.

I hope this is helpful. Sorry for rambling on. See you this summer.

Rick Stattler
Secretary / Treasurer / Right Fielder
Providence Grays Vintage Base Ball Club





>From: newenglandvintagebaseball@yahoogroups.com
>Reply-To: newenglandvintagebaseball@yahoogroups.com
>To: newenglandvintagebaseball@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [newenglandvintagebaseball] Digest Number 39
>Date: 3 Apr 2006 09:50:13 -0000
>
>There are 2 messages in this issue.
>
>Topics in this digest:
>
> 1. Player Subs
> From: "adonisterry" <dgenovese@...>
> 2. Re: Player Subs
> From: brian sheehy <historyball@...>
>
>
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>________________________________________________________________________
>
>Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 16:40:52 -0700 (PDT)
> From: brian sheehy <historyball@...>
>Subject: Re: Player Subs
>
>Hey Dan,
>
> Great news about your first practice. We have been having practices for
>about a month now- they were supposed to be in the gym but it has been so
>nice out we have been outside for 3 weeks. I hope this weather stays.
>
> As far as substitutions go I think it depends on who you play. The
>NEVBBL allows for free substitutions and for continuous batting orders if
>teams elect to do it. I know that having all 10 or 11 guys bat helps keep
>everyone there interested. The 1880's rules dont allow for substitutions,
>and I dont know how the 80's teams approach it, but Im sure its tough to
>tell a guy they have to sit out for the next 2 hours while everyone else
>plays.
>
> Brian
>
>adonisterry <dgenovese@...> wrote:
> Let me through this out there as a newcomer. What is allowed during
>games with player substitutions. Is there open substitutions? Can
>player come out and re-enter a few innings later in a different
>batting order? Is re-entering allowed? If only 12 players show for a
>game, can all 12 bat in the order? Is all this determined on a game-by
>game basis?
>
>By the way, the Wheelmen had their first practice today and we had a
>blast. We will be ready!
>
>
>
>
>
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