Publication select ▼
On April 6, from 1-2 p.m., the Packard Proving Grounds will host “The Evolution of Base Ball and the Detroit Tigers: Part Deux.”
Photo provided by Debbie Remer
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — If you’re interested in exploring the roots of America’s pastime with a special focus on the Detroit Tigers, you won’t want to miss the Packard Proving Grounds program on “The Evolution of Base Ball & the Detroit Tigers: Part Deux,” an event exploring the roots of America’s pastime with a special focus on the Detroit Tigers.
From 1 to 2 p.m. April 6, baseball historians and vintage ballplayers Doug “Moonlight” Otlewski and Scott “Chooch” Westgate will transport attendees back in time, sharing how the game evolved and its impact on Detroit’s sporting legacy.
Westgate has been an active ballplayer playing every fielding position for the Rochester Grangers Vintage Base Ball Club since 2002. Otlewski currently umpires vintage matches at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm.
Otlewski and Westgate will share the development of the game as well as what early baseball looked like compared to the sport we know today. Through storytelling and historical insights, Otlewski and Westgate hope to give attendees a deeper appreciation for the roots of baseball and its impact on Detroit’s sporting culture.
Mary Anne Demo, executive director of the Packard Proving Grounds, said baseball is more than just a game — it’s a living piece of history that connects generations.
“This event is a fantastic opportunity for fans of both history and sports to experience the evolution of baseball and learn about the traditions that shaped the Detroit Tigers,” she said.
Debbie Remer said she has been a tally keeper for the Rochester Grangers for more than 25 years.
“The vintage game is great — in a lot of ways like the pick-up game you might have played in your younger days. No mitts (Grangers play usually by the 1867 rules and mitts were not invented yet), no safety paraphernalia, just bats are needed, and we use hand-made balls. There are quite the cottage industries that have grown up around making the uniforms (appropriate styles and fabric), caps, balls, and bats,” she said.
The event will take place at the Packard Proving Grounds Historic Site. Admission is $5 for not-yet members and free for members.
Tickets can be purchased online at PackardProvingGrounds.org/April6HistoricalSpeakerSeries.
You May Also Be Interested In
