Bustles and Baseball

Come for an old-fashioned sporting entertainment! Did you know there was baseball in California long before anyone organized a professional league? The western game had its roots in San Francisco in the 1850's. Early citizens came west looking for gold and brought with them both cricket and baseball. Our event will highlight the peak of Victorian fashions and amateur baseball by celebrating the 1870’s – 1880’s bustle eras.

The Bay Area Vintage Baseball League will be playing on the Big Rec Ballfield in Golden Gate Park. The San Jose Dukes go up against home team San Francisco Pacifics. Our teams will be in vintage baseball uniforms, playing by the original rules. You’ll easily spot the umpire, because he’s the guy on the field in top hat and tailcoat! Bring a picnic lunch and root for the team of your choice while sporting your Victorian attire.

Costume: Suggested costume era is 1870’s – 1880’s, focusing on bustle fashions, but all classes are welcome. GBACG Costume Guideline

Costume Links:

• Truly Victorian provides a quick overview of women’s costume for the Early Bustle, Natural Form, and Late Bustle styles as well as patterns to recreate them.
• The Ladies Treasury of Costume & Fashion has a number of articles on Victorian costuming.

Children: This is a very child-friendly event. The open field lends itself well to play. Much of the event will be freeform, but parents may wish to bring or organize games or other activities for their children. Costumes are required for children, although just as for adults they do not have to be authentic reproductions!

Location: Big Rec Ballfield, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
With a history that dates back to the 1894 Mid-Winter Fair, Big Rec once served as the Parade Ground previous to becoming one of the most popular recreational centers in the park...

Map of Golden Gate Park and Driving Directions. 16th St. Mission BART station is nearby; carpools or BART pickups can be arranged on the GBACGCostumers Yahoo Group.

As you venture into the southern border of the park, you will happen upon the fields positioned in the 7th Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard area. Here, two open fields meet with one another to create the Big Rec baseball arena. Parking is not allowed in the areas located close to the diamonds. If you need to bring in equipment, there is a service road situated at the corner of Martin Luther King and 9th Avenue.

Please Note: On Sunday & Holidays, John F. Kennedy Drive is closed to vehicle traffic from the East End (Kezar Drive) to Transverse Drive.

Practicalities: You will need to bring your own picnic. We will be on a lawn area; you may wish to bring your own table, chairs, and/or blanket. Beer and wine may be served with the picnic meal.

Tickets: Advance tickets are required for this event.

MEMBERS*: $5.00	NON-MEMBERS: $10.00
CHILDREN (5-12): Free
NOTE: Receipts are sent to the PayPal address of record. If contact info is different from Paypal records, please put the correct Name, Phone, and Email in the appropriate box under the Payment Method in PayPal.

***If you prefer to mail in your payment, please use this form.

You must be a GBACG member* to receive the member price. (*Or a member of one of our Sister Organizations: Costumer's Guild West or Art Deco Society of California.) If you are a member and are purchasing several tickets for yourself and friends who are not members, then only you are entitled to the member price. You must pay the non-member price for your friends.

Tickets to GBACG activities ARE NOT REFUNDABLE, but are transferable. Purchasing tickets to a GBACG activity is the same as buying tickets to the Symphony, Ballet, or Theatre. If you have purchased tickets to a GBACG activity and are unable to attend, you may sell your tickets to someone else, but GBACG does not make refunds.

The deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday, May 28, 2008.

Questions? Email Event Coordinator, Lisa VandenBerghe at .

Back to GBACG Home