Lewes Base Ball Club takes on Diamond State for Delaware Cup Aug. 2
Lewes will take on Diamond State with the treasured Delaware Cup on the line at at 12 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2 at the field at the Villages at Five Points near the intersection of E. Edgemoor Street and Old Orchard Road.
The noon game is the first a doubleheader with the second game expected to kick off around 2 p.m.
The club plays by 1864 rules, which includes balls being caught on one bounce for an out, no fielding gloves in use and other fun, historically accurate, 19th century rules of America’s pastime. The games are free and spectators are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket.
The Delaware Cup Series is decided annually in a three game format. The Lewes club dropped the first game to Diamond State in Gettysburg, Pa., the weekend of July 18-19. Lewes went 2-2 at Gettysburg, defeating Westfield (Mass.) and Rockingham (Va.) and suffering a close 14-13 defeat to Providence (R.I.) in addition to the loss to Diamond State.
A vibrant baseball history took the team across Delmarva and even across the Chesapeake to at least one game in Baltimore. It is not known if the team ever traveled to Cape May, N.J., for a contest. Lewes may have fielded a semi-pro team into at least the early 1940s, and other local and recreational teams called the First Town home. Anyone with Lewes baseball information, artifacts, photographs, scorebooks, uniform and equipment or news clippings is encouraged to contact the club.
The current iteration of the club was reconstituted in 2010. It was crowned Delaware state champions in 2016 and in 2023. Interested players and volunteers are encouraged to reach out to the club's Facebook page or to email lewesbaseball@gmail.com. The club is a nonprofit organization with membership is open to all. Other activities include hosting speakers and programs relating to baseball on Delmarva with a particular emphasis on Lewes and Sussex County.
For game-day updates, including weather-related information, go to the club’s Facebook page @LewesBaseball. For general information about the team including upcoming schedule, membership and rules, go lewesbaseball.org.
