The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum will hold an information and interest meeting on Thursday, July 21, for individuals interested in forming a vintage baseball team. Anyone age 13 and above is invited to hear about the rules and ideas for forming a team, practicing at the museum, and going to the Texas Vintage Base Ball competition.

Vintage Base Ball (spelled with two words prior to the 1880s) is a pastime, with its beginnings and progressions mimicking those that occurred in America more than 160 years ago. Teams competing today wear period reproduction uniforms, use period authentic equipment and follow baseball rules from the 19th century to accurately present the history of baseball to the public. There are more than 130 vintage baseball teams in America, and at least 3 of these are in Texas.

"Gladys City would love to send a team to compete against other Texas teams in the tournament," Director Troy Gray said. “When I arrived to Beaumont, I was surprised to hear about Beaumont baseball clubs, including oil men at Spindletop.”

Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown is a replica of the boomtown that grew up around the Spindletop oil fields in the early 1900s. Located on US 69 at Jimmy Simmons Blvd in Beaumont, the museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

For more information contact the museum at (409) 880-1750 or by email at [email protected].