Bee Farm's vintage base ball game is June 20

A team from the Colorado Vintage Base Ball Association will challenge a local team from Wellington at 1 p.m. on June 20 at Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum located southeast of Wellington.

The association is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 and is dedicated to the preservation of the history of 19th Century base ball (spelled with two words back then) in Colorado. Its goal is to educate the public through “Matches” or living history performances. The outcome of the game is not as important as its educational and entertainment goals. Late 1800s rules and uniforms are used, as well as terms for the game. Players are ballists, a batter is the striker, pitches are hurlers, and spectators are cranks. Base ball became popular after the Civil War and Denver had some organized teams by 1866. You can learn more history, terms and rules for the game on the association’s Web site at www.cvbba.org.

Veterans will be honored at the Vintage Base Ball Game. They will receive free admission to the day’s activities.

The game will be played in the field at the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum. Come join the fun, bring a lawn chair and picnic lunch. There will be antique cars from the Northern Colorado Model-A Car Club and concessions.

Morning activities go from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include the Rocky Mountain High School Civil War Living History Group, which will present a soldier’s life during the Civil War. There will be trolley/wagon rides around the farm, children’s activities, and tours of the farm giving local agricultural history. Children can milk a wooden cow, gather eggs, wash cloths on a scrub board, grind corn, throw irrigation tubes and see baby animals.

Taco John’s in Wellington is donating a percentage of its proceeds for the day to the farm museum’s restroom fund.

The Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum is now open for the 2015 season. It is open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and by appointment for groups of 10 or more. It is located at 4320 E. County Road 58 in Fort Collins. Entrance fees are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60+, $3 for children ages 3-12, and no charge for children under 3. Please visit www.beefamilyfarm.org or call 970-482-9168 for more information.