Goshen Schoolmasters baseball club will take on
the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Saturday, August 14, in Goshen
By Chuck Gibson
LOVELAND, OH (August 6, 2021) –The Goshen Schoolmasters baseball club will play host to the 1869 Red Stockings in a vintage baseball game organized by the Goshen Township Historical Society (GTHS) on Saturday, August 14, 2021.
Sam Leever baseball card (Credit Getty Images/Transcendental Graphics)
Game day will be filled with lots of fun for the family highlighted by the vintage baseball game with first-pitch set for 1 p.m. on the Goshen High School practice soccer field at: 6767 Goshen Road, Goshen, OH (Next to the GTHS Log Cabin Heritage Center). Linda Wasson, Goshen Township Historical Society, says the idea to host a vintage baseball game began with a famous Goshen citizen.
“One of Goshen’s most famous citizens was Sam Leever who was a MLB Pitcher,” said Wasson. “He played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played in the very first World Series.”
Leever graduated from Goshen High School and then was a school teacher in Goshen while he was trying to make it into Major League Baseball. He tried for seven years before signing his first professional baseball contract at age 25. It was a late start –even by today’s standards – for a professional baseball player. It all contributed to a rather unique nickname for Leever.
“Because of his career, and he was very serious looking; I’m sure came from years of teaching, he had a serious disposition, thinning hair, he looked older than 25,” Wasson explained. “He earned the nickname ‘The Goshen Schoolmaster’ and so he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and had a great career. He is just one of our most famous citizens.”
The Goshen Schoolmaster (Credit Clermont Sun)
The historical society has a lot of opportunities to highlight Sam Leever during different GTHS events. During the time of COVID restrictions, baseball outdoors seemed like a great opportunity for a fun historical event. Like every business and organization, the historical society was hit hard by the 2020 pandemic.
“In 2020, the pandemic wiped out every single one of our fundraising opportunities,” said Wasson. “We were looking for opportunities to do things outside, do things where people could spread out and be comfortable, and definitely do a family event. Those are things I think people want to get back to. This seemed like a great opportunity for us.”
It is also a great opportunity for the community to get out and have a fun day with NO ADMISSION to attend the game. And so it is, the 1869 Red Stockings vintage baseball team is coming to town. They travel all around playing different teams – sometimes they play other organized vintage baseball clubs. The GTHS reached out to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Museum and worked very closely with them to set up the game with the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings.
“One of their suggestions was don’t’ have this team play another vintage ball team,” Wasson said. “Have this team play your own folks. It really turns it into the community event we want. We have great shirts and we have great team spirit.”
Sam Leever helped lead the Pirates to several championship seasons (Credit Goshen Twp. Historical Society)
The Goshen Schoolmasters ball club is made up of 100% volunteers coming out to play and have fun for this special day. There will be no stadium seats just bales of straw. Just like back in in the 1800’s. If you want something more comfortable to sit on, you have to bring your own chair. They’ll have an old style popcorn machine and old style bags of popcorn sold during the game. Some souvenirs will be available during game day.
“We want people to feel like it’s an old-fashioned picnic and you’re out there watching a game,” said Wasson. “This is how it would have been in 1869 if you came to see them.”
You are invited to come see them Saturday, August 14.
Come early: Starting at 11:30 the teams will be warming up and available for photos.
The Goshen Schoolmasters take on the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings
Where: The Goshen High School Practice Soccer Field: 6767 Goshen Road (right next to the GTHS Log Cabin Heritage Center)
ADMISSION IS FREE – Concession Stand will be open – Souvenirs available
GAME TIME: 1 p.m. (See below for more information)
CLICK HERE for more information about Game Day
For more about Goshen Twp. Historical Society, Visit: www.goshenhistory.org
CLICK HERE to visit the official site of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings
