The Roswell Daily Record · Roswell, New Mexico · 1907

Old Timers vs. Elks: Lunch Will Be Served on Third Base

Roswell's Old Timers played the Elks in May 1907 under rules adopted for the occasion: not more than ten runs to an inning, one stop allowed for wind on a three bagger, spit ball pitching prohibited, no criticising by the audience and lunch served on third base. Even a baby can come, he won't know his papa afterwards anyway.

On May 16, 1907 the Roswell Daily Record gave most of a page to the following Friday’s charity spectacle: “BASE BALL. Old Timers vs. Elks. Friday, May 17, 3:45 p.m.” at Roswell Amusement Park. There is a full boxed “Line Up,” Chas. Shepard catching for the Old Timers, Roy Daniels for the Elks, a Dr. Phillips holding down second base, plus substitutes, rival umpires, official scorers for each side and the crucial production note: “Each team will be in fantastic costume. No practicing on either side has been allowed.”

Then come the Rules Adopted, which are the finest body of baseball law ever ratified. “1. Not more than ten runs allowed in any one inning. 2. In case of a three bagger one stop will be allowed for wind. 3. Spit ball pitching prohibited. 4. Home folks and families not to be considered in sliding to bases. 5. No criticising by audience allowed - the other side will take care of that. 6. Lunch will be served on third base.”

The ad closes with a promise no modern ballpark would dare print: “Peculiar features of the game will be the faces of the audience. Even a baby can come to this game - he won’t know his papa afterwards anyway.” Somewhere between the wind stops and the third-base lunch, Roswell invented the celebrity softball game, forty years early and funnier.