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Quicksteps THE QUICKSTEPS

photo of Quicksteps base ball club

Member Vintage Base Ball Association

The Quicksteps Base Ball Club, Minnesota's premier vintage base ball organization, is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. First taking the field in 1994, the Club provides an outlet for the energy and enthusiasm of members of the Halsey Hall Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). At present the Club is organized into two Nines, one giving preference to the SABR membership, and one Open to all citizens of good character and reputation who wish to avail themselves of the healthful benefits of spirited competition while demonstrating athletic prowess.

Clad in 1860-style uniforms and using authentic reproductions of equipment from that era, the Quicksteps have played over 100 matches in 16 seasons in five states, taking on fellow historic base ball clubs (from the region and from as far away as Colorado and Ohio), Civil War re-enactor groups, "picked nines" organized for various occasions, and even modern-day baseball [sic] teams. The Quicksteps aim to entertain and to familiarize spectators with base ball as it was played in the milestone year of 1860, when a uniform code of rules and practices was first in use. The club has entertained audiences at historical festivals in Minnesota such as the Winona Victorian Fair, Stillwater's Lumberjack Days, and Pipestone's Civil War Festival, and has performed at permanent attractions such as Historic Ft. Snelling, (St. Paul), Murphys Landing Historic Village (Shakopee), Dakota City Heritage Village (Farmington), and Living History Farms (Des Moines,IA).


The Quicksteps' Club Song Tune: non-descript, but resembles the theme from Leave It To Beaver

We are a band of ball players
From Minnesota's cities.
We're here to toss the ball around
And sing to you our ditty.

Hurrah for the Noble Game,
For the Noble Game, Hurrah!
The Quicksteps all
Will toss the ball
And shout a loud Hurrah!


2010 Quicksteps Vintage Base Ball Club Match Schedule

17TH SEASON SCHEDULE

All dates are tentative and subject to change. Additional matches may be organized. Match scores will be reported here, as soon as practicable after receipt from the telegraph company or pony express.

  • Sun., May 23- Open Nine, at Horihan Field, LaCrescent High School, 1301 Lancer Blvd., LaCrescent, MN. The St. Croix and Roosters also plan to attend. Games at 12:30 and 2:30 (approx). Match results: Quicksteps 5, Olmsted County Roosters 2 and LaCrescent Apple Jacks 6, Quicksteps 4.
  • Mon. May 31 (Memorial Day)- SABR Nine, match with the visitors at The Landing in Shakopee, 2187 E Hwy 101, 1:30 p.m.
  • Sat. June 12- Open Nine, at Huset Park, Field #5, Jefferson Street between 39th and 40th Avenues, Columbia Heights, hosted by the Quicksteps. The St. Croix and LaCrescent are expected to attend. Quicksteps games at 10:00 a.m. vs. the St. Croix and 2:00 vs. LaCrescent. Match results: Quicksteps 6, St. Croix 2 and Quicksteps 4, LaCrescent 2 (6 innings, rain).
  • Sun. June 20- Open Nine, Father's Day match at The Landing in Shakopee, 2187 E Hwy 101, with the Olmsted Co. Roosters, 1:30 p.m. Match results: Quicksteps 12, Roosters 12 (tie, 10 innings).
  • Sun., June 27- SABR Nine, new event, at historic Hill Farm in North Oaks, vs. picked nine as part of Hill Farm Historical Society's Ice Cream Social. 2 Martin Lane, North Oaks. 2:00 p.m. Match results: Quicksteps 3, Hill Farm Historical Society AllStars 1.
  • Sun. July 4- Open Nine, at The Landing in Shakopee, 2187 E Hwy 101, with the Mankato Baltics, 1:30 p.m. Match results: Quicksteps 22, Baltics 4.
  • Sat. July 17- Open Nine, at Olmsted Co. history Center, 1195 W Circle Dr SW, Rochester, for the tournament hosted by the Roosters. Schedule TBA. Match results: Won three timed matches.
  • Sun. July 18- SABR Nine, at Huset Park, Field #5, Jefferson Street between 39th and 40th Avenues, Columbia Heights, vs. picked nine of Community United Methodist Church, 1:00 p.m. Match results: Quicksteps 10, Methodist Marvels 6.
  • Sat. July 24- Open Nine, at Stillwater for the tournament hosted by the St. Croix, Old Athletic Grounds , 6th & Orleans St. Match results: Won two timed matches.
  • Sun., Aug. 1- SABR Nine, new event, game against a pickup nine at Eagan, part of Eagan 150 celebration. Eagan Community Center Festival Grounds, 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan, 4:00 p.m. Match results: Picked Nine 1, Quicksteps 0 (12 innings).
  • Mon., August 2- SABR Nine, the annual Fridley event, vs picked nine of the Fridley Historical Society, Hayes School, 611 mississippi St., Fridley, 7:00 p.m. Match results: Picked Nine 19, Quicksteps 3.
  • Sun. August 8- Open Nine, at Jordan with the Arlington Grays. Match sponsored by the Dakota - Carver Steam Threshing Association, which holds its annual show that weekend. Scott Co. Fairgrounds, 7151 W 190th Street, Jordan. Parade 1:00, match 2:00.
  • Sat. August 14- SABR Nine, the annual Richfield event, vs. picked nine of the Richfield Historical Society, History Center Grounds, 70th St. & Lyndale Ave. 1:00 p.m.
  • Sat. August 21- Open Nine, at Mankato vs. the Mankato Baltics, 3:00 p.m., location TBA. (Previously scheduled Northfield match is cancelled.)
  • Mon. Sept. 6- SABR Nine vs. the Cromulent Shakespeare Co., at The Landing in Shakopee, 2187 E Hwy 101, 1:30 p.m.
  • Sat. Sept. 18- Open Nine and SABR Nine, intrasquad demonstration at Target Field following Twins game, about 3:30 p.m.
  • Sun. Sept. 19- Previously scheduled Brooklyn Park match is cancelled.

photo of Quicksteps base ball club
"Romancing the Ball": Three Quicksteps tango around a ball in the grass. No injuries were suffered performing this intricate maneuver.


2010 Roster

The Quicksteps

 

Michael (Professor) Andregg

Michael (No Nickname Yet) Anderson

Rich (Aces) Arpi, Bench

Barry (Easy Does It) Bengtsson

Chris (Barrister) Bowman

Fred (Sure Shot) Buckland

Jake (No Nickname Yet) Englund

Doug (Orator) Ernst

Jerry (Traveller) Janzen

Leon (The French Revolution) LaVigne

Dan (Death To Flying Things) Levitt

Phill (The Producer) Lindsay

Howard (Chopsticks) Luloff

Dave (No Nickname Yet) Maurer

Jonathan (No Nickname Yet) Maurer-Jones

Tom (Irish) M’Caffrey

Christopher (Rufus) Nelson

Gregg (The Silent Swede) Nelson

Paul (The Solon) Ostrow

George (Gramps) Rekela

Geoff (No Nickname Yet) Roether

Cary (Admiral) Smith

Jefferson (The Director) Spilman

Kyle (No Nickname Yet) Tate

Bob (Slow Trot) Tholkes, Manager & Umpire

Mary (Needles) Tholkes, Tallykeeper & Costumer

Stew (Silver Tongue) Thornley

Tom (King Tut) Tuttle


Emeritus:

John (Stretch) Gregory, Incline Village, NV

Paul (Clipper) Harris, Denver, CO

Bill (Old Candy) Tholkes, Long Beach, CA

Tommy (Candy) Wegrzyn, Chicago , IL

Jim (The Count) Wyman, Mansfield Center, CT

 


photo of Quicksteps base ball club


"All Ears": Several Quicksteps listen intently to a post-game congratulatory speech. Any dissimilarity to a scene in the Monty Python sketch, Upper Class Twit of the Year, is purely accidental.


2009 Quicksteps Vintage Base Ball Club Match Schedule

  • Saturday, May 9, approx 5:20 p.m. Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN. Vintage base ball match before the professionals' demonstration. Tally of aces not kept, by prior agreement amongst the gentlemen participating.
  • Saturday, May 16, 1:30 p.m. Waconia High School scholarship fund raiser, Waconia City Park, Waconia, MN. SABR Nine vs. Sport and Society class students. Match results: Waconia 30, Quicksteps 7
  • Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) Open Nine vs. the St. Croix of Stillwater at The Landing, Shakopee. Match results: Quicksteps 26, St. Croix 5
  • Saturday, June 6, 3:30 p.m. - SABR Nine vs. picked nine at the ISD 297 History Festival, Henry Sibley High School, Hwy 110 and Delaware Avenue, Mendota Heights. Cancelled, rain.
  • Sunday, June 21 (Father's Day), Open Nine vs. the Olmsted County Roosters at The Landing, Shakopee. Match results: Quicksteps 13, Roosters 4
  • Saturday, June 27, 4:00 p.m., Open Nine vs. Northfield Silver Stars, Dundas, MN. Match results: Quicksteps 6-9, Northfield 3-1
  • Saturday, July 4 - The Landing, Shakopee, SABR Nine vs. staff and visitors. Tally of aces not kept, by prior agreement amongst the gentlemen participating.
  • Saturday, July 18 (cancelled) SABR Nine vs. Minneapolis Pioneers.
  • Saturday, July 18, Open Nine at the Rooster Classic tournament in Rochester. Match results: Quicksteps were defeated in three timed matches
  • Saturday, July 25, Open Nine at the Lumberjack Days tournament in Stillwater. Match results: Quicksteps prevailed in two timed matches
  • Monday, August 3 - Fridley Historical Society, SABR Nine vs. picked nine. Match results: Fridley Historical Society AllStars 8, Quicksteps 0
  • Saturday, August 8 - Richfield Historical Society , SABR Nine vs. picked nine. Match results: Richfield Historical Society Irregulars 7, Quicksteps 3
  • Sunday, August 16, Open Nine vs. the Afton Red Stockings at Afton. Match results: Afton Red Socks 10, Quicksteps 3
  • Saturday, August 29, 2:30 p.m. - SABR Nine vs. picked nine at Minnesota State BBQ championship, Albert Lea, MN. Match results: Quicksteps 20, Cromulent Shakespeare Company 2
  • Monday, September 7 (Labor Day), Open Nine vs. Afton at The Landing, Shakopee. Tally of aces not kept, by prior agreement amongst the gentlemen participating.
  • Saturday, September 12 (cancelled), SABR Nine vs. First Wisconsin Volunteers reenactors.
  • Sunday, September 20 - Brooklyn Park Historic Farm Apple Cider Day, SABR Nine vs. Eidem Homestead Nine. Match results: Quicksteps 23, Eidems 6

2008 Quicksteps Vintage Base Ball Club Match Schedule and Results

  • Saturday, May 10, approx 5:20 p.m. Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN. Vintage base ball demonstration before the Twins-Red Sox game.
  • Saturday May 17, 1:30 p.m. The Landing- Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee, MN. Match versus Silver Stars of Northfield. Match results: Silver Stars 3, Quicksteps 2
  • Saturday, June 7, 1:00 p.m. Old Main Athletic Grounds, St. Olaf College, Lincoln Street & 1st Street W, Northfield, MN. Match versus Silver Stars of Northfield. Match results: Silver Stars 6, Quicksteps 5
  • Saturday, June 14, 1:30 p.m. The Landing- Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee, MN. Match versus staff and visitors.
  • Sunday, June 15, 1:30 p.m. The Landing- Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee, MN. Match versus Olmsted County Roosters. Match results: Roosters 17, Quicksteps 12.
  • Saturday - Sunday, June 28-29, all day. Washington County Fairgrounds, Bayport, MN. Minnesota Sesquicentennial Tournament. Festival format, six timed matches of 50-60 minutes each. Tournament results: won 3, lost 2, tied 1.
  • Friday, July 4, noon. The Landing- Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee, MN. Match versus staff and visitors.
  • Saturday, July 19, 11:00 a.m. B. F. Nelson Park, Minneapolis, MN. Match versus picked nine, Minneapolis City Council & Park Board. Match results: Quicksteps 14, City Council 2.
  • Saturday, July 26, 9:00 a.m. Olmsted County Historical Society Grounds, 1195 County Road 22 SW, Rochester, MN. Olmsted County Roosters Vintage Base Ball Tournament, timed matches. Match results: won 1, lost 1.
  • Sunday, July 27, 11:00 a.m. Old Athletic Grounds, Sixth St. S. & Orleans, Stillwater, MN. Lumberjack Days Vintage Base Ball Tournament, two games. Match results: Quicksteps 13, Afton Red Stockings 0 and St. Croix of Stillwater 12, Quicksteps 10.
  • Monday, August 4, 7:00 p.m. Fridley Historical Society Grounds, 611 Mississippi St., Fridley, MN. Match versus picked nine, AugustFest. Match results: Quicksteps 14, Fridley Historical Society 13.
  • Saturday, August 9, 1:00 p.m. Richfield Historical Society Grounds, 70th Ave. and Lyndale Ave., Richfield, MN. Match versus picked nine of the Richfield Historical Society. Match results: Richfield Historical Society 3, Quicksteps 1.
  • Monday, September 1 (Labor Day), 1:30 p.m. The Landing- Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee, MN. Match versus Afton Red Stockings. Match results: Quicksteps 23, Afton 11.
  • Saturday, September 6. Mantorville Restoration Assn., Mantorville, MN. Match versus picked nine. Match results: Mantorville Nine 9, Quicksteps 3.
  • Sunday, September 21, 1:30 p.m. Brooklyn Park Historic Farm (Eidem Homestead), 4345 101 Ave. N., Brooklyn Park, MN. Match versus Eidems. Match results: Eidems 28, Quicksteps 10.



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