By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
The 2026 SoCal Vintage Base Ball League has concluded the regular season of play showing the Crestline Highlanders in first place after besting all the teams in the whole league with zero losses for this season. For that accomplishment, they were presented with the league’s Founders Cup for best team record for the season.
They presented the trophy at the October Crestline Chamber of Commerce meeting for display in their office so the public can see it and enjoy the win.
The post-season play for the league championship will be held at the San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. The Highlanders are being challenged by the Riverside Smudgepots for the SoCal Vintage Base Ball League championship Heritage Trophy.
The Smudgepots are previous league champions and want to take the trophy home again this year, as revenge against the Highlanders for defeating them this season in regular play. The Highlanders, after their perfect season, believe they should be the team to take the four-foot-tall Heritage Cup championship trophy back up to the mountains. They were back-to-back season champions in 2022 and 2023.
The SCal. Vintage Base Ball League plays by 1886 rules using replica balls, gloves and wearing old-style uniforms. They only play seven innings per game, which they call “frames,” referring to the frames on the chalk score board they regularly use to keep score. The rules allow the “hurler” (pitcher) to throw seven balls to the striker, before a walk, but it is still three strikes for an out. The catcher is known as the “behind.” They use nicknames for their players which are earned by their actions during the season.
The umpire, called the “Sir,” stands slightly behind the hurler when determining balls and strikes. This location also places him in a good position to see the infield plays and call outs at bases. Players never argue a call by the Sir as this is a gentleman’s game and the Sir’s calls are always correct.
Harich Field in Twin Peaks, the home field of the Crestline Highlanders, is known as the league’s “home-run field” since more home-run balls are lost in the forest than are lost at other fields in the league and more balls are hit out of the park at this altitude.
The Crestline Highlanders were one of the founding teams of the SoCal Vintage Base Ball League back in 2019 and have been sponsored by the Crestline Chamber of Commerce for years.
The Crestline Highlanders invite all mountain residents to attend the free championship game to be played on Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino.
Team Captain Chris Dodd holding the Founder’s Cup trophy in the Crestline chamber office.
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