base ball

base ball (uncountable)

1. (obsolete, 1800s) baseball
   • 1823, National Advocate, April 25, 1823. p. 2, col. 4. [1][2]

     I was last Saturday much pleased in witnessing a company of active young men playing the manly and athletic game of “base ball” at the Retreat in Broadway (Jones’)

   • 1823, New-York Gazette & General Advertiser, Apr. 25, 1823, p. 2, col. 2.[1][2]

     We have received a communication in favor of the manly exercise of base ball;

• This spelling is still sometimes used for vintage base ball, a version of the game played with historical rules and uniforms.

• VBBA