From the first pitch, something felt different. Perhaps it was the play that ensued — a swing of the bat put the stitched ball into the air with a sharp tailspin, landing the ball in fair territory near the first base line before it careened backwards with a vengeance and worked its way into foul grounds. Foul ball? Not in 1864. No player hesitated, as the pitcher for the Potomac Nine sprinted, slid towards the ball, scooped it cleanly with his bare hand and made the throw to first. Now this was base ball.