Screwballs is a baseball blog. And by “baseball,” I don’t necessarily mean Major League baseball. In fact, despite the fact that this blog is housed on mlblogs.com, it’s not really going to have anything to do with the MLB. This blog is where I’m going to blog about all things pickup or “sandlot” ball. Unstructured baseball, played with wood bats, real baseballs (not softball!), and played on actual baseball diamonds or vacant lots… wherever it’s possible. We’re talking no umpires, no managers, just community-based ballgames where people of all skill levels, backgrounds, ages, identities, etc. can get together and enjoy America’s pastime.

St. Louis sandlot baseball. Photograph by William H. Trefts, Jr, ca. 1910. Trefts Collection. Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Collections. NS 29614. Scan (c) 2005, Missouri Historical Society.