For the Love of Baseball

Museum Musings for week of July 8^th 2016

For the Love of Baseball

With the July 4^th fireworks behind us baseball fans begin to look forward to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game as well as the Homerun Derby.  Baseball is the “National Pastime”, as well as being a long-standing tradition in Junction City. So in this week’s Musings we will look at a bit of the history of Junction City Baseball.

  According to a note in the Union of May 25, 1867 the first baseball first baseball club came into being.  After the election of officers, sides chosen and Mr. Miller selected as umpire the first game was played.  In 1877 baseball was a way for young men to display their physical prowess to the lovely young woman who strolled along the sidewalks that passed the vacant lots north of Kiehl’s livery,  As business’s prospered in the 1890’s they supported their local teams .  Of course this did not prevent some agricultural farm teams from coming in and defeating our city club. “The fact is the grangers had a picnic; they literally swooped down on the home nine and did them blood raw.  The game ended in a score of 9-7 in favor of the Seven Milers”. This according to a Sentinel article dates June 24, 1895. This defeat had the Junction City Base Ball Association meeting and deciding to form a new permanent baseball club with games being held twice a week.  There was to be no expense spared to create a competent nine man squad to take on all comers. These games were to be played at the new field named “Athletic Park” with a road trip planned already in the works. 

According to The Junction City Union article dated July17, 1937 “Concordia and Junction City Ban Johnsons Teams played in the first baseball game at Rathert Field with many State Works Progress Administration officials or WPA (WPA  was the largest and most ambitious American New Deal agency, employing millions of unemployed people (mostly unskilled men) to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads) and Ban Johnson Executives in attendance at the dedication ceremony.  An American Legion squad raised the flag while the Elk’s band performed.  Visitors and players were introduced over the newly installed public address system.  Unfortunately, the poles for new lights had not yet arrived but would be installed as soon as possible.  Residence of Junction City who were visiting the stadium for the first time were impressed with the cut stone used to build the structure as well as open grill work that kept the stadium cool.  A band played during gaps in the game as baseball staples of soda pop and peanuts were available to the fans.  Unfortunately, as the 1940’s progressed and World War II took more prominence in the lives of Americans baseball at Rathert field came to a halt.

After a five year hiatus baseball returned to Junction City and Rathert Field with a new line up as no previous players returned to the new Ban Johnson team.   An article from the Daily Union dated June 1, 1946 described the scene like this, “It will be like old times Sunday before the opening game.  Bunting will be secured to decorate the stand and the Junction City band will play before the game before the opening ceremony.”  Beginning at that point during the spring and summer in 1946 these has been baseball at Rathert Stadium.  The stadium itself has undergone up several updates and is now home to the Junction City High School Blue Jays as well as the Junction City Generals.  

As you enjoy you baseball teams may they be a local team or nation team like the Kansas City Royals remember to take some time to visit the Geary County Historical Society.  We are open 1-4 PM Tuesday through Sunday.  We look forward to reminiscing with you.

Photo Courtesy of the Geary County Historical Society.