Our Past Is Present April 13, 2018

April 13, 2018

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            In April of 1909, baseball was in the news. The Central Kansas League (or CKL) season was going to open on June 14, 1909 with four western towns playing the four eastern towns.  That meant Minneapolis, Beloit, Ellsworth and Salina were scheduled to play against Junction City, Abilene, Manhattan and Clay Center.  The season would end September 1^st with Junction City playing at the Minneapolis field in April of that year. 

Preparations for the season were underway. The local park was situated halfway between Junction City and Fort Riley and was directly east of the streetcar line spur.  A grader was put to work to cut off a layer of ground in order to get rid of the weeds and alfalfa.  Then a second layer was removed and the ground scraped with excess dirt moved to the center of the field, which would be higher than the rest of the grounds.  A ditch was dug around the field for drainage purposes.  The grandstand was built immediately back of home plate with a seating capacity of 600.  Two bleachers on either side of the grandstand would hold another 500 people and a place for parking rigs and automobiles would be on each side of the bleachers.  It was decided to charge an admission fee of 10 cents for buggies and automobiles.  The field was expected to be in shape by May 15 at which time the players would be on hand to try out.  The first game on the new field would be played on June 1, 1909. We are sure the season brought many people and excitement to the area during the baseball season of 1909.

            Many of us are anxious for “Brigade” baseball to begin again during the 2018 season.   It is fun and exciting to watch young baseball players on a summer evening as the lights gradually come on, there is the smell of popcorn and hot dogs in the air and there is the excitement of watching players get base hits, home runs and an occasional steal of a base.  Good times!!!

            And… that is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.