Old-Time Baseball Photos

Celebrating baseball from the ages through the eyes of old baseball photos. SABR Member

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Island Park, Wichita, KS, June 21, 1925 - This tiny ballpark is mostly obscure to even the most knowledgeable baseball fan, but 100 years ago on this date it might have been the host to one of the most unimaginable matchup of two teams one could contrive – a squad of Ku Klux Klan vs one of Negro Leaguers.

But it did happen and from all accounts an epic game to witness. The Negro League team was the Wichita Monrovians, a solid unit that mostly barnstormed. They came into the game with a 52-8 record against mostly top amateur clubs and many of these teams were white.

The Ku Klux Klan nine was a local Wichita club that went by the name “Number 6 team”. Little else is known about them or their players who participated in this game.

As for motivation it’s easier to understand why the Monrovians would agree to this game, for one they’re more of a professional team and playing was their way to earn a living. And second, what African-American young man of that era, or any other for that matter, wouldn’t the relish the opportunity to stick it to bigots.

For the Ku Klux Klan it was a little more complicated, but at the time Kansas had a newspaper publisher by the name of William Allen White that was running for Governor in 1924 and was strongly anti-Klan. He was also campaigning to abolish the white supremacist group (I like this guy already) while calling them “self-constituted body of moral idiots.”.

So the sentiment was starting to turn in Kansas against the Ku Klux Klan, and the hate group saw this as a chance to invoke some positive public relations, and hence agreed to the contest.

With both teams agreeing to play and promised a clean game, the attention turned to the fans, at the time it was thought that the Wichita area had up to 6,000 Klan members. Violence from this end was a concern, so much that when a local paper printed an article announcing the game they added:

“Strangle holds, razors and horsewhips, and other violent implements of argument will be barred at the baseball game at Island Park…when the baseball club of Wichita Klan Number 6 goes up against the Wichita Monrovians, Wichita’s crack colored team.
The colored boys are asking all their supporters to be on hand to watch (the) contest…due to the wide difference of the two organizations….the novelty of the game will attract a large crowd of fans altho [sic] both teams say that all the fans will see is baseball”

To make sure the umpires were impartial and without bias, the game was officiated by two white Catholics, ‘Irish’ Garrety and Dan Dwyer.

At game time it was a blistering 102 degrees with strong winds and both teams in the first five innings had scored one run. But then the bats from both sides got cooking in the heat and a tight game turned into a sew saw battle with the Monrovians at the end being on top by a 10-8 score.

Victory was theirs and hate had lost the day.

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Weeghman Park, Chicago April 23,1914 - Just over 104 years ago the first ballgame was played at what is known today as Wrigley Field. The Chicago Whales beat Kansas City Packers 9-1 in the new Federal League, but the league folded after 1915 season and the next year Cubs moved in

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Kansas City, Municipal Stadium, ca 1955 - Built in 1923 as singe-deck ballpark that sat 17,500 and was called Muehlebach Field. Home to Blues (AA) and Negro League Monarchs. When A's moved to KC in 1955, it was rebuilt almost from scratch with second deck added. Capacity - 30,296

[Bob Kendrick @nlbmprez]

Buck O’Neil served in the @USNavy from 1943-45 and was stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines.

In memory of Buck and in recognition of Veterans Day, all Veterans will receive FREE ADMISSION to the NLBM on Wednesday, Nov. 11. We’re open 10 am-5 pm.

@KCTV5 @sn_mlb @fox4kc

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Amber Valley, Alberta, 1935 - Members of the Kansas City Monarchs and a photographer's shadow pose for the camera in Canada

[Kyle McNary @KyleMcNary]

According to legend, a Negro League All-Star team was playing a MLB team & 6’-4” Satchel Paige was dominating. At the urging of the Big Leaguers, Paige was replaced by 5’-6” flamethrower Dave Barnhill. “You didn’t take Satchel out,” they complained, “you just cut off his legs!”

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Municipal Stadium, Kansas City, Apr 12, 1955 - 32,147 brand-new Athletics fans leave jubilant after Athletics beat the Tigers 6-2 in their first game in Kansas City after leaving Philadelphia. A's would draw 1,393,054 in their first year; only Yankees had higher attendance in AL

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Oriole Park, Baltimore April 1934 - Originally built for Baltimore Terrapins of short-lived Federal League and called Terrapin Park. After league folded Double AA Orioles moved in 1916, renamed it and stayed till wooden ballpark was destroyed in a fire in 1943. Capacity - 11,000

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Sept 3, 1960 - Orioles first baseman Jim Gentile holds the Mick close to the bag during Yankees 2-0 loss. O's starter Jack Fisher threw a 7-hit shutout (Mantle got 3 of the Yanks hits) and Brooks Robinson pitched in with solo HR. Time of Game - 2:15

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Apr 17, 1968 - The grounds crew works to get the field ready for Athletics first game in Oakland after moving from Kansas City where the team played for 13 years. However, A's got just two hits in 4-1 loss to Baltimore Orioles in front of 50,164

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@tom_donohue357 @Kozman1_1 @TheBrattPack63 It's such a mystery why players don't want to play in Canada. They have such nice fans

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@27jorsan27 @brendo0112 @KristenC1989 @wyshynski @ThomasDrance What's a known thing?

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@MHowanyk @FIREOMARKHAN @spittinchiclets What's your source it's made up?

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@FIREOMARKHAN @MHowanyk @spittinchiclets And then they wonder why no one wants to play in Canada

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@brendo0112 @KristenC1989 @wyshynski @ThomasDrance How do you know how it works with vets?

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@schadjoe @IAmTHATFish Sunny Mehta is a genuinely good guy who is also the first South Asian GM in the NHL. He's not gutless Joe, he's just not a good ole boy and thus the knives are going to come out for him when he makes a mistake

[John Thorn @thorn_john]

Once upon a time, a catcher stood 20 to 25 feet behind home plate. Who was the first to play "behind the bat"? Doug Allison says it was him. https://t.co/EIed5x4ZjI

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

@Tommy_Dangles72 @NJDevils Holy overreaction Batman

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

NFL in Ballparks

Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Nov 23, 1950 - Today the Detroit Lions are wearing blue helmets like they did here on Thanksgiving vs the NY Yanks. Doak Walker on the run while Sherman Howard of NY Yanks closes in for the tackle. Detroit won easily 49-14

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

NFL in Ballparks

Briggs Stadium, Detroit, Oct 16, 1938 - It's the first ever Lions game at Tigers Stadium, then known as Briggs Stadium, as they face the defending champs, the Washington Redskins in front of 42,855. But Lions fell short losing 7-5 in a defensive struggle

[Old-Time Baseball Photos @OTBaseballPhoto]

Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Apr 15, 1954 - After 55 years, big-time baseball is back in Baltimore and 46,354 of its inhabitants are there to greet their new team formerly known as St Louis Browns. And the new Orioles reciprocated the welcome with a 3-1 win over Chicago White Sox