The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-08-17
GRID And CAGE
TEAMS OF LATER
AGE SUCCESSFUL
IRA ROGERS CAPTAIN
OF CHAMPIONS OF
WEST MINNESOTA

have little opportunity to grum-
BILE, "They amt as good as the
teams in the good old days ...,'
for the best Redwood Falls foot
ball, basketball and track teams
are matter of recent history.
Lest these same old timers rise
in wrath at that statement, We
hasten to add that the history
of Redwood Falls baseball pre-
sents a different story and that
the first decade after the turn of
the century produced the clty,s
most successful teams.
McPhail and his cohorts who
founded the community prob
ably had but little time to spare
from their tasks to engage IN
organized sporting events. But
as the village became more
securely established and the
possibility of an Indian attack
interruptIng ball game more
remote, the younger blades about
town began to challenge out
siders in match games" OF
the national pastime. The old
est copy of the Gazette extant
in the files describes "a match
game Of baseball between the
Sheridan and Redwood Falls
clubs, which the locals won
64-11," on July 4, 1875. Whether
the game was completed in eEc
day the account fails to mention.
The first great nine was that
OF the year 1895. Led by pitcher
Charlie Dickson VINO threw the
first curve ball seen in these
parts, this team defeated cham
pionship clubs from all over the
state, including the Palace
Clothing, st. Anthony Browns
and Minneapolis Blacks from the
Twin Cities. Buxton, Glassco,
Charlie Luscher, French, Shoe
baker, Bissell, Martin, Keavney
and Theiring provided their
great pitcher with support both
at the bat and in the field. :. On
one occasion an oVer-anXlous
Marshall manager sent home the
glad tidings, Burn the town,
we've got them beat" when the
Marshall team had a comfort
able lead in the late innings.
But Charlie Luscher came home
with the winning tally in the
twelfth inning and if Marshall
was burned, it was in vain.
The years Immediately fol-
following 1900 were marked by
high baseball enthusiasm and
fine teams. Those who watched
those teams in action beam
pleasantly today as they recall
the exploits of the Thompson
brothers, the hopping fast bail
of Dutch Francois whom no team
could touch when he was 'on"
and the fielding gems of the
Thiering brothers, Bobby Coop
er, j. Albert Johnson and others.
Redwood's only salaried club
played in 1904 under the man.
agement of j. Albert and the
Gazette carried stories of their
conquests under headings such
as u. Albert Jubilant." Pitchers
Chatterton and Mead, catcher
Harry Ward added to the effec-
tiveness of the team. loot and
Had Thompson played their
greatest ball during this period,
and the Gazette was lavish with
praise for their defensive play:
1.-THE Thompson brothers never
wait for an invitation to go af-
ter, a ball and accept difficult
chances with uniform success"
Mike Hits Homer
Interest Waned in 1905 and '06,
but in 1907 Hugh Peavey organ
lied the ''PV Lands" team which
brought a renaissance of high
calibre baseball i. to Redwood
Falls. Spanked by the pitching
of Mike Kramer, Tink Baldwin
and Dutch Francois and s aided
by younger players such as
Blaine Mckay the locals enjoy
ed several years of successful
competition with such power
full foes as Albert Lea, Waseca
and collections of college all
stars. Most memorable of all
games was an 18 inning strug-
gle with Cottonwood, which
pitcher Mike Kramer won with
a home-run blow. SpectatcSs
had retired from the field for
hurried supper and returned
lust in time to see Mike break
UP the game with his, round
tripper.