I had the opportunity to participate in a recent “History Hump Day” presentation with Larry Scheid at Austin’s Marcusen Park. Part of the reason Marcusen Park was selected for the presentation was because this year is the 70th anniversary of the installation of the grandstand. The presentation also took place on June 17th which is the 70th anniversary Moose Skowron’s arrival in Austin. With our discussion taking place in the “House that Scheid Built” we obviously talked about his father’s long association with baseball throughout Southern Minnesota. Part of that discussion included a bit about his time in Waseca and connections to Waseca baseball.
Perhaps I should have thought more but Marcusen Park, the “House that Scheid Buit” is the second ballpark dedicated during the time that Emil was associated with a town ball team. Waseca’s Community Field was dedicated on June 30, 1940 while Emil was managing the Waseca entry in the Southern Minny League.
The 1940 Southern Minny season as a whole is actually a fairly interesting season for a variety of reasons. Austin’s teams left the old park at Marcusen lot in favor of the Fairgrounds. LeRoy and Waseca moved into new ballgrounds during the year with LeRoy installing lights and instituting night baseball. There was also a bit of franchise Austin also parted ways with Phil Golberg who moved on to pitch for the New Richland Red Legs.
There was also a bit of movement in the franchise situation. A report from New Ulm late in March indicated that Emil had inquired about obtaining a franchise in the Western Minny League for Waseca. At the time that league had entrants from New Ulm, Fairfax, Winthrop, Gibbon, Springfield and the Mankato Key City Beverage team.[1] For whatever reason, Waseca remained in the Southern Minny.
The Rochester Aces took the place of the Mankato Blue Sox franchise shortly before the start of the season.[2] With that decision, the towns represented in the League that year included Albert Lea, Austin, Faribault, Le Roy, New Richland Owatonna, Rochester and Waseca.
The Austin Packers travelled to Waseca on June 30th for a Sunday League Game that also happened to coincide with the dedication of Waseca’s Community Field.[3] Starting pitching was a problem for the Packers for most of the season and those difficulties were on display at Waseca’s new field.[4]
Austin actually took the lead in the first inning on a triple by Joe Wolf that scored John Butorac from second. It was the only lead that Austin would have in the game. Waseca tied the score in the third and pushed across two more in the fourth behind the hitting of “Happy” Lowe, Lick and Sponberg. Lowe connected again in the fifth with a home run that scored Munson. Al Bell drove in future Austin Packer Jim McDermott and Sponberg with a single in the sixth to finish the scoring for Waseca.[5]
Austin’s John Butorac and Joe Wolf collected seven of the nine hits given up by Waseca starter Al Bell. Austin’s Everett Grossman gave up eight hits in his six innings of work. Nolan Dugan came in from his shortstop position to relieve Grossman after the damage was done.[6] Later reports indicted Grossman may have been injured during the game.
In thinking about Larry’s comments about his dad being involved with baseball in Waseca during that time, I still hope to be able to do some more research on his dad’s involvement in Waseca baseball once libraries and research centers open. Hopefully I can access more microfilm and even gather more information on the dedication of Community Field from the Waseca perspective to update this entry.
Until then, there is no major or minor league baseball but there is town ball. Traditional rivals Austin visits the Waseca Braves at Tink Larson Field on July 18th at 7 p.m. Feel free to relive some history.
[1] “Waseca Seeks Berth in Western League,” Austin Daily Herald, March 29, 1940.
[2] “Rochester Club Agrees to Join S-M Ball Loop,” Austin Daily Herald, April 10, 1940.
[3] “Upsets Appear as Leaders Bid Against Rivals,” Austin Daily Herald, June 27, 1940.
[4] “Austin Falters as Rivals Open Scoring Attack,” Austin Daily Herald, July 1, 1940, 8.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
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