Nicodemus in Graham County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Nicodemus Baseball History
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2017
1. Nicodemus Baseball History Marker
Inscription.
Nicodemus Baseball History. . (panel 1)
1886 First Team. Nicodemus' first baseball team was organized in 1886. The Manager was Joe Patterson. Members: F. Turner, Ed Patterson, George Duncan, A.G. Van Duvall, Sanford G. Craig, Silas Hays, Alvin Miller, H.S. Henrie, Porter Stewart, Wm. Switzer, Tom Hawkins. They played the teams of surrounding towns. ,
1891-1903 Team. The Manager was John Sadler. Members: Andrew Scott, Raliegh Hickman, Quincy Bradford, Cliff Reece, Bud Taylor, Walter Dannis, (2) Porter boys, and Neal Sadler. ,
1907-1908 Team. The Manager was, James Merrit, and the Associate Manager was Neal Sadler. Members: Inky Blackburn, Steve Demery, Walter Kirk, Bill Kirk, Raleigh Stewart, John Sparks, Cassie Bibb, Charles Vaughn. They played the surrounding teams as far East as Solomon city, Kansas; west to the Colorado line; South to Ness City, and North to Nebraska line. ,
1920-1950 Teams. During the 1920-50 teams were organized and play other local teams. Satchel Paige from the Kansas City Monarchs, a prominent Negro Baseball League team, was said to have come and played. Games were held at a baseball field across the road from the Scruggs Grove (southwest of town), where the annual Emancipation Celebrations were held. During the 1970s a new baseball field was constructed on the town site and baseball was held there until 2013 when it was moved to the present diamond, at the Roberta Robinson Field, south of the Nicodemus Villa Housing complex. ,
Team Names. The Nicodemus baseball team names were: The Cyclones, Nicodemus Blues, Old Hickory, and the Nicodemus Hill Billies, which was a secondary team in the 1940s. , (side bar) "Dad didn't like to work on Sunday; he didn't farm on Sunday, so that give'em baseball time! Dad played 2nd base and mom was their score keeper." (James R. Bates 2011) , James R. Bates (1927-2017) Avid baseball fan. This sign was funded in part from the James R. Bates Memorial Fund , (panel 2)
Nicodemus Blues II (2010-2013) . The Nicodemus Blues II - Vintage Baseball Club was a living history organization hosted by the Nicodemus Historical Society and was comprised of volunteer players, most descendants of former Nicodemus Blues baseball players.
First Team 2010 Terry Petrie , First Base . Tony Conway , Second Base Terry Jukes Jr. , Third Base . Amos Jackson , Left Field Barrie Tompkins , Pitcher . Nick Crowley , Bench Thomas Wellington , Manager . Bernard Bates , Score Keeper Reggie Jordan , Short Stop . William Bates , Catcher Robert Alexander , Center Field . David Dowdell , Right Field Troy Chapman , Bench . Gil Alexander , Line Coach Barrie Tompkins , Coach . Veryl Switzer , Honorary Catcher Domineck Jornigan , Bat and Water Boy.
(panel 1)
1886 First Team
Nicodemus' first baseball team was organized in 1886. The Manager was Joe Patterson. Members: F. Turner, Ed Patterson, George Duncan, A.G. Van Duvall, Sanford G. Craig, Silas Hays, Alvin Miller, H.S. Henrie, Porter Stewart, Wm. Switzer, Tom Hawkins. They played the teams of surrounding towns.
1891-1903 Team
The Manager was John Sadler. Members: Andrew Scott, Raliegh Hickman, Quincy Bradford, Cliff Reece, Bud Taylor, Walter Dannis, (2) Porter boys, and Neal Sadler.
1907-1908 Team
The Manager was, James Merrit, and the Associate Manager was Neal Sadler. Members: Inky Blackburn, Steve Demery, Walter Kirk, Bill Kirk, Raleigh Stewart, John Sparks, Cassie Bibb, Charles Vaughn. They played the surrounding teams as far East as Solomon city, Kansas; west to the Colorado line; South to Ness City, and North to Nebraska line.
1920-1950 Teams
During the 1920-50 teams were organized and play other local teams. Satchel Paige from the Kansas City Monarchs, a prominent Negro Baseball League team, was said to have come and played. Games were held at a baseball field across the road from the Scruggs Grove (southwest of town), where the annual Emancipation Celebrations were held. During the 1970s
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a new baseball field was constructed on the town site and baseball was held there until 2013 when it was moved to the present diamond, at the Roberta Robinson Field, south of the Nicodemus Villa Housing complex.
Team Names
The Nicodemus baseball team names were: The Cyclones, Nicodemus Blues, Old Hickory, and the Nicodemus Hill Billies, which was a secondary team in the 1940s.
(side bar) "Dad didn't like to work on Sunday; he didn't farm on Sunday, so that give'em baseball time! Dad played 2nd base and mom was their score keeper." (James R. Bates 2011)
James R. Bates (1927-2017) Avid baseball fan. This sign was funded in part from the James R. Bates Memorial Fund
(panel 2)
Nicodemus Blues II (2010-2013)
The Nicodemus Blues II - Vintage Baseball Club was a living history organization hosted by the Nicodemus Historical Society and was comprised of volunteer players, most descendants of former Nicodemus Blues baseball players.
First Team 2010 Terry Petrie — First Base • Tony Conway — Second Base
Terry Jukes Jr. — Third Base • Amos Jackson — Left Field
Barrie Tompkins — Pitcher • Nick Crowley — Bench
Thomas Wellington — Manager • Bernard Bates — Score Keeper Reggie Jordan
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2017
2. Nicodemus Baseball History Marker (panel 2)
— Short Stop • William Bates — Catcher
Robert Alexander — Center Field • David Dowdell — Right Field Troy Chapman — Bench • Gil Alexander — Line Coach
Barrie Tompkins — Coach • Veryl Switzer — Honorary Catcher Domineck Jornigan — Bat & Water Boy
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 39° 23.583′ N, 99° 37.09′ W. Marker is in Nicodemus, Kansas, in Graham County. Marker is on Washington Avenue east of Adams Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located on the south side of the street, directly in front of the Roberta Riley-Robinson baseball field. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bogue KS 67625, United States of America. Touch for directions.
here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Nicodemus National Historic Site
Also see . . . 1. Baseball in Nicodemus, Kansas. (Submitted on March 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 2. 1907 Nicodemus Blues baseball team photo. (Submitted on March 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.) 3. Nicodemus National Historic Site (National Park Service). The first groups to populate the town in 1877 came mostly from the Lexington, Kentucky area. Moving west to Nicodemus was no small feat, as the town was a distance from rail and stagecoach routes. Upon seeing the remote and somewhat barren location of Nicodemus, some of the original 380 settlers who left Kentucky to establish the town turned around and went back east. For those who stayed, the first goal was building a town from the ground up. Construction began immediately to provide housing for the new arrivals. After living in dugouts, the settlers built sod houses. In time, they replaced these with frame houses as the community grew and became more financially successful. At one point, the town had a baseball team, post office, ice cream parlor, and two newspapers. (Submitted on March 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 6, 2017
4. Roberta Riley-Robinson Baseball Field Sign (located near marker)
Roberta Riley-Robinson Baseball Field Dedicated July 2013
Home of the Nicodemus Blues II
”For my love of baseball!”
Known as a “hat diva”, Roberta would often be seen at games with her baseball cap on backwards. She loved baseball and especially to hear, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” For her love of baseball she donated the use of her land for a Nicodemus baseball diamond.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 29, 2019. It was originally submitted on March 28, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 308 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on March 28, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
