Main fundraiser photo

RESTORATION OF 1921 PICO FIELD

During the 1900s, many towns had their own ball clubs and Parkesburg, Pa was no different. Horace Beale Jr, President of the local Parkesburg Iron Company and sports enthusiast, invested in a ballpark that met Major league standards. His team would play host to greats like Babe Ruth, Ty Cob,Casey Stengel, and the 1919 World Champion Cincinnati Reds and many more. After the 1926 season,
the PICO team folded, and local schools would use the once booming field which now lies at present day Minch Park.

     PICO Field also hosted amazing talent from the Negro, Industrial, and Independent baseball leagues across the country.  Hall of Famer Lou Santop and Judy Johnson both played for the Hilldale Club, formerly known as the Darby Daisies, and frequented Parkesburg often. Judy Johnson would later have the minor league field in Wilmington named after him; Judy Johnson field at Frawley Stadium where the single A Blue Rocks play.  Some of the earliest known photos of African American umpires calling games, as well as some of the earliest known integrated games of whites vs blacks were at PICO field. The history is amazing as the talent that once graced this field.

     In 2016, 100 years after Mr. Beale's semi pro team recorded their final out, The South Eastern Pennsylvania Travel Baseball Association (SEPTBA) was formed to give youth in the Chester, Lancaster, and Delaware county areas a league to compete in. These teams are primarily made up of the outstanding players from each area's little league programs and those that want to propel their game to the next level.  They spend nearly 9 months out of the year training in the winter and playing from April through November. The overall goal is to teach the game the way it was meant to be played. Learning baseball skills is essential, but second only, to building character and sportsmanship. SEPTBA’s motto of “Gentlemen First, Ball Players Second” is so important for player development and teaches players about respect and dignity along with being a good member of the community. The SEPTBA, has grown from 11 teams to 47 teams and growing, encompassing three counties and two states.. We currently serve players ages 8-13 and have over 550 players league wide.

The Ironmen of Parkesburg is a book dedicated to this teams memory, and will be published in the first quarter of 2022. It will detail the story of this team, their opponents, and the impact baseball had on this town.



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Donations (5)

  • Anonymous
    • $50 
    • 3 yrs

Organizer

Chad Naggy
Organizer
Atglen, PA
South Eastern Pennsylvania Travel Baseball Association
 
Registered nonprofit
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