As part of the Kearney Sesquicentennial Celebrations taking place this year, the next big event features the Vintage Base Ball Past-Time Game at Kearney Memorial Field on Sunday, July 23 starting at 6:30pm.
In partnership with the City of Kearney Park and Recreation, the game will be played between two non-profit historical museums in Central Nebraska following 1867 rules and using authentic equipment. The Trails & Rails Museum of Kearney versus the Stuhr Museum of Grand Island features many of the staff, volunteers, and community leaders from respective community members and leaders within their organizations. Broc Anderson, the Community Engagement Director for the Trails & Rails Museum, is especially excited about this program. According to Anderson “when we were thinking about programs and events to recognize the Kearney 150th in 2023, we wanted to do something fun and unique.” Anderson further elaborated that board member, and Assistant Professor for the University of Nebraska at Kearney History department, Nathan Tye mentioned the idea to Broc. “I absolutely loved the idea from the start,” said Anderson.
From there, Anderson reached out to Robb Nelson, the Curator of the Stuhr Museum, in Grand Island for his thoughts on such a game. Nelson explained that prior to 2020, the Stuhr Museum played other Central Nebraska teams in the past and even had a tournament at the museum in Grand Island for several years. As a baseball expert, Nelson is “excited about playing and using the equipment again and showcasing the historical elements of nineteenth century baseball.”
And no other place would be more acceptable to play such a historical baseball game than Kearney’s very own Kearney Memorial Field. The field was completed right after World War II and replaced the ballpark at the Buffalo County fairgrounds. It was based on a field that then Kearney Irishmen Player Manager, Floyd Stickney, played on in Albany Georgia. Additionally, the field was dedicated and honored in memory of all the service men and women who fought during World War II. When lights were added in 1947, “Kearney Memorial Field was considered one of the best, if not the best field in Nebraska,” according to the Trails & Rails Museum Buffalo Tales “Kearney’s Boys of Summer – the 1946 Irishmen: Part 2.” Kearney Memorial Field was the first home for the Kearney Irishmen and then in 1956, Major League Baseball started the Kearney Yankees team as part of the Nebraska State “D” Rookie League. Today, the Kearney Memorial Field is home to the Kearney High School Baseball and Kearney Legion Baseball teams that utilize the modern, yet historical facility that so many Kearney and Central Nebraska players, coaches, and baseball fans come to love and appreciate.