(panel 1)
1886 First TeamNicodemus' 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 TeamThe 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 TeamThe 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 TeamsDuring 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 NamesThe 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 2010Terry 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 & Water Boy
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