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<\/a>August 29, 2015 Rockford, Illinois celebrated the grand re-opening of Beyer Stadium Park, which was the home of the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1943 to 1954. But on this day, two of Rockford\u2019s teams were honored, with hundreds in attendance.<\/p>\nMike Garrigan, an evening anchor at WIFR in Rockford was master of ceremonies. Okeyma Lundeen, a baseball player of the Rockford Starfires led the event off by singing the National Anthem. Various city and park officials spoke, along with past players from the Rockford Peaches. The Rockford Barbershop Chorus provided entertainment. Ann Cusac, from the movie League of Their Own, was unable to attend, but sent a video message.<\/p>\n
When the ceremony concluded all were asked to gather at the entrance of the new historic walkway, where a ribbon was cut. As the crowd proceeded down the walkway to the first attraction just inside the entrance, I was given the honor to speak a few words and then unveil the Rockford Forest City Base Ball Club of 1865-1871 monument.<\/p>\n
I spoke about it being part of my monument series that began in 2005, for player Fred Merkle. Until this year I only honored players and teams from the Deadball Era, 1901-1919, and now I decided to expand the series into the earlier years of baseball.<\/p>\n
I received funding from royalties of a SABR book titled \u201cPioneers of Base Ball 1850 to 1870\u201d, that would help pay for a good percentage of a monument. The funds could be used to honor any player or team I wanted, any where in the country.<\/p>\n
It became obvious and appropriate to honor the Forest City Club. The Forest City Club of Rockford was a member of major league baseball\u2019s inaugural season in 1871. This was due to their play leading up to 1871. The team was established in 1865 as the boys returned home from the Civil War, and put Rockford on the map. The city prospered from the game of baseball and 2015 marked the 150th anniversary of the teams beginning and marked the100th anniversary of the passing of team legends Albert Goodwill Spalding and Roscoe Barnes.<\/p>\n
Rockford is the only city that may claim to have teams in both the inaugural seasons of Major League Baseball and The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. So the first monument in the series honoring the earlier years should be in Rockford, a city that has been referred to as \u201cThe Cradle of Baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n
The front of the monument reads:<\/p>\n
IN HONOR OF THE ROCKFORD FOREST CITY BASE BALL CLUB of 1865-1871<\/p>\n
Established in 1865, the Forest City Club of Rockford, Illinois was known for defeating clubs from larger cities, producing several stars, and making a successful transition from amateurism to professionalism. In 1867, Rockford put itself on the baseball map with a 29-23 victory over the famous Nationals of Washington. Pitching for the Forest City Club and gaining national acclaim was 16-year old Albert Goodwill Spalding. His teammates Bob Addy, Roscoe Barnes, Alfred Barker, Fred Cone and Scott Hastings also went on to play in the major leagues. In 1871, Rockford joined the National Association, becoming one of none teams in major league baseball\u2019s inaugural season. The team played at the Agricultural Fair Grounds, but dropped out after one year as an indirect result of the Great Chicago Fire. Hiram Waldo assembled the team and Scott Hastings served as captain. The leading hitter was Adrian \u201cCap\u201d Anson. Both Anson and Spalding are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
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