Help: Ticket Stub

[tlwise12]

Hi,

I'm hoping to find out information about a ticket that I have bought some time ago! I only know that the game included Satchel Paige! Im hoping to hear any other information about this game! Who exactly were opponents and maybe other teammates of Paige! I'd also like to know approximate value! Thanks for any help!

[Scott Garner]

Hi,
Neat ticket! I did some digging and here is what I can tell you.
In 1941 the KC Monarchs (of the AL Negro League) had Satchel Paige as their main drawing card as you know. They also had HOF'er Hilton Smith on this team as well as standouts Chet Brewer, Booker McDaniels and Jim LaMarque. The KC Monarchs had a run of 4 league championships during the years 1939-1942, winning the whole enchilada in 1942.
Their opponents in this game were the 1941 Red Sox which had quite a few outstanding players including:
HOF'ers Ted Williams (In the midst of his historic .406 BA season- the last player to hit over .400), Lefty Grove, and Jimmie Foxx and Joe Cronin. Also on the Red Sox roster was standout Dom DiMaggio (brother of Joe DiMaggio).
As far as actual game highlights and who actually played in this exhibition game I couldn't dig any deeper. I would recommend searching era Indiana newspaper microfilm at a large local library for exact details. That's probably the only way you will be able to get the details unless someone else on Net54 can help out further. Good luck!

[Oldtix]

Good tips from Scott on how to research the ticket...and I'm glad you're trying to learn the full story!

One part we can eliminate, however...the Boston Red Sox played Detroit in Boston on September 9, 1941 so the "Red Sox" team that played the Monarchs was likely a local team. The fact that the ticket says only "Red Sox" would imply they were well-known to Lafayette residents. That shouldn't discourage you, though...sometimes the rosters of those local teams might include some surprises!

One thing I would be interested to understand is how a small town was able to illuminate the field for a night game in 1941...perhaps the Monarchs had a traveling light system?

The Lafayette or Tippecanoe County historical society or library should be your next move. If that doesn't pan out, try the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City...they might have the information on file. Good luck!

[cincicards]

Lafayette, Indiana had a minor league team called the Red Sox, but that was for 1956-1957.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...=IN&country=US

[tlwise12]

Thanks for all the help guys! Much appreciated!!!! Hopefully I will be able to find a the answer one day, although I wished the Boston Red Sox was plausible.


Thanks
Travis