Zack Wheat Memorial

Today while driving to a client in a town called Polo Missouri I got to enjoy the scenery and beauty of the country side. Upon arriving about a mile from the city limits I was greated by a sign that made me turn around to get a picture of. It said "Zack Wheat Memorial Highway"

I thought it was a bit peculiar that there was a ball player named Zach Wheat and wondered if there was a connection.

As soon as I hit the city limits there it was "The Zack Wheat Memorial" in Polo Missouri, and to top it all of for a bonus was located on the Polo Grounds, which includes a lake, playgrounds, rodeo arena, and the schools ballfields. I was excited to say the least that I was standing in the town this famed played grew up in.

I guess they misspelled his name wrong, or did the ATC, and the books.

Anyways I thought I would share this event of the day for me and show some pics I got of it.

Go ahead and post some pics if you got'em

[SethY]

Very cool to experience! I picked up a T206 PSA 4 of him today! I am just starting to collect him and that is a very neat experience you had!

[teetwoohsix]

Thanks for the photo's Andrew-what a great surprise that must've been!!!

Made me very happy. I was actually not going to stop for pics but I remembered it would be neat for the board and the Newbie collecting the Wheat cards. I like to travel with you guys on your trips to the National, Cooperstown, and so on through pics. So I figured why not bring another trip to the board. Not the biggest town at about 460 population but he is larger than life there.

Here is my only Wheat

[SethY]

Thanks for calling me the newbie! Haha

[Kawika]

Thanks for the photos, Andrew. You learn something new every day and I am probably the last guy to know that Zack had a brother, Mack Wheat, who played parts of seven seasons in the Bigs. Mack was born in Polo, older brother Zack was born a dozen miles up the road in Hamilton. Mack's sole appearance on a baseball card, if I am not mistaken (and I have been known to be mistaken) would be on a 1922 Zeenut when he was on the PCL Los Angeles roster. (Am I right on this one, Zeenutters??) Anybody got one to post?

[rhettyeakley]

David, here ya go (it's a fairly tough one to find)...



-Rhett

Edited to add: I also thought it was interesting that also included in the '22 Zeenuts was George Kelly's brother Ren Kelly (also a fairly tough Zee)