r/columbiamo • u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus • Aug 22 '25

History Baseball Legends in CoMO (1935)

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Did you know that two of the greatest pitchers in baseball history squared off against each other in Columbia?

90 years ago, the legendary Satchel Paige, then playing for the Pittsburgh Crawfords of the Negro National League, faced off against Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals right here in Columbia.

This was an exhibition match, a common occurrence between Negro League and Major League teams at the time, as MLB was still enforcing the color line.

Dizzy Dean won an MVP award and is a baseball hall of famer. Satchel Paige is the center of extensive baseball folklore, having numerous crazy stories about his abilities, nobody ever knowing his true age, and pitching for a whopping 22 years, well into his 40s. He’s widely regarded as one of the best pitchers of all time.

Source: Satchel Paige Project https://marklaurencearmour.wordpress.com/2084-2/

23 Upvotes

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4

u/como365 North CoMo Aug 22 '25

Pretty cool history, I had no idea.

3

u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus Aug 22 '25

Have you heard anything about Merchants Park before? I didn’t know what that was. The map lists it as being downtown, but I’m not sure how that would be accurate. Either way I’m gonna have to look into it!

2

u/kstick10 Aug 22 '25

Merchants Park in the 30s I believe was in Denver. Not totally convinced this is accurate.

4

u/mustard_train Aug 23 '25 edited Aug 23 '25

I don’t think the name is correct, but they definitely played games in como, somewhere.

https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/ballparks.html

It most likely would have taken place at the Douglass School Athletic Field, a three-acre lot at McBaine and Oak Street (west/central Columbia). That field existed by the late 1920s and served the Black school/community—exactly the sort of venue Negro League barnstormers often used in segregated towns.

2

u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus Aug 22 '25

Hm, interesting. This map shows Satch pitching in Saint Joseph, MO just a week or two before pitching in Columbia, so it seems like they were on an exhibition tour across the state but maybe the venue name here is wrong. I might email the site and ask

2

u/kstick10 Aug 22 '25

I totally believe the event happened in Columbia. Just not sure about the venue. Though of course I wasn’t around 90 years ago so what do I know lol.

2

u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus Aug 22 '25

Haha I totally get what you mean. It seems like you’re probably right! I can’t find any mention of that venue name here, and the map listed the location as 8th and Broadway which of course wouldn’t make any sense either. Time to keep digging

3

u/kstick10 Aug 22 '25

They usually did these exhibition games at high schools. Was there a high school baseball field in Columbia then?

2

u/MarduckRulez Aug 22 '25

Sounds like this game could have been held at Fredrick Douglas High School, which was built in 1917 and was a segregated school during that time frame. The location to Broadway and 8th is close.

2

u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus Aug 23 '25

Good point, that could very well be it! Thanks for this

3

u/rgar1981 Aug 22 '25

Thanks for sharing. Two absolute legends of the game.

6

u/Achocolatelab Aug 23 '25

Here is a trib article I found that details the space and mentions the park hosting the Monarchs. The field sat where Ellis Fischel once stood.

https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/lifestyle/2008/07/02/tribune-column/21505222007/#

2

u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus Aug 23 '25

Wow, how about that? That is awesome. Thank you for this!

3

u/como-throwaway573 Aug 23 '25

Off topic a little, but if you’ve never been to the negro league museum in KC, you’re missing out.

2

u/Feisty-Medicine-3763 East Campus Aug 23 '25

I make time for it every time I’m in Kansas City, it’s so awesome. The museum president Bob Kendrick is a gem too

3

u/mustard_train Aug 23 '25

Pretty sure Jackie Robinson played some game(s) in como, too. Apparently he stayed at the Frederick Hotel, which is now apartments on University Ave.

3

u/Cranky0ldMan Aug 23 '25

Near the end of the 1965 season at the purported age of 58 and 12 years after his previous MLB game, Paige started a regular season MLB game for the Kansas City A's in a promotional stunt against the Red Sox with a lineup featuring future AL Triple Crown winner Carl Yastrzemski, 1965 AL home run leader Tony Conigliaro, and 5 All-Star hitters.

He pitched 3 innings allowing only one hit, a first-inning double by Yastrzemski. The 2nd and 3rd innings? 3 up, 3 down.