News and Announcements
OTTAWA LEGION BASEBALL COACHES 1930 - 2023
*OTTAWA LEGION COACHES 1930- 2023
(some coached multiple times) 32
(1) Sheriff Red Felkey
Rudy Roof
Larry Dunn
Fred Ruhl
Adolph Maag
Bob Recker
Bob Vonder Embse
Joe Nienberg
Shorty Kreinbrink
Bob Weis
Tom Weber Sr.
Dave Laudick
Tom Kurry
Gene Stechschulte Sr
Don Weis
Ron Kruse
Dan Vennekotter
Dave Yoder
Willie Selhorst
Tom Weber Jr
Jerry Schomaeker
Tony Ambroza
Ted Miller
Randy Apple
Gene Stechschulte Jr
Dave Kersh
Todd Schimmoeller
Doug Waddle
Jordan Rode
Brayden Sautter
Nick Watkins
2023 …Corbin Niese
Coming Soon....2023 Season ! Home Opener Sunday June 4 - vs Findlay (DH)
— Post 63 Alumnus Corbin Niese assumes command of The Fighting 63rd. He becomes the 32nd Head Coach in Ottawa
Legion Baseball history, which dates back to 1930.*
—To View 2023 Schedule Click on "Calendar " Tab
—2023 Alumni Game will be on Friday Night, June 30th at 7:30pm !
—VIDEO…"Beutler Field and the beginning of Ottawa Legion Baseball…. https://youtu.be/SfIxGyu7-Qw*
History of Night Baseball in Ottawa
Night Baseball In Ottawa….Important Dates
MAY 29,
1929 – First Night Game
in Putnam County took place at Beutler Field, on Ottawa’s west end. The
barnstorming American Athletic Girls baseball team set up their $20,000 light
plan of 50,000 candle power. This would illuminate Beutler Field as the
Athletic Girls defeated the local
Liberty Sluggers 6-2
MAY 24,
1935 – First Night Game
in Major League Baseball played at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.
SUMMER 1950
– Plans for a new park in Ottawa were announced at a joint meeting of the
Kiwanis Club and Chamber of Commerce. Eventually the new park would become the
home Ottawa Legion Baseball, although the team would continue to play at
Beutler Field until 1955, when the team played in Kalida.
The new park, named “Memorial
Park” would be located on Pratt Street.
Co-Chairmen of the Park Committee R.E. Laudick and W.C. Toner enlisted several
local citizens to lead various portions of the construction. Norris Simpson was
named the supervisor in charge of construction.
The park would include tennis
courts, shelter houses, restrooms, playground equipment, and a baseball field
with lighting and a covered grandstand. Construction of the park was truly a
community effort. Volunteers, young and old, cleared grounds of branches and
debris. The local Ohio National Guard joined forces with the Boy Scouts, and
planted 200 seedlings on the west side of the park. Weatherseal pledged the
material and labor to build the new covered grandstand.
SUMMER 1955
– In summer of 1955, there were still no lights on the new ballfield. A
shortfall of funds had caused the lighting system to be put on hold. That’s
when local citizen Donald Doepker formed a new group, the Ottawa Community
Boosters Club, with the stated goal of raising funds to light the new
ballfield. Officers of the new club included Pete Hamilton, Alva Lanwehr,
Hubert Beckman, Forest Hopkins, and Paul Schomaeker. Other members included Joe
Ruhe, Frank Kahle, Bernard Ruhe, Reese Maidlow, Donald Weis, Alvin Felkey, Vyland
Newland, Vic Goedde, Ray Conine, Bob Imm, and Louis Ball. The community rallied
behind the group, and together they got the job done.
JUNE 12,
1956 – First Night Game
at the new Memorial Park. Ottawa Legion defeats Delphos Legion 3-1.
SUMMER 1965
– Village of Ottawa sells the site of Memorial Park
to Sylvania Electric
AUGUST 1,
1965 – Last game played
at the ballpark on Pratt St
before the move. A special farewell game was organized by Bill Kruse, President
of the OG Boosters and Shorty Kreinbrink. The Ottawa Legion played the OG ACME
team on a Sunday night. The evening included food, music, and a special
farewell to outgoing OG School Superintendent Lester Smith.
SUMMER 1966
– Memorial Park and ball field are moved to its’ current location.
========
Sources: “We Had a Lot of Fun” — History of Ottawa Legion Baseball (2005)
Kerner-Slusser Post 63 75 Year Anniversary Book (1994)
Putnam County Sentinel Archives
2004 Shoeless Joe Champs -- Evansville, IN
Village Idiots Band Celebrates 70 Years
The Village Idiots Band have been playing at Ottawa Legion games since 1996. The following article was written by Nancy Kline and appeared in the Putnam Voice.
GLANDORF – Lawrence “Pop” Giesken couldn’t read music, but 70 years ago he was known as “Mr. Music,” in the area. On Monday night a band started by Pop Giesken celebrated the anniversary of the band by performing at The Well in Glandorf.
The Pop Giesken Booster Band started in 1941. Giesken couldn’t read music, but he could play by ear through sheer instinct. Giesken was a trombone player with the band. Prior to starting the band he played in several other bands in the area.
When Giesken started the band he was quoted as saying “It is a hobby with us. We play because we love music, love people and like a good time.”
This is the theme that continues 70 years later with the band. In between playing songs requiring musical talent on their instrument, the band members tell jokes to the audience, each other and make up outrageous words to accompany their songs.
The band played at several venues in communities including the Kalida Pioneer Parade, Glandorf Social, Strawberry Festival in New Bavaria.
In 1941 Pop was approached about putting a band in the Ottawa Halloween parade. Pop knew some old timers who liked to play music, including several members of the Alstaetter family. There were five brothers and a nephew who played instruments. Giesken said without them they would never have had the band.
The band would practice in the Glandorf City Hall four times yearly, but performed numerous times at area festivals including the Glandorf social, throughout the year.
When requests came in for the band to perform in parades Pop asked his best musicians to be part of a rube band led by Bubbles the Clown. The band became known as Bob the Clown Booster Band. Eventually in the late 1960’s they changed their name to The Village Idiots.
“It’s a hobby for me,” said current band member Charlie Doepker, Ottawa. He started playing clarinet with the band in 1969 but said he took a “ ‘20-year army band sabbatical’ from the band before rejoining. the band. “It’s not a job. It’s just a lot of fun. We don’t’ do the gigs we used to so that makes it easier.”
Bill Burwell, who started with the band in 1975, said his father Bob had also played with the band. “He played with the band beginning in the 1950’s,” Bill said. He enjoys teasing his brother Jack Burwell as they play songs.
“I can guarantee that this is by far the best Dixieland band in at least a 100-mile radius of Lima,” he commented. Following a trip to New Orleans, Bill said he didn’t see anything that compared to ‘The Idiots.’
“We always start our shows by playing the Beer Barrel Polka,” Jack Burwell said. He joined the band in the early 1970’s while his dad was still a band member. “They needed a trombone player so I joined the band,” he said.
In 1978, the band became regular performers for St. Patrick’s Day at the Casa Lu Al in Lima.