All posts by Dave Hoekstra
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August 10, 2021

Iowa’s Real Field of Dreams

Riverview Stadium, Clinton, Iowa–built 1937.

 

CLINTON, IA..—The Clinton LumberKings hosted the Burlington Bees on Aug. 3 in their final home game of the 2021 Prospect League season. Both Iowa teams landed in the Prospect League, a collegiate wood bat league after Major League Baseball kicked them out of the affiliated minor leagues. Both teams have storied histories.

The Bees were members of the now-defunct Midwest League from 1962 until 2020. Their home field was built in 1947. The LumberKings were also members of the Midwest League from 1956 until 2020. They play in the historic Riverview [...]

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July 27, 2021

Chuck E. Weiss rolled the dice (1945-2021)

Chuck E. Weiss (Image via ANTI- records)

 

Singer-raconteur Chuck E. Weiss lived in a world of flickering neon where every ashtray was filled and sunset hearts wandered on the edges of empty. Weiss was popularized in the 1979 Rickie Lee Jones hit “Chuck E’s in Love” but I came to know him in 1987 when he was headlining Chuck E. Weiss and the Godddam Liars, an industrial-strength rock n’ soul revue at The Central in West Hollywood, Ca.

Chuck Edward  Weiss died on July 20 after a battle with cancer. He was 76 years old.

Exit numbers: 7/20/21. Sounds lucky.

Once in a while, the Chicago Sun-Times [...]

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July 15, 2021

The Hits Keep Coming in Downtown Beloit, Wisconsin

 

Long foul balls from this new Wisconsin stadium could land in Illinois.

 

BELOIT, WIS.—Minor league baseball is about coming and going.

No one wants to stay put.

But after the ABC Supply Stadium opens on Aug. 3 with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers taking on the Beloit Snappers in downtown Beloit, the ballpark will be there for years to come. Fans will walk through the centerfield gates along the bed of the timeless Rock River. Located on the Illinois-Wisconsin border, long foul balls hit over the first base facade could land in the Illinois zip code. Hopefully, they won’t get super [...]

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June 17, 2021

The New Kansas City Monarchs

The late Buck O’Neil visits his Monarchs with a rainbow on opening day 2021 (Courtesy of Kansas City Monarchs.)

 

KANSAS CITY, KS.—The Kansas City Monarchs were the royalty of baseball’s Negro Leagues. They played in Kansas City, Mo. between 1920 and 1961 and their graduates included Hall of Famers Jackie  Robinson (1945), Ernie Banks (1950-53), and Satchel Paige (1934 and 1940-47). The team produced more major league players than any other Negro League franchise.

The Monarchs have taken a new flight as a member of the American Association.

These Monarchs play at Legends Field in Kansas [...]

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