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Show THE @ STORY BLAZER ATEM'S OF UTAH'S PAST FROIM THE Utah State Historical Society 300 Rio Grande Salt Lake City, VT 84101 ( 801) 533- 3500 FAX ( 801) 533- 3303 Provo and the Central Utah Baseball League EARLIYN APRIL 1920 the old Central Utah Baseball League, disbanded in 1915, was reorganized. The anticipated entry of the United States into World War I was believed by some to have been the reason for the league's demise, although there was considerable criticism concerning the use of semi- professional players by the Lehi and Spanish Fork teams who played a hard- fought series for the 1915 championship, which Lehi won. A Payson team had participated in the old league but did not afFiliate with the newly created group, and Heber City was granted a franchise. Other competing teams were Provo, American Fork, Lehi, Sp~ gviUea, n d Spanish Fork. On April 11, 1920, members of the Provo Commercial Club met and organized a Provo baseball club. W. D. Roberts was selected president of the board of directors, John Saxey, secretary, and E. J. Troyer, general manager. Other directors were W. F. Violett, Ray Timmerman, W. A. Hines, and William Bulkley . While participating in the old Central Utah League the Provo team had used the B W field on Temple Hill, but this was not a suitable arrangement for the new league. The directors asked Provo City to allow construction of a ball park on the 10- acre tract of land east of North Park. The request was granted. Cost of enclosing the new park and the construction of a grandstand that would seat 1,000 persons was estimated at $ 3,000. When Alma Van Wagenen declared that he would donate $ 100 toward the project, he was immediately selected as chairman of the finance committee. Before the meeting adjourned he had raised more than $ 1,000 from the group. Other members of the committee were: R. R. Irvine, Jr., A. N. Taylor, John Smith, D. D. Sutton, J. Will Knight, Preston G. Peterson, W. G. Goldstein, James Clove and R. A. Moorefield. Plans for the facility were furnished by Claude Ashworth, and the finance committee was able to raise $ 3,500 necessary for the materials. On May 19 every available carpenter in Provo, together with 30 helpers, reported to the site of the new park to donate a day's labor. More than 200 men came, and the grandstand and fence were virtually completed that day. Provo merchants responded by donating a quantity of food to supply a dinner for the workers. It was a great event in Provo's baseball history. The balance of the work was completed the following day, and on May 21 everything was ready for the opening league game. The game proved a thrilling and controversial opener for the new park, Springville nosing out Provo 3- 2. Years later, old- timers in Provo still maintain4 that the game ended a 2- 2 tie as ( more) the last of Springville's runs was scored after the side had been retired. With a new league and a new playing field, interest in baseball increased, and $ 300 and $ 400 gates were common, according to Saxey, the club secretary. When rival American Fork came to Provo the receipts often reached $ 600. Under the managership of Otto Birk the Provo Timps won the Central Utah pennant in 1927 and repeated in 1929. Provo was always near the top in the league and produced some outstanding baseball players. In 1930 a Utah State League was formed and Provo was granted admittance along with teams from Salt Lake City and Ogden. When Ogden dropped out of the league two years later a Utah State Industrial League was formed, and Provo won the championship. The Timps won the state title again in 1934 and were dangerous contenders for the title in other years. Through the use of federal funds in 1933 the grandstand was moved from the southwest comer of the park to the northwest comer. This abolished the nuisance created when boys trespassed over neighboring flower gardens in quest of foul balls. The change also reduced the sun hazard that players had experienced at the original location. In 1936 4.5 acres of ground at the park was sodded, making it one of the finest ball parks in the state. Source: Annual Report for the City of Prow, Utah, for the Year Ending December 31,1936 ( Piovo, 1936). THE WLS~- Y is prodwed by the Utah State HistoI. icerl Society and funded in part by a grant from the Utah Statehood Centennial Commission. For more information about the Historical Society telephone 533- 3500. |
