Wabash Little League turns 70 years old Wabash Lions created League in 1953

By Joseph Slacian

The Wabash Little League will kick off its 70th season on Saturday morning, April 22, at the Field of Dreams.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 11 a.m., with games to follow throughout the day.

League President Bryan Dillon said plans call to have as many former League presidents attend the event as possible.

Creating the league was the idea of Clyde Duker, who moved his family to Wabash in 1952, according to Wabash County Historian Ron Woodward.

Woodward said Duker wanted something to help his sons and other boys in the community stay busy, so he broached the idea with members of the Wabash Lions Club.

Duker went on to serve as the League’s first commissioner.

Harold “Doc” Pfeifer, Rex Price and Charlie “Bill” Barrows also were among those who helped create the League, according to Dillon, Stan Leland, Josh Long and Jim Widner, all former players or coaches who recently sat down with The Paper of Wabash

A sign hangs at the Field of Dreams honoring Wabash Lions Club members who helped form the Wabash Little League in 1953.

County to share their memories.

Others, according to a sign at the Field of Dreams honoring those who helped create the League, were Orville Butts, Hubert Carter, Tony Corso, Russell Jones, John Keaffaber, George Lester, Marion Niccum and O.W. Stephens.

But before the League could begin, there was much work that had to be accomplished.

For one, Woodward noted, was there was no baseball diamond for the teams to play on. The Lions Club members built one on the lower level of Wabash City Park.

Play began on June 24, 1953. The day was special, with a parade to City Park. Mayor James Smallwood threw out the first pitch before play began.

“I was told that that diamond didn’t have a fence,” Dillon said. “So, if you hit it up on the hill it was a home run.”

Leland confirmed Dillon’s comment.

Over the years, renovations began at the diamond, perhaps with the biggest change being the addition of lights around 1963. The lights were used by crews building the Salamonie Dam, and were donated to the League.

There were eight teams in the League when Leland began playing in 1967.

“My first year, I was 8 years old, I was in the American League,” he recalled. “The first year was at the City Park.”

He believes that the National Cont. on Pg. 3.