LET’S PLAY BALL

Lennox’s Baseball Roots Run Deep

1900 Lennox Browns

Baseball has a unique history in Lennox, dating back to the 1880s, and the sport has figured prominently since..

The earliest recorded team in Lennox dates back to 1890, when the Lennox amateurs played under the name, the Lennox Browns. The Lennox Browns soon became a prominent team in the area, and the sport continued to flourish.

“I love hearing stories about the old Lennox Browns and how their games were located at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds where the horse ring is located,” said current Lennox High School baseball coach and board member of the Lennox Baseball and Softball Association, Drew Sweeter. Sweeter remembers hearing there would be anywhere from 500 to 800 people at any Browns’ game.

Lennox continues to draw large crowds at the ball diamonds. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a fan, there’s always a game to catch during the spring and summer months.

Lennox’s American Legion team was established in 1927, and in 1953, they won the Legion State B Championship title thanks to the impressive pitching of Marvin (Mike) Poppens.

“The Lennox Legion also has a rich history when it comes to baseball,” said Sweeter.

Sweeter recalled in the 90’s the Legion Post 174 had some very good teams that have had some good runs, claiming the State B Championship in 1993. The Junior Legion State Title was won by Lennox in 2017 and 2018.

“And since 2018, we’ve been in the top half of the state for high school, which keeps growing onto that strong history,” added Sweeter.

2019 was a banner year for Lennox as the baseball team won the High School State Tournament and the Senior Legion State Tournament.

“Lennox has had some pretty good baseball teams here in the last few years or so. We had a team win state at the Legion and high school levels,” said Sweeter. “We have plenty of good younger teams as well. Our little league program is too notch and is only getting better. Baseball is growing in our town and I couldn’t be any more happy to see it.”

Westerman Park is home to a spacious baseball diamond that hosts high school, amateur, legion, and teenage games, while the softball diamonds are used by high school and youth teams, as well as church leagues. For young ball players, the T-ball field located at 7th Ave. and Blaine is a dream come true, with its well-manicured grounds being a popular destination for young players during the spring and summer months.