Reese Kaplan -- The History Of Baseball Exhibit

During the recent AAA Home Run Derby and All Star Game festivities they promoted the grand opening of a new exhibit at the El Paso Museum of History on Thursday night entitled, “Bases Loaded: El Paso and Beyond” which chronicled the history of the game from its civil war origins pre-Abner Doubleday up through the AAA San Diego Padres affiliate El Paso Chihuahuas and Southwest University Park being constructed here across the street from the museum.  On Sunday I took in the exhibit and was floored by how much they were able to pull together for a relatively small venue, much through the private collections of a local memorabilia enthusiast named Fernando Grado. 

Upon entering the exhibit hall, you are struck by the giant bat suspended from the ceiling to let you know you’d arrived in the right room. 

The first exhibit that was fascinating to see was a civil war era machine designed for the stitching of baseballs. 

Next was an exhibit showing the Civil War era baseball uniforms which surprisingly contained padding around the thighs which was probably more a testament to the tiny gloves and large number of batted balls that would hit the fielders rather than used as protection while batting or sliding. 

Next came an exhibit of those small gloves to let you know how challenging it was for the players at that time to try to catch the batted balls.

 After that were three examples of Civil War era baseball bats which were abnormally long by today’s standards.  They also were rather symmetrical without the narrow handle end and enlarged barrels that we now accept as the standard design.

The civil war era baseball shoes and catchers’ masks further accentuated the contrast in the game between then and now. 

No exhibit would be complete without significant photos, and this collection was no exception.  Here you see seated together legends Babe Ruth and Shoeless Joe Jackson

On loan was a shadow box containing various artifacts commemorating the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig.

There was a small corner of the exhibit dedicated to the achievements of African-American ballplayers, with some signed jerseys from Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson, as well as photos and baseballs.

El Paso’s own baseball history began with the El Paso Browns, so-named due to the amount of dirt ever present on their uniforms.  They were formed in the 1890s and played what was considered the equivalent of major league baseball against other clubs in the southwest region too far from the mostly East-Coast based National League.  Many famous ballplayers made their way out to play games against the El Paso team, including Christy Mathewson and Rube Waddell.  

During the great Black Sox Scandal of 1919 many of the suspended and banned ballplayers donned uniforms for El Paso who played the highest quality baseball and became part of the old Copper League of other southwestern teams throughout the 1920s.  Dudley Field in the central part of the city directly across from the border of Mexico was built in 1924 and served as home of all El Paso baseball teams until 1988.  (After it’s subsequent demolition the El Paso Zoo was built on the historic site). 

In the 1930s El Paso joined the Arizona/Texas League where they would remain until World War II caused all baseball here to be suspended for four years.  Dick Azar and Syd Cohen helped El Paso transition into the West Texas/New Mexico league in the 1950s where stars such as Mickey Mantle would play.  The later home of the El Paso Diablos was opened in 1989 – Cohen Stadium – was named to honor both Syd and his brother Andy who played and coached in the major leagues before becoming University of Texas El Paso’s longtime baseball coach. 

One famous face who came through and played for El Paso is perhaps better known for his career on the big screen rather than on the diamond.

The last reigning manager of the El Paso Diablos in their post-Dodgers iteration was former major leaguer Butch Henry who I had the pleasure of meeting last year in the clubhouse with then Las Vegas 51s and now Syracuse Mets manager Tony DeFrancesco.

There was also a nice pictorial exhibit of the origin of the El Paso Chihuahuas as well as another one highlighting their championships.

While El Paso is not exactly the hotbed of baseball activity that comes to mind when people think about the history of the game, National Geographic thought enough of the area that when they profiled life in the minor leagues they selected El Paso for the basis of their story.

All in all, it was a great way to spend a blazingly hot Sunday afternoon.