The Story of Bill Wood Field

     On April 2, 1956, a $35,000 bond issue was resoundingly voted down by North Platte city voters.     Coincidentally or not, the election also saw three out of the four sitting councilmen get voted out in favor of a slate of candidates running on the platform of “tax reduction”. North Platte, with a population of approximately 15,000 at the time, had just seen the demise of the semi-pro league that featured the North Platte Plainsmen, a team supported by local businessmen, most notably York Hinman. Hinman, a local truck stop owner, was also involved at a different time with a team called the Hinman Oilers.

     At the April 4th council meeting, the newly formed group unanimously approved a proposal, presented by Dr. H. K. Young, to have the North Platte Baseball Association conduct a public subscription drive for bleachers to be placed at “the ball diamond site on city property across from Cody Park.” Dr. Young emphasized to the City Council the North Platte Baseball Association fully understood that a successful drive would mean the bleachers would become municipal property. According to Dr. Young, the need for bleachers was because “plans for North Platte to be affiliated with the Nebraska Independent League hadn’t worked out, but North Platte had the opportunity to be ‘one of several Nebraska towns to tie in with organized baseball.’ ” Major League clubs would own teams in the “Rookie League”, with players and all expenses to be paid by the Major League clubs. This was precedent breaking, as there had never before been a rookie league associated with Major League clubs. A 60 game schedule, half away and half at home would be set up, to be played in 60 days. The Major League clubs would get all gate receipts to use towards expenses, but would allow the North Platte Baseball Association to operate and garner the concessions, and keep any profits attained.

     The City Council discussed the proposal, but worried about possible liability for the city if injuries occurred in the bleachers – and after several attempts at a motion failed, a motion was proposed to accept the offer “with the stipulation liability would be worked out between the City Council and the Baseball Association.” The motion passed unanimously. North Platte Telegraph-Bulletin Sports Editor Jimmie Kirkman, in his April 6th column, said business and professional men of North Platte “weren’t looking kindly at the proposal for the fund drive”, saying they have footed the bill for North Platte’s past recreation programs, and it was time for those who benefited from the programs to step up, whether as participants or spectators. Kirkman, a future Mayor of North Platte, saying he hoped he was wrong, predicted that a summer baseball program, for either adults or juveniles “wouldn’t happen this summer.”

      At a meeting at Tucker’s Cafe that night, several organizations were represented: including the Civic Club: the North Platte Plainsmen; a newly formed booster organization called the Buffalo Bill’s; the Chamber of Commerce; the Jaycees; along with several members of the City Council. A six man committee was formed to look into cost of the bleachers, construction, etc. That very same evening, the group gave a commitment to Bob Finch, Public Relations Director of the Minor Baseball Leagues that North Platte was ready for Rookie League Baseball, and there would be bleachers at the Cody Park Field in time for the proposed June 15th start of the League.

     Finch said rosters would number about 17 players and six teams would be necessary, with eight being the optimum number. Cities named as possibilities, beside North Platte, included Kearney, Grand Island, Holdrege, McCook, Alma, Ogallala and Norton, Kansas. To give some perspective, the Major League season was slated to begin April 17th – a season which would prove to be the only season in Mickey Mantle’s career where he won the Triple Crown, leading the League in Batting average, Runs Batted In, and Home Runs.

     Kirkman, in an April 13th column, reported “the new baseball field, at a site called the DeKalb plot, was seeing much progress. The fencing was going up (donated by the North Platte Baseball Association), which came from the old Jeffers Pavilion ballpark, which was located just to the northwest of where the current Jeffers Street viaduct crosses the Union Pacific tracks. Also, baselines had been scraped off, and the floodlights were being readied to be erected.” At the April 17th City Council meeting, a request came from National Guard Major Don Craig that the City paint the new fence at the ballpark; true to previous City Council action, the request was rejected on a split vote. Saying it was an “eyesore”, Craig stated Park Commissioner Bill Wood had estimated it would take anywhere from $100 to $125 for the paint needed, and money was available in the park fund.

     That same day, it was announced that McCook and Hastings announced plans to be part of the Rookie League. Each community was tasked with a $2,500 payment to Major League Baseball, with an additional commitment of $5,000 in advance ticket sales. The new National Guard Armory was dedicated April 26th. On May 16th, an official announcement came from The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues that a Class D Rookie League, consisting of eight teams will begin a schedule of 63 games on July 1st and run till September 9th. Unfortunately, Bob Finch, the Public Relations Director of the Minor Baseball Leagues didn’t make the announcement, Finch died shortly after being in North Platte on April 6th. North Platte immediately named R. F. Easter as Bleacher Committee Chairman. A goal of $6,000 was set. A casual fundraising effort for the bleachers had already been started, but now faced with a deadline, plans were formalized. Six sections, each seating slightly more than 150 fans, were planned. Two sections would be behind Home Plate, with two sections each down the first and third baselines. Easter didn’t announce how much had already been pledged, but said several donations in the $50 to $150 range, with “quite a few” of $6 – which is the estimated cost for one bleacher seat.

     Each of the eight communities: the Kearney Yankees, McCook Braves, Hastings Giants, Holdrege White Sox, Lexington Red Sox, Superior Senators, Grand Island Athletics and the North Platte Indians – had to sell 500 books of tickets at $10 each before the season started, with the money going to the Major League club sponsoring the team. Each city also had to pay for the utilities and a grounds keeper. The 21 player roster was open only to June High School or College grads with no previous professional playing experience. Within a week, North Platte had raised $900, with construction to begin on the first two sections when approximately $2,000 was raised. A day later, it was announced that another $900 had been raised, so steel needed for the construction was ordered from Omaha. Within another week, at the end of May, slightly more than half the goal, or $3,240 was donated, and it was announced that construction on four sections would start within days. Painting the fence was to begin shortly, the base paths were completed, and extra infield grass had been seeded. It turned out that more outfield fencing was needed, as the Jeffers Pavilion Ballpark fencing didn’t quite reach all the way from foul pole to foul pole! On June 2nd, another $400 was on hand, the first section had been welded and was ready to be erected, with welding on the other three sections beginning. Five days later, another $400 was added to the total, and ticket sales were to begin five days after that. In the first week of ticket sales, 300 of the 500 ticket books were sold, and the schedule showed North Platte hosting McCook on July 1st. June 19th saw the footings being poured, and backstop construction started, while dugouts and the concession stand were staked out. Two days later, it was publicized that the $5,000 goal “was near”, and on June 28th, with great fanfare, the ticket book sales goal was reached. There were no locker rooms or rest rooms for the opening of the season, as they were still in the planning stage, but nearly 400 guests of the Chamber of Commerce were at the field on the night before the season opener for a Barbeque picnic.

     July 1, 1956 saw the first game with fully paid professional players in North Platte. Paid attendance was 1,215, with another 100 fans packing the place to a Standing Room Only designation. Since not enough sections were in place to handle that sized crowd, foresight had gotten the North Platte Baseball Association to borrow bleachers from St. Pats, so most of the crowd was able to sit and enjoy the North Platte Indians 10 – 1 victory over the McCook Braves. Future Major Leaguer Jim Perry fired a 3 hitter, striking out 16, in picking up the win. Perry walked the first batter of the game on four pitches (his only free pass issued), who then scored on a two out single, but Perry’s batting heroics more than made up for the run, as Perry was 2 for 4 in the game, with a run scored and a run batted in. Perry retired 21 straight, from the third out in the second inning, until he gave up an infield single with two outs in the ninth. Access to the street was a problem, as it was nearly an hour after the final pitch before the last car got out of the parking lot.

     North Platte finished 24 and 37 on the season, seventh in the eight team league, drawing 20,792, an average of 671 paid per contest. The Union Pacific Railroad donated the labor and materials for the flagpole at what was to become Bill Wood Field – named at a later date after the North Platte Parks Commissioner. The flagpole stood for 56 seasons, until winter winds knocked it down in the winter of 2011-12. Union Pacific will see if their second flagpole can last for more than half a century.