Joyce Park
| Former names | Keokuk Baseball Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Main Street (Hwy 218) and Joyce Park Road |
| Owner | City of Keokuk |
| Capacity | 3,500 (1962) |
| Field size | (LF-CF-RF): 320-381-265 (1961) 306-385-345 (1962) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1920 |
| Built | 1920 |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Demolished | 1964 |
| Tenants | |
|
Midwest League Keokuk Dodgers (1962) Keokuk Cardinals (1958–1961) Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League Keokuk Kernels (1952–1957) Central Association Keokuk Pirates (1947–1949) Western League Keokuk Indians (1935) Mississippi Valley League Keokuk Indians (1929-1933) | |
Joyce Park was a minor league baseball park in Keokuk, Iowa. Joyce Park hosted Keokuk minor league teams in various seasons between 1929 and 1962. The park had dimensions of (LF-CF-RF): 320-381-265 (1961) 306-385-345 (1962) and had a capacity of 3,500 (1962).[1] Notable Keokuk players of the Joyce park era included Home Run record holder Roger Maris and All-Star player and Baseball Announcer Tim McCarver. Today, a new park of the same name has been constructed at a different Keokuk location.
History
After early teams played at Hubinger Park, land was purchased privately on June 9, 1920 for what would become Joyce Park.[2] The location at Main Street (Hwy 218) and Joyce Park Road was originally called Keokuk Baseball Park through 1933.[3]
Joyce Park was home to the Keokuk Dodgers (1962), Keokuk Cardinals (1958–1961), Keokuk Kernels (1952–1957), Keokuk Pirates (1947–1949) and Keokuk Indians (1929–1933, 1935).[4] Keokuk played in the Midwest League (1958–1962), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1952–1957), Central Association (1947–1949), Western League (1935),Mississippi Valley League (1929–1933) and were affiliates of the Los Angeles Dodgers (1962), St. Louis Cardinals (1958–1961, 1931–1932), Cleveland Indians (1954–1957) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1947–1949).[4]
On September 9, 1931 the Keokuk Indians played an exhibition game at the park against the St. Louis Cardinals, then nicknamed the Gashouse Gang.[5]
On September 10, 1934, Thomas H. Joyce bought the baseball park. Joyce deeded the land to the city of Keokuk under the conditions it remain a baseball park. The park then took his name.[2]
In 1957, prisoners at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, Iowa formed a team called the Fort Madison Prison Chiefs. The Chiefs played the Keokuk Kernels at Joyce Field in an exhibition. The spirit of the game was so successful, the Kernels played inside the prison the next season.[6]
The first Joyce Park was demolished in 1964.[7] Today, a new Joyce Park with baseball and softball fields sits on 54 acres at 3574 Highway 218 (US Highway 218 at Highway 61).[8]
External References
- Photos of Joyce Park: http://www.keokuk.net/baseball/joyce.htm
- Fort Madison Prisoners game: http://uni.edu/carrchl/wp/playball/rehabiliating-in-prison/
References
- ↑ "Joyce Park Minor League History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- 1 2 "The History of Keokuk, Iowa Baseball".
- ↑ Joel Dinda. "Keokuk's Joyce Park - MWLguide.com".
- 1 2 "Keokuk, Iowa Register History - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ↑ "The History of Keokuk, Iowa Baseball".
- ↑ "Rehabilitating In Prison". Play Ball! Baseball in the Heartland.
- ↑ "Joyce Park II - Keokuk Iowa - Former Home of the Keokuk Kernals".
- ↑ "Public Parks".