Louisville Base Ball Company (Red Sox, Senators Farm Team)

Product Details

Intricately engraved antique stock certificate from the Louisville Base Ball Company dating back to the 1910's. This document, which is signed by the company President and Secretary, was printed by Goes and measures approximately 10 3/4" (w) by 8 1/4" (h).

This certificate's vignette features the Kentucky State Seal.

Very hard to find piece!

Images

You will receive the exact certificate pictured.

Historical Context

The Louisville Base Ball Company was incoporated in Kentucky in 1919. The company's team (the Louisville Colonels) was a member of the American Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.

Beginning in 1925, the company played their home games at the newly constructed Parkway Field, located at Brook Street and Eastern Parkway next to the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus. Parkway Field was built in just 63 days at an estimated cost of $250,000. The first game was played on May 25, 1925.

In 1957, the Colonels moved to a new stadium located on the grounds of the Kentucky State Fair, and Parkway Field was turned over the University of Louisville. The field eventually fell into disrepair and was demolished to make way for newer athletic facilties.

The Colonels won the American Association pennant in 1909, 1921, 1925, 1926 and 1930 while featuring players such as Joe McCarthy, Billy Herman and Earle Combs. Combs hit .344 in 1923 and .380 in 1924 before joining the New York Yankees in 1925. Pee Wee Reese was a rookie with the 1938 Colonels.

The Colonels were one of few minor league teams to play throughout World War II and they won pennants in 1944 and 1945. In 1944 the Colonels played in the Junior World Series against Baltimore and the game drew attendance of 52,833 – 16,265 more than any single World Series game that year.

In 1946 the Colonels played a role in the desegregation of baseball when they faced the Montreal Royals and Jackie Robinson in the 1946 Junior World Series. Sadly, Robinson later recalled his appearance in Louisville as among his worst experiences with hostile crowds. Through the 1940s and 1950s the Colonels were part of the Boston Red Sox farm system, and they won the pennant in 1954 but the Red Sox transferred its farm team to San Francisco after the 1955 season.

Starting in 1956 the Colonels were affiliated with the Washington Senators. In 1959 the Colonels became affiliated with the Milwaukee Braves. They won (in 1960, with pitcher Phil Niekro) one of three appearances in the Junior World Series in that time, but in 1962 the American Association folded.