Joannes Field
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Joannes Field is a stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is primarily used for baseball, and will be the home field of the Green Bay Bullfrogs, a Northwoods League baseball team that will begin play in 2007. Joannes Stadium was built in 1929. In 1935 Joannes hosts an exhibition game between the St. Louis Browns and Pittsburg Pirates. Roger Hornsby played first base, Honus Wagner coach the Pirates. Over 3,500 attend the game. 1950’s-60’s-Joannes Stadium was home to the Green Bay Blue Jays, a Class D Minor League affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and Brooklyn Dodgers. Popular players of the time include Frank Howard, who in 1958 hit 37 home runs and knocked in 119. Howard went on to become the 1960 National League Rookie of the Year. In 1959 George Scott knocked in an amazing 155 and did not make the All-Star team. Other well known’s of the time Andy Pafko of Boyceville, Wisconsin, went on to play for the World Champion Milwaukee Braves.When Dodgers move to Los Angeles, the team is moved. 1970’s-August 2006-Joannes was home to a number of local teams including the Green Bay Blue Ribbons, Green Bay Sultans and the Green Bay Billy’s. September 19, 2006-City Council awards lease of Joannes Stadium to the Northwoods League and Titletown Baseball Group. TTBG is awarded an Nortwoods League expansion team to begin play in 2007. September 20, 2006-Titletown Baseball Group begins work and improvements to Joannes Stadium. Spring 2007-Construction begins on Joannes renovation project #1, a 4,084 square foot Fan Deck. The Leinies Northwoods Deck will be located in the right field corner creating a unique viewing and entertainment option for the fans.
Additional details:
Wisconsin State League: 1940-1953 Class “D” Minor League.
Green Bay Blue Jays 1940-1942, 1946-1953. Affiliations: Philadelphia Phillies 1946; Cleveland Indians 1947-1953. Other Teams: Appleton, WI: Appleton Papermakers 1940-1942, 1946-1953. Fond du Lac, WI: Fond du Lac Panthers 1940-1942, 1946-1953. Janesville, WI: Janesville Cubs 1941-1942; Janesville Bears 1946-1953. LaCrosse, WI: LaCrosse Blackhawks 1940-1942. Oshkosh, WI: Oshkosh Giants 1941-1942, 1946-1953. Sheboygan, WI: Sheboygan Indians 1940-1942, 1946-1953. Wausau, WI: Wausau Lumberjacks 1946-1953. Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Wisconsin Rapids White Sox 1940-1942, 1946-1953.
1940 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 52 Losses: 65. 5thplace. Coach: Otto Bluege. Green Bay Blue Jay Rudy Novak leads league in Hitting .368, HR’s 20 and RBI’s 94. 1941 Season: Green Bay Blue Sox (Green Sox, Blue Jays) Wins: 76 Losses: 35. 1st Place. Coach: Red Smith.
- Won regular season title. Sheboygan was awarded the championship when Green Bay forfeited.
Green Bay Blue Jay Richard Ronovsky leads league in Hits 153. Jerome Crowley in Strikeouts 242 1942 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 74 Losses: 37. 2nd Place. Coach: Dick Smith. Team misses first place by half game. Ordie Timm leads league in RBI’s 110. Playoffs: Sheboygan 3 games, Fond du Lac 2. Green Bay 3 games, Appleton 2 Finals: Sheboygan 4 games, Green Bay 2.
- League did not operate in 1943, '44 & '45 due to WW II.
1946 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 76 Losses: 36. 1st Place. Coach: Harry Griswold. Green Bay Blue Jay Maynard Park leads league in Wins 18. Attendance: 75,657. Wisconsin State League Champions 1947 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 58 Losses: 62. 6th Place. Coach: Harry Griswold. Green Bay Blue Jay Milt Welch leads league in Runs Scored 133. 1948 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 57 Losses: 68. 5th Place. Coaches: Roxie Lawson/Walt Laskowski/Joe Dotlich. 1949 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 71 Losses: 55. 2nd Place. Coach: Phil Seghi. Green Bay Blue Jay Jug Girard leads league in hitting .376. Attendance: 105,765. 1950 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 63 Losses: 62. 5th Place. Coach: Phil Seghi. Green Bay Blue Jay Rod Graber leads league in Runs Scored 124. 1951 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 64 Losses: 57. 3rd Place. Coach Phil Seghi. 1952 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 64 Losses: 61. 5th Place. Coach Phil Seghi. 1953 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Wins: 78 Losses: 42. 1st Place. Coach Phil Seghi. Playoffs: Green Bay 2 games, Wausau 0. Wisconsin State League Champions Green Bay Blue Jay Mel Heim leads league in Wins 19 and ERA 2.14
- Fall 1953, Wisconsin State League officials decide to shut down league due to financial woes of a number of teams. Documentation state Green Bay and Wausau are in pursuit of application to join Northern League and lead charge to pull plug on Wisconsin State League. A number of months later both Wausau and Green Bay’s applications for membership in the Northern League are declined. 4 years later in 1957, Wausau is finally awarded Northern League franchise.
Three-I League (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana): 1901-1961. Class “B” Minor League.
Green Bay Blue Jays 1958-1959, Green Bay Dodgers 1960 Affiliation: Los Angeles Dodgers 1958-1959. (Note: In 1957 the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to become the Los Angeles Dodgers) 1958 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. Professional baseball returns to the city after application to join Northern League in 1953 was rejected. The team is coach by former Major Leaguer “Pistol” Pete Reiser. Green Bay Blue Jay Frank Howard, whom the Dodgers signed for $100,000 wins the Three-I League MVP. *Howard goes on to become the 1959 Minor League Player of the Year, playing for the Texas and Pacific Coast Leagues, is named National League Rookie of the Year in 1960 as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers hitting .268 with 23 HR’s and 77 RBI’s. 1959 Season: Green Bay Blue Jays. 1960 Season: Green Bay Dodgers. *After the 1960 season, due to the move of the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1957, the Class B affiliate Green Bay Dodgers become the Salem Dodgers (Salem, OR) thus professional baseball once again leaves Green Bay.
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