Last Sunday, May 3, Cleveland baseball returned to historic League Park in the Hough neighborhood. The Forest City Baseball Club hosted an exhibition scrimmage—bringing together players across several generations.
Forest City Baseball Club consultation.About 30 Forest City Baseball Club players competed in combined teams from the 25-plus, 35-plus, and 40-plus divisions of the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) and Greater Cleveland Adult Baseball (GCAB) during an afternoon of sport, nostalgia, and baseball history discussions.

All of the players had reasons why they came out to play baseball. Some said the weather provided a perfect spring day for baseball, others have always dreamed of playing at League Park.

Manuel Moretti was born in Italy and grew up in Germany, where he started a men’s baseball team that still exists today. He moved to Northeast Ohio for work and says he loves the opportunity to play in League Park.

Many of the local players mentioned that the event was a chance to play hardball on the same grounds that had hosted the likes of Bob Feller, Satchel Paige, Cy Young, James “Cool Papa” Bell, Ted Williams, Josh Gibson, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Babe Ruth.

League Park groundskeeper and host of the podcast “My Baseball History” Dan Wallach served as scorekeeper for the eight-inning game.

The play of the game on Sunday was when Geneva native Nate Horgan hit an inside-the-park grand slam home run.

Horgan’s feat sparked conversation about Boston Red Sox player Ted Williams. Williams had 521 career home runs, yet his only inside-the-park home run occurred at League Park during the September 13, 1946 pennant race.

Satchell Paige and Bob Feller, c. 1948. Feller pitched his first major league game at League Park in 1936. Paige never played at League Park as an Indian, nut he likely played there in the Negro Leagues.That home run won Boston the game against the Cleveland Indians, and clinched the pennant for the Red Sox.

On Sunday, the final score of the Forest City scrimmage was 20-10. However, the athletes—who were all wearing the same Forest City Baseball Club uniforms—were more interested in remembering historic baseball events at the park, like the 1945 Negro League World Series between the Cleveland Buckeyes and the Homestead Grays. The Buckeyes swept the heavily-favored Grays.

At the end of the afternoon, talk shifted to how much fun everyone had at the event.

The players continued to discuss the accomplishments so many of the iconic players achieved at the park.

For instance, Bob Feller played his first game at League Park in 1936 at age 17—striking out 15 members of the St. Louis Browns.

Babe Ruth hit his 500^th career home run at League Park in 1929.

The group marveled over Joe DiMaggio collecting his 56th consecutive game hit on July 16, 1941, at League Park. His streak ended the next day during a game against the Indians at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

After DiMaggio’s streak ended in Cleveland, he went on a new 16-game hitting streak—collecting a hit in a total of 72 out of 73 games.

The group remembered Shoeless Joe Jackson, who lived in the Hough neighborhood and often walked to the park.

At the end of the day, Wallach treated the players and other guests to a tour of League Park’s Baseball Heritage Museum and visitors center, and the stadium tunnel where all of these athletes once walked.