Mizzou Baseball debuted some sweet CoMo jerseys last week but did you know that there used to be a ballpark on the property that's now Mizzou North? The Columbia Merchants Ball Park was located right on Highway 40, on the southwest corner of the parcel where you can still make out the infield on old aerial photos.
Less and Nell Proctor purchased a 100-acre farm on Highway 40 in 1933. A group of amateur baseball players, led by local insurance agent and player W. I. McBride, convinced the Proctors to lease a section of their land to build a 2,500 seat ballpark. Less Proctor ended up with the best end of the deal. Not only did he get the only box seats in the stadium, he was in the lumber business and the team purchased all the building materials from him.
McBride managed the semi-pro team which attracted players from across mid-Missouri. Pitchers earned $35-$50 a game, catchers $20-$25, and all others between $10-$15. Local businesses were also willing to provide employment to the more talented players to ensure they'd stick around. And much like modern-day minor league teams, exhibition games and crazy stunts were all part of the roster. One day Dizzy Dean or Babe Didrikson would show up for a game and the next it would be Donkey Baseball where players had to field balls and run bases on the backs of very recalcitrant donkeys.
The property was purchased to build the Ellis Fischel Cancer Hospital and the state gave the Merchants permission to finish out their 1938 season.
If you want to catch a ballgame on The Loop today, check out Rainbow Fields at Cosmo Park, which meet the Amateur Softball Association standards for play. And of course, Mizzou Baseball is in full swing over at Taylor Stadium.
Warren Dalton collected some great stories about early Columbia baseball from Earl and Charles Proctor (the sons of Less and Nell) in his long-running series in the Columbia Daily Tribune. Charles and Earl were kids at the time and they loved growing up with a ballpark in their front yard. Family members ran the concession stand and homework, of course, took a back seat during the season. We can't recommend these articles enough, particularly the story about Donkey Baseball.
Parkade Shopping Center grew out of family farm
