Joyce Park

Joyce Park was a minor league baseball park in Keokuk, Iowa.

Joyce Park
Former namesKeokuk Baseball Park
LocationMain Street (Hwy 218) and Joyce Park Road
OwnerCity of Keokuk
Capacity3,500 (1962)
Field size(LF-CF-RF): 320-381-265 (1961) 306-385-345 (1962)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground1920
Built1920
Opened1921
Demolished1964
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 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.

In 1958, a live microphone was placed in home plate at Joyce Park by the Keokuk Cardinals in order to broadcast live player conversations over the PA system. The concept received coverage nationally. However, the experiment was ended due to foul language.

History

After early teams played at Hubinger Park, land was purchased privately on June 9, 1920 for what would become Joyce Park. The location at Main Street (Hwy 218) and Joyce Park Road was originally called Keokuk Baseball Park through 1933..[2][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). 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 Keokuk Baseball Park hosted a major league team, as the Keokuk Indians played an exhibition game at Keokuk Baseball 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 ballpark 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. Today, a new Joyce Park with baseball and softball fields sits on 54 acres at 3574 Highway 218 (US Highway 218 at Highway 61).[7][8]

Home plate microphone

In 1958, the Keokuk Cardinals placed a hidden live microphone under home plate at Joyce Park. The aim was to broadcast the players' conversations over the PA system and the microphone reportedly picked up conversations within thirty feet. The first usage was on May 16, 1958. However, foul language led to discontinuing the practice after the season. Magazines Grit (June 1, 1958) and Popular Science (August 1958) had stories on the Microphone usage.[2][9][10]

References
  1. "Joyce Park Minor League History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "The History of Keokuk, Iowa Baseball".
  3. Joel Dinda. "Keokuk's Joyce Park - MWLguide.com".
  4. "Keokuk, Iowa Register History - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "The History of Keokuk, Iowa Baseball".
  6. "Rehabilitating In Prison". Play Ball! Baseball in the Heartland.
  7. "Joyce Park II - Keokuk Iowa - Former Home of the Keokuk Kernals".
  8. "Public Parks".
  9. "Look back at Keokuk minor league teams from 1947-62". Daily Gate City. August 13, 2004. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  10. Steve Smith. The Keokuk Cardinals, 1958-1961. [Retrieved July 3, 2018]. SABR.
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