The Monroe Pirates, a locally sponsored baseball team, played a brand of ball equal to that of most organized minor league teams. The Pirates were consistent winners and some of the stars went on to big league tryouts. Monroe baseball reached its zenith Sept. 4, 1912, when Charles A. Comiskey sent a “split” Chicago White Sox team to play a promised game with the Pirates. Comiskey, approached by Monroe friends, had agreed to the game in view of the Monroe Pirates’ domination of its Illinois-Wisconsin circuit. Under Comiskey, the White Sox were the scourge of the American League until the infamous “Black Sox” scandal involving “Say it ain’t so, Joe” Jackson in 1919. Advance promotion brought enthusiasm to a fever pitch and bleachers were installed for 3,000. However, on the scheduled game day, the American league ordered the White Sox to play off a tie game with Detroit. Chicago papers reported the game had been canceled. Comiskey was quick to deny this, announcing he would split his team and fulfill the Monroe date. The confusion, nevertheless, cut the fairgrounds attendance to 1,500, from the anticipated 3,000, yielding more than $1,100 in receipts. 

The games were played at the Green County fairgrounds. M.T. Gettings, Paul A Ruf, and George B. Erwin were managers and Dr. W.B. Gnagi served as umpire. 

Monroe’s lineup and positions read: Chayka cf, Bohlman ss, Fosser 1b, Hannaway 2b, Dietrich 3b, Burgess rf, Krueger lf, Anderson c, Fucik p. White Sox line up: McIntyre lf, White rf, Bodie cf, Borton 1b, Mayer 3b, Gleason 2b, Dowling ss, Sullivan c, Lange p, Peters p. 

This picture is from the archives of the Green County Historical Society and the text is taken from “The Story of Monroe” by E.C. Hamilton and the Monroe Evening Times. To identify players in this picture or with other memories, contact Linda Lostetter at lostetter68@gmail.com or a note to P.O. Box 804, Monroe.