Subject(s): Harold Cooper Sport: Baseball Location: Columbus Clippers, Huntingdon Stadium, Columbus, OH Unveiled: 18/4/2009 Sculptor: Alan Hamwi Material: Bronze Status: In Situ Inscription(s): Plaque 1: HAROLD M. COOPER. FROM CLUBHOUSE MANAGER TO GENERAL MANAGER; FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER TO INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE PRESIDENT.... HAROLD'S LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO THE GAME OF BASEBALL UNIQUELY QUALIFIES HIM AS "THE PATRIARCH OF COLUMBUS BASEBALL". Plaque 2: Columbus' First Professional Game. April 25, 1876. Columbus' first professional game was played on the Base Ball Grounds, located between the old Union Depot train station and High Street, on April 25, 1876. The Columbus Buckeyes defeated the famous Milfords 11-0. The Buckeyes and the International Association were created by Columbus native Jimmy Williams, "The Father of Minor League Baseball". Plaque 3: The Columbus Buckeyes 1883-84, 1889-91. Columbus' first major league club played their home games at Recreation Park located at the intersection of Mound Street and Parsons Avenue. The park was one of the first in the country to have both a grass infield and a grass outfield. Columbus' second major league franchise played at Recreation Park II, known as "The Recy", located on East Whittier and Ebner Streets. Plaque 4: The Western League 1892, 1896-99. The 1892 Columbus Reds won the city's first pennant as a member of the Western League. Columbus rejoined the league as the Senators from 1896-99. The Senators played their home games at Western League Park at Parsons and Jenkins Avenues. The league changed its name to the American League in 1900. The Columbus franchise was moved to Cleveland in 1900 and is now the Indians. Plaque 5: The Negro Leagues in Columbus. 1900, 1908, 1921, 1930, 1932-33, 1935. Columbus' Negro League teams were the Black Tourists (1900, 1908), the Buckeyes (1921), the Keystones (1930), the Turfs (1932), the Blue Birds (1933), and the Elite Giants (1935). Most Columbus Negro League home games were played at Neil Park. Columbus also hosted many barnstorming games, including the Satchel Paige All-Stars at Red Bird Stadium. Plaque 6: The Columbus Senators 1900-1930. The Senators played their home games at Neil Park at the corner of Cleveland and Buckingham Avenues. The wooden structure was replaced in 1905 with the first concrete and steel stadium. Cleveland and Detroit played home games at Neil Park to avoid Sunday Blue Laws in their cities. Four future Hall of Famers played for the Senators during this period. Plaque 7: The Red Birds 1931-1954. After the 1930 season, the St. Louis Cardinals bought the Columbus Senators and changed the team's name to the Red Birds. In 1932, Red Bird Stadium was built on West Mound Street. It was one of the first stadiums in the country built with lights for night baseball. The first game was on June 3, 1932. The first night game on June 17th drew 21,000 fans. Plaque 8: The Jets 1955-1970. After the 1954 season, the Cardinals moved the Red Birds to Omaha. For the first time in the 20th century Columbus was temporarily without a baseball team. Eleven Columbus businessmen put up $10,000 each and in January, 1955, Harold Cooper purchased the Ottawa club of the International League and moved them to Columbus. The team changed its name to the Jets. Plaque 9: The Clippers 1977- . After sitting dormant for six years, Jet Stadium was refurbished as Franklin County Stadium. The park was the first minor league facility to have Astroturf and roof suites. In 1984 the stadium was renamed Cooper Stadium in honor of former Franklin County Commissioner Harold M. Cooper, the International League President at that time. More fans have seen a minor league game on West Mound Street than at any other stadium. Links: Sculptor