Browning Field facts for kids
| Location | 16th Street and 23rd Avenue in Moline, Illinois, |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°29′31″N 90°30′42″W / 41.492081°N 90.511776°W |
| Public transit |  Quad Cities MetroLINK |
| Owner | City of Moline, Illinois |
| Operator | City of Moline, Illinois |
| Capacity | 5,600 (1948) |
| Field size | (LF-CF-RF) 550-440-377 (1948) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1910 |
| Built | 1910-14 |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Renovated | 1972 |
| Expanded | 1920 |
| Tenants | |
| American Football League Rock Island Independents (1926) Minor League Baseball Moline Plowboys (1920-1948) High School Sports Moline High School (1912-Present) |
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Browning Field is a famous sports park in Moline, Illinois. It's located at 16th Street and 23rd Avenue. Since 1910, Browning Field has hosted many exciting high school and professional sports games. Even legendary athletes like Babe Ruth and Red Grange have played here!
Contents
The Story of Browning Field
How the Park Began
Browning Field is named after John T. Browning (1830–1910). He was a lawyer and Moline's first City Attorney. He also served as a State Assemblyman, which is like a state representative.
Mr. Browning owned some farmland. He wanted to build a memorial for himself there. But A. M. Beal, who was the head of the Moline Board of Education, had a better idea. He convinced Mr. Browning to give his land to the city instead. This land would be used as a sports park for everyone.
So, on July 14, 1910, John T. Browning changed his will. He wrote that his land should be "held in trust forever by the City of Moline." It would be a "playground and athletic park" called the John T. Browning Park, Playground, and Athletic Field.
Opening Day and Early Sports
The park officially opened on October 5, 1912. The very first event was a football game. Moline High School played against Maquoketa and won 34–0!
Over the next few years, the park grew. A stadium for American football and track and field was built. There was also a special field for baseball.
Wharton Field House
In the late 1920s, T. F. Wharton helped raise money. He was the president of the Moline High School boosters' club. They sold bonds to pay for a new building called a field house. This building was built next to Browning Field. Wharton Field House opened in 1928. It also became part of the city's sports facilities.
Baseball at Browning Field
The Moline Plowboys
Moline got its first professional baseball team in 1914. They were called the Moline Plowboys. The name "Plowboys" came from Moline's history. Many companies that made farm equipment, like John Deere, were located there.
The Plowboys started playing at another park. But in 1920, they moved to Browning Field. They won two championships in the Three-I League while playing at Browning Field, in 1921 and 1937.
The Plowboys were connected to bigger teams. They were affiliates of the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia A's at different times.
Famous Baseball People
From 1920 to 1922, the Plowboys were managed by Earle Mack. He was the son of the famous baseball manager, Connie Mack. Also, Warren Giles was the team president from 1919 to 1922. He later became the President of the National League, a major baseball league! He is even in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Browning Field was the Plowboys' home from 1920 to 1948. The baseball park could hold 5,600 fans. The first night game played at the park was on July 11, 1930.
Professional Football at Browning Field
In 1926, a professional football team played at Browning Field. They were called the Rock Island Independents. This team was one of the first members of the National Football League (NFL). They played in the NFL from 1920 to 1925.
In 1926, the Independents left the NFL. They moved to Browning Field and joined a new league called the American Football League. On October 3, 1926, the Independents played against the New York Yankees. The Yankees had a super famous player named Red Grange, who is a Pro Football Hall of Fame legend! About 5,000 fans came to watch the game. The Independents lost 26–0. After that season, both the AFL and the Independents team stopped playing.
Major League Baseball Stars Visit
Browning Field has seen some amazing baseball events!
- On April 12, 1920, the Plowboys played an exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox. The Plowboys won 7–1!
- On April 14, 1938, the Chicago Cubs played an exhibition game against the Plowboys at Browning Field.
- The legendary Babe Ruth visited Browning Field on June 26, 1940. About 2,600 fans came to see him. He put on a batting practice show and played in an exhibition game with the Plowboys.
Notable Players Who Played for the Plowboys
Many talented players passed through the Moline Plowboys before or during their time in the major leagues. Here are a few:
- Art Ditmar (1948)
- Hank Wyse (1940) - Played in the World Series for the Cubs.
- Lennie Merullo (1939) - Also played in the World Series for the Cubs.
- Eddie Waitkus (1939) - A two-time MLB All-Star.
- Kirby Higbe (1937) - A two-time MLB All-Star and led the National League in wins in 1941.
- Claude Passeau (1932) - A four-time MLB All-Star and led the National League in strikeouts in 1938.
- Mike Tresh (1932) - An MLB All-Star.
- Earle Mack (1922) - Player-manager for the Plowboys.
- Warren Giles - Team President (1919–1921) and later President of the National League. He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
