Manson's "Field of Dreams" Story
"The Iowa World Series" was the name of the state's spring baseball tournament in 1942. Sounds impressive, and yet it was held in Manson, Iowa, a town with under 1500 people. Why wouldn't the state capital be the location? Des Moines, bigger and centrally located among the 474 schools that hoped to be in the tournament, lost the bid to host the tournament. Manson had a "Field of Dreams" story, long before the movie made Iowa famous.
Manson's dream surfaced in a 1993 story published in the Manson Journal. The headline was "1933 Iowa High School Baseball Champs...A Team Conquering Adversity". The author, Harold Zook, was a member of that winning 1933 team. Manson turned heads as hosts and champions, and the tournamet found its new home.
The article revealed that the state tournament had actually been held in Ames in 1928, 1930 and 1931. Then Des Moines hosted in 1932. These tournaments in Ames and Des Moines had not been successful in bringing out crowds. Fans probably didn't have the money required for tickets, accommodations, and travel during the Depression.
The lack of success in larger Ames and Des Moines, presented an opportunity for the small town of Manson to pitch a tournament site change. Manson's superintendent of schools, H. C. Dekock, presented a plan to the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA). Dekock's deal guaranteed the association a certain amount of gate receipts and a volunteer organization with small town enthusiasm. Moreover, for the teams having to stay overnight, Manson residents would open their homes and furnish free food and lodging. The offer was accepted, and Manson stepped up to the plate as hosts and competitors. Manson's pitcher, Lowell Gosser, stole the show pitching all three games!
And, they did come! Manson's first tournament went well for the home team. Lowell Gosser, stole the show pitching all three games and won the tournament! Manson would continue to host the tournament for another twelve years. Iowans started referring to Manson as "the baseball capital of Iowa."
Manson’s first year hosting went well, and it was decided that the next year’s game would be covered by WHO radio. The reporter covering the game was Ronald Reagan. Dutch Reagan phoned back accounts of the Spring State Baseball Championship. In 1934 Reagan delivered the reports of Des Moines North's 8-7 baseball win over Central City. Three weeks earlier he had won national acclaim for his NBC Radio Network reports from the Drake Relays. Reagan, a sports announcer for WHO in Des Moines, became our 40th president.
Famous Scout Attends Iowa World Series
A scout from the Chicago Cubs named Jack Sheehan attended the 1942 Iowa high school state baseball tournament, helped form the All-American Girls Baseball League AAGBL. The movie "A League of their Own" was about the AAGBL.