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2022 DANVILLE DANS Official Program
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July 7 , 1961 : Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Baseball League play an exhibition game against the Danville Boosters . On his 55th birthday , Paige pitched three scoreless innings in relief , striking out four in a row at one point .
1977-1981 : The Danville Roosters played in the Central Illinois Collegiate League and called Danville Stadium home .
July 1-12 , 1991 : Filming of “ The Babe ,” a movie about the larger-than-life Babe Ruth , takes place at the stadium . Danville Stadium is transformed to look like Fenway Park in Boston and Forbes Field in Pittsburgh .
1988 : The Danville Dans begin play in the Central Illinois Collegiate League . Now entering their 34th season , they are part of the Prospect League .
July 9 , 2011 : In celebrating the 65th anniversary of Danville Stadium , the press box was named in honor of Fowler Connell and Bob Kay . Connell , retired sports editor of Commercial-News and then broadcaster with WDAN , had covered games at the stadium since the early 1950 ’ s . As a child , Kay was a batboy retrieving baseballs off the stadium roof . He was a long-time baseball coach for Danville High School , and then served on the WDAN broadcast team .
2018 : Thanks to a generous donation by Julius W . Hegeler , II Foundation , a new fixed-digit scoreboard and videoboard was installed . The videoboard – built by Watchfire Signs here in Danville – is 8 ’ tall x 36 ’ wide , with the capability to display photos and movie clips .
July 20 , 2019 : The original Danville Dodgers uniform worn by batboy John Dowling was presented to the Dans by his children following John and his wife ’ s death the previous year .
2021 : The 75th anniversary of the stadium are celebrated during the Dans season . Special events included a commemoration of the visit by the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 20 , and a 75th anniversary celebration on July 24 .
More than 200 players who walked on the grass of Danville Stadium have played in the Major Leagues ... names like Carl Erskine , Cecil Cooper , Pedro Guerrero and Mike Quade were part of teams rostered here . Local stars Darrin Fletcher and Jason Anderson also worn MLB uniforms . And the current Dans have had 31 players make it to the majors . ( see page 16 ).
Danville Stadium is one of the few remaining stadiums of its era . Thanks to the foresight of “ Kish ” Bookwalter and other city leaders in their day , it has become a fixture in the hearts of area residents and on the baseball landscape itself .