By Michaela Bishop
Northeast News
July 15, 2015
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Artists come in all shapes and sizes to use various tools to create art. And for some, their canvas is a softball diamond.
Last weekend, the Kansas City Museum debuted its latest exhibit, which is presented in partnership with El Centro, Inc., Mattie Rhodes Center and Guadalupe Centers Inc., titled, “Mexican American Fast Pitch Softball Leagues: Connecting Communities Across State Lines.” The self-guided exhibit — which runs until Saturday, Sept. 5 — focuses on the rich history and legacy of Mexican American fast pitch softball leagues in Missouri and Kansas. The museum has paired the exhibit with a documentary by curator Gene T. Chavez which includes stories and interviews from former and current softball players. Chavez said he had a specific purpose to this particular idea for a museum exhibit.
“I wanted to highlight the development of Mexican and American softball in the 1920’s through 1940’s,” Chavez said. “It’s a very competitive game.”
According to the Kansas City Museums’s website, after World War II, fast pitch softball became the game of choice for returning military members. Mexican American fast pitch softball teams formed on both sides of the state line which created friendly competitions, camaraderie, ethnic pride, and civic unity amongst the teams and players.
Along with the documentary, the exhibit will features trophies, hats, photographs, uniforms, league documents, and other historic materials. To coincide with the new exhibit, an Invitational Memorial Game Honoring Former Ball Players is scheduled for 10 a.m. – noon Saturday, Aug. 1, at Penn Valley Park. Two teams of the “Los Sabios” [the Wise Ones] will play each other with a culminating ceremony to honor their contributions and the next generation of players.
Anna Marie Tutera, Executive Director of the Kansas City Museum, said this exhibition came at the perfect time for Kansas City.
“We thought it was perfect timing because of the Royals’ success last year, so we knew people would be really excited this summer about baseball,” Tutera said. “We also wanted to do another exhibition that focused on exploring another rich history and legacy of the Hispanic community in Kansas City.”
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.