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Oak Park Heights resident urges plaque honoring 19th-century baseball pioneer Bud Fowler at old athletic field
Summary
A resident asked the Stillwater Area Public Schools board to place a commemorative plaque at the district's old athletic field to recognize Bud Fowler, a 19th-century African American professional baseball player who played for Stillwater in 1884 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
George Heppner of Oak Park Heights addressed the Stillwater Area Public Schools board during the public comment period and asked the district to place a commemorative marker at the old athletic field at Sixth Avenue and Orleans Street to honor Bud Fowler, a 19th-century African American professional baseball player who played for Stillwater.
Heppner said Fowler (born John W. Jackson in 1858) was the first African American professional baseball player when he appeared on a professional field in April 1878 and that Fowler played for Stillwater in the Northwestern League in 1884, leading the team in pitching, hitting and stolen bases while playing multiple positions. "Few people in Stillwater know about Bud Fowler," Heppner said. He noted Fowler was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2022; his induction speech was delivered by Dave Winfield.
Heppner asked the board to "consider placing a commemorative plaque on school district property at the old athletic field on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Orleans Street" and suggested the district encourage an administrator to oversee the effort.
Board chair Sherman thanked Heppner for the comment; no formal board action on the plaque request was made at the meeting.
