April 17, 1914: Mayor Prince orders more baseball diamonds

On this day in Duluth in 1914, mayor William Prince ordered more baseball diamonds for Duluth youth to while away their summer hours, complete with “backstops and everything.” Prince was a big fan of baseball, and just two weeks earlier had been the principal speaker at an organizational meeting of the Duluth Amateur Baseball Association. Prince called baseball “the only game,” and contended that “the fellow who never played baseball at some time in his life overlooked a bet.” Included in his speech was his promise to provide “baseball fields at the playgrounds for the youngsters.” By the 17th Prince had instructed park superintendent Henry Cleveland, “a staunch supporter of anything pertaining to the activities of the younger generations” to provide some ball fields. The paper reported that Cleveland “has been zealous in getting the grounds in shape for the season’s contests. Fields were established at 60th Avenue East and Superior Street, 47th Avenue East and McCullough Street, Forty-second Avenue East and London Road, Fifteenth Avenue East and Fifth Street, Thirtieth Avenue West and Third Street, Fifty-Second avenue west “near Wadena Street,” Forty-first Avenue West and Grand, Lincoln Park, Merritt Park and on the Fairmount School campus. read more about how Duluth’s playgrounds were first developed here.

William I. Prince, Duluth‘s first mayor under the Commission System. (Image: Duluth Public Library)