LANSING OLD TIMERS

Baseball was first played in Lansing as early as the late 1800’s.  The first organized baseball team, the Lansing Red Hots, was formed in 1894, when Lansing had a population of just over 250.  They played against teams from nearby towns and created great community spirit.  By 1905 Lansing’s team was organized as the Lansing. Grays.  In 1914 they became the Kindt Colts.  Finally, in 1920, they were more formally organized by the Lansing Athletic Club. 

Lansing Old Timers got its name from the South Chicago Old Timers Baseball Association.  They helped Lansing reorganize their athletic club into a more all purpose Association called the Lansing Old Timers Athletes and Fans Association, in November, 1944, with 43 charter members.  This was exactly fifty years from the forming of its first organized baseball team. 

That year, 204 businesses and individuals provided enough generous support to create a four team league for boys aged 10 to 14 - the Cubs, Sox, Yankees, and Cardinals.  Donated tee-shirts had the team names sewn on them in the home of Ed Carlson, who became the locally famous manager of the adult team, also created in 1944, known as the Lansing Old Timers. 

The Old Timers won State Championship in 1962, 1964, and 1966.  Their games were originally played at Brumm’s field, the current site of the American Legion Hall, and at Bock’s Field, the current site of Illiana Christian High School.  After the Lan-Oak Park District was created in 1949, and an adult field was created in the northwest corner of Lan-Oak Park, the adult team played their games there. 

Within just two years the 1944 Association created its first female team.  A girls softball program was added in 1975 to the already 45 Little League teams, 14 Babe Ruth teams, 3 Pop Warner football teams, and a hockey team.  Today, the Lansing Old Timers Association provides oversight to Lansing Little League Baseball, Lansing Challenger Program for boys and girls ages 6 through 18 with disabilities, Lansing Babe Ruth Baseball, Lansing 35&Over Baseball, Lansing Girls Softball, Lansing Volleyball, and Lions Football. 

In 1953, just 14 years after Little League was created, Lansing formed the Lansing Old Timers Little League and had its first season.  The next year Little Leaguers rode in the Lansing Centennial Parade starting another tradition that continues with annual parades today.  In recent years, Lansing took 3^rd in the state of Illinois in 1999 and was Illinois champion in 2001. 

The Lansing Old Timers Tournament began in 1982 for 11 year old players.  In the early 1990’s eight year olds were added and this year nine year olds will be hosted.  Over the years the tournament has seen more than an estimated 5,800 individual players.  The Tournament hosts teams from all over the Illinois and Indiana Calumet region, and some from beyond.

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