Union Hill Baseball

According to a 1996 New Prague Times article “When Union Hill comes up in conversation of area residents several things come to mind. There’s the church, a bar, a few houses and oh yes! The ballpark! Union Hill and baseball have become nearly synonymous” 

Don Giesen was 16 when that first team was formed. He said “It seems we’ve always had a big baseball tradition. The kids used to play ball in cow pastures and backyards”. Don’s uncle and father decided to build a baseball field the field was “tiled, well kept, and in immaculate shape” 

In 1956 Union Hill first fielded a team in the Dakota-Rice-Scott baseball league. That team, The Indians, played their home games in that brand new ballpark, West of County Road 7, across from the bar

As Don Giesen remembers, the original board of directors for the Union Hill ballclub were Frank Giesen, Jake Giesen, Cletus Witt, Bill Giesen and Edward Pint. 

Early star players of Union Hill baseball included Dennis and Pat Sharkey, Jin Walker, Pat Halloran, Tom Ruhland, Albert Ruhland Jr, Don and Bob Giesen, Bill Witt, and Ron and Jerry Pint.