Inning 1:
The Documentary
In the early 20th century, Black Studebaker employees formed the Foundry Giants, despite facing long shifts and segregation. The women of the South Bend Blue Sox broke barriers and inspired others to chase their dreams. Migrant farmworkers created a Mexican-American league that fostered decades of community connection and organizing. Today, investment in the South Bend Cubs fuels both the game and downtown's revitalization. Across generations, baseball has shaped the city - South Bend was, and remains, “Built by Baseball.”
The documentary won a NETA Public Media Award in 2026 for Content (Cultural Feature).
Inning 2:
Foundry Field
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Ideas
Inning 3:
Industrial Leagues and the Foundry Giants
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Ideas
Inning 4:
Uncle Bill’s Colored Girl’s Softball Team
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Ideas
Inning 5:
South Bend Blue Sox
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Ideas
Inning 6:
Mexican-American Baseball League
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Ideas
Inning 7:
Foundry Field Revisited - Community Heritage
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Ideas
Inning 8:
South Bend's Minor League Franchise
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Ideas
Inning 9:
Podcast
From the greatest women's baseball pitcher to the high schooler who earned a major league contract, South Bend is home to some incredible baseball stories. This 6-episode series dives into the tales of the city's early baseball heroes (or villains). Hosted by producer Nathan Krebs, with writer and historian Aaron Helman as featured guest.
His name speaks for itself - Charles “One-Arm” Schmalzried did indeed face an uphill battle in life. Yet Charles pushed forward, and later became South Bend's best industrial league pitcher with the Muessel Breweing Company. Nathan Krebs and Aaron Helman explore Charles' early life, the accident that took his arm, and how he became perhaps South Bend's first true baseball star.
It's rare to see a young ballplayer make the jump straight from the sandlot to the Show. But after striking out 14 Chicago Cubs in an exhibition game, Eddie Hanyzewski was on his way to the big leagues. Join Nathan Krebs and Aaron Helman as they talk about Eddie's dominant high school and industrial league career, as well as how this local kid became an instant South Bend legend.
Devastating curveball? Check. Long track record of arrests in two separate cities? Check. John “Curve Ball” Ringelski was a tremendous pitcher in South Bend's industrial league, but he could never shake his inner demons. Nathan Krebs and Aaron Helman explore the wild life of "Curve Ball" Ring up to his last punchout - literally.
Winning an industrial league championship should mean that you'd be famous for a long time, right? That's not the case with South Bend's “Bashful” Stanley - a one-year wonder of a pitcher who mysteriously disappears from all historical record. Nathan Krebs and Aaron Helman take a look at Bashful Stanley's glorious 1922 campaign with the George Cutter team, as well as South Bend's robust industrial league.
“Wee” Dickie Kerr may have lacked stature, but he was all skill. From refusing to rig the 1919 World Series as a member of the Chicago White Sox, to his later years in South Bend's industrial league, Dickie dominated the competition from the pitcher's mound. Nathan Krebs and Aaron Helman dive into the stories that made Kerr a folk hero and an inspiration to future big-leaguers.
A women's baseball Hall-of Famer, and the only professional baseball player to throw two perfect games, Jean Faut is an undisputed all-time great. But to play baseball while your jealous husband is your manager? That's a different matter entirely. Join Nathan Krebs and Aaron Helman as they explore Jean's origin story and her career with the South Bend Blue Sox of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Special Thanks
Contributors, partners, educators, staff, etc.
This image was created by a human and AI interaction.
