Good day for baseball in Inkster, North Dakota, as teammates from 70-plus years ago reunite

INKSTER, N.D. – The baseball field is long gone, just like one of former Inkster American Legion star Gerald Verwey’s long home runs.

But one would have a hard time believing that when talking to the players who did their hometowns proud more than 70 years ago. Their old baseball park has been replaced by a soybean crop, but memories of the players’ success on the field will never be forgotten.

The only sign of the old baseball diamond now is a stone wall entrance, which has a plaque honoring veterans.

“The baseball diamond, I can picture it,” said Vern Schanilec, former Inkster player. “The baseball mound was too high and it had a grass outfield.”

Schanilec and two older brothers were on the Inkster, N.D., area baseball teams that won the 1949 and 1950 North Dakota Junior American Legion Class B titles.

In an overwhelming display of support, more than 200 people drove in to reminisce during a Saturday, June 17, commemoration of the titles. They gathered in the former Inkster hall.

The 1948 Inkster district co-championship team also was recognized.

Four plaques commemorating Inkster’s accomplishments will be permanently displayed on the stone wall that was a gateway to the former diamond. Coach Omer Scouton is featured on one plaque and the 1948, 1949 and 1950 teams are shown on the others.

Schanilec searched far and wide to uncover memorabilia to showcase during the event. Old baseballs, bats, spikes, trophies, plaques and newspaper clippings lined the back of the hall.

Ernie Schanilec, Vern’s older brother, grasped a ball from the 1949 season inside the hall. It wasn’t just any ball — Schanilec said it was the ball used during the final out of a 4-3 victory over Hankinson in the 1949 state title game.

How did Ernie end up with the ball?

“I made the out. I caught a ground ball, touched third base for a force out and the tournament ended right there. I put this is my pocket,” he said.

The ball was given to Ernie Schanilec’s son, who brought it back to Inkster for the event. The ball now will find a home along with the rest of the Inkster area memorabilia at the community center in nearby Gilby.

Vern Schanilec spent a month sleeping in what he called a “chateau” in the corner of the hall while preparing for the lively celebration.

“Up until yesterday, I didn’t have it completely ready,” he said.

It went off like a grand slam.

Former Inkster player Lloyd Omdahl wasn’t shocked at the size of the crowd.

“It’s like a road,” he said. “You build a road, people will drive on it. You create an event and people will come. It’s a rising of the community. … This is community.”

The six surviving players from the teams are Vern Schanilec, Ernie Schanilec, Benny Lucht, Ivan Lucht, Lee Ferguson and Omdahl.

The teams and the crowd at the commemoration represented a large area.

“We were a bunch of farm boys, really,” Vern Schanilec said. “We were from Conway, Fordville, Veseleyville, Forest River, Gilby and Inkster.”

Asked about his favorite part of the day, Vern Schanilec said: “The six players, that tops the list. It just blesses my heart that they’re here.”

Kevin Fee is a freelance reporter for the Herald.