The game of ball has always been part of our community, whether it was whiffleball, softball or baseball. As children we played ball in vacant lots, back yards, at elementary and high school. Some played on organized ball teams at Shenandoah Memorial Stadium on Junior Avenue, at the river park on Long Avenue and in high school.
Have you ever wondered how long our community has had adult baseball teams? Below is just a brief summary of the different adult teams that have played in Shenandoah. One could easily write a book about all the great players that have played for Shenandoah over the years and some even went on to play or coach in professional baseball.
The railroad thru town was completed in 1882 and it wasn’t too long after this the Shenandoah Shops teams was formed. Our town was officially incorporated in February 1884 as Milnes. On March 8, 1890, the name of the post office was changed from Milnes to Shenandoah. Thereafter, the name of the town was changed, by an Act of the General Assembly, from Milnes to Shenandoah City. During the following years, the word “city” was informally dropped from the Town’s name. Back then, one of the fields they played on was a field on Long Avenue, adjacent to the Shenandoah River. The oldest paper we could find that mentions baseball in Shenandoah was in the Page Courier dated July 27, 1893 where we read “In the match game of baseball at Shenandoah City last Friday evening between the second nine of Luray and the first nine of that place, the score stood 8 to 21 in favor of Luray. “What’s the matter with Luray?" “She’s all right!" In another edition of the Page Courier dated August 24, 1893 where we read “The Base Ball Club of Shenandoah City played a match game with the Second Nine of Luray at Luray last Tuesday morning, with a score of 35 to 36 in favor of the Luray boys. The splendid conduct of the Shenandoah boys won the admiration of all our people.”
In the July 6, 1903 Edition of The Page Courier, we read: From An “Old Timer” Rileyville, Page Co.Va. Dear Courier: We spent the Glorious Fourth in Shenandoah City, where an immense crowd had assembled. The chief attraction was the laying of a comer stone by the Odd Fellows and a game of baseball between Shenandoah and Port Republic. The Shenandoah boys were the victors.”
In the July 14, 1904 edition of the Page Courier under Pencilagraphs we found the following: “The St. Louis “Stars,” a female baseball club, played with the home club at Shenandoah City last Saturday. The home club won in a score of 11 to 3. The girls, however, proved to be winners, financially, as they took away about $80 gate money from the city by the beautiful Shenandoah.” We did a little research on the St. Louis Stars and found out the team was made up of five women and four men. They made a business out of traveling around the country and even had a private car on the train. We found online articles about them up to 1945. In the June 1, 1945 edition of the Clinch Valley News, we read: The St. Louis Stars Ladies baseball team lost to Tazewell 7-5.
In the April 6, 1926 Page News and Courier we read “Shenandoah has a modernly fenced and leveled diamond, and a big, comfortable grand stand that was filled. The Shenandoah band played all through the game. Flags were raised in bat league style.” This field was located between Long Avenue and the Shenandoah River. The papers referred to this field as the 1910s field just north of the Shenandoah Power Plant.
In the September 14, 1928 edition of the Page News and Courier, we found the following article where Shenandoah Shops wins Valley League Pennant.
In the April 3, 1958 edition of the Page News and Courier we found the article Brought Baseball Glory to Shenandoah 30 Years Ago- Shenandoah Shops Team of 1927-1928.
From the April 10, 1958 edition of the Page News and Courier we found the below article Shenandoah Shops’ Pitching Staff Among Valleys Best.
Over the years the Shenandoah Ball Club has played in many different Leagues, such as Valley League, Bi-County League, Tri-County League, Massanutten League, Valley Baseball League, Rockingham County Baseball League and the Apple Valley Baseball League.
Massanutten League
The Shenandoah Indians were Massanutten League Champs in October 1952 When they won 4 games to 2 against the New Market Rebels. Manager/player was Tommy Thompson.
Valley League Championships: 7 times (1928, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1972, 1973,1974)
1928 The Shenandoah Shops won their first Valley League (VBL) Pennant in September 1928 when they defeated Harrisonburg 8 to 2 in the final game. 1928 Jessee David Money Maker played for the Shenandoah Shops/Railroaders in the Valley League. Pitched Game 4 of the Valley League Championship and led Shenandoah to their first VBL Championship. (his third).
The Shenandoah teams started playing ball in Veterans Memorial Stadium on Junior Avenue on 1950. They played their first game in their new stadium on Sunday May 14, 1950 when they defeated Edinburg 10-9. The official dedication of their new stadium was held on July 4, 1950, and the Indians fell to Strasburg 8-4 and lost to Quicksburg by a score of 9-8.
1960 The Shenandoah Indians won the Valley League Championship in 1960 when they won out over the Staunton Braves 4 games to 3. Manager/Picture Jim Kite.
1961 The Shenandoah Indians won the Valley League Championship in 1961 when they won out over the Harrisonburg Turks 4 games to 0. Manager/Picture Jim Kite.
1963 The Shenandoah Indians won the Valley League Championship in 1963 when they won out over the New Market Rebels 4 games to 1. Manager/Picture Jim Kite.
This picture of the Shenandoah Indians is on display at the Shenandoah Museum and was donated by Wayne Comer.
Shenandoah Indians Team unknown year.
1972 The Shenandoah Indians won the Valley League Championship in 1972 when they won out over Charlottesville hornets 4 games to 2. Manager Larry Dofflemyer.
1973 The Shenandoah Indians won the Valley League Championship in 1973 when they won out over the Madison Blue Jays 4 games to 2. Manager Larry Dofflemyer.
1974 The Shenandoah Indians won the Valley League Championship in 1974 when they won out over the Waynesboro Generals 4 games to 2. Manager Larry Dofflemyer.
Shenandoah continued to play in the Valley League in 1975 where they lost in the playoffs to Harrisonburg 0 to 3 games.
1972 Shenandoah Indians- Front row from left: Preston Douglas, Darryl Jones, Mike Judkins, John Brown, Stever Goodman, Billy Hall, Second row: Larry Dofflemyer, Mgr., Rick Richardson, Mike Osborne, John Harbin, Danny Coyne, Herb Johnson. Back row: Steve Arrington, Coleman Rudacille, Ron Norman, Jerry Suggs, Mike Edwards, Mike Harrison.
1973 Shenandoah Indians- First row: Lynn Jones, Mike Harrison, Coleman Rudacille, Tom Brookens, Ray Lee Pence, Mike Edwards. Second row: Larry Dofflemyer, Ron Evans, Tim Brookens, Jerry Suggs, Mike Judkins, Duval White, Herb Johnson. Third row: Gary Curts, Larry Walters, Doug Williams, Mike Dempsey, Ron Norman, Dale Gibson. Absent: Preston Douglas and Tom Toms.
1974 Shenandoah Indians- Kneeling from left: Duval White, Tim Brookens, Tom Brookens, Andy Hence and Skip Dofflemyer. Middle row: Ron Evans, Mike Judkins, Stewart Roberts, Jackie Smith, Preston Douglas and manager Larry Dofflemyer. Bake row: Doug Williams, Harry Lee Thomas, Scott Gardner, George Weicker, Otis Foster and Ron Norman.
Rockingham County Baseball League (RCBL)
1980-1986: and 2002-2009 Rockingham County Baseball League (RCBL)
The Shenandoah Indians never won a Pennant or Championship in the RCBL.
A.C Jenkins with his grandson in 2002.
2002 Shenandoah Indians at Grottoes Ball Park.
2002 Shenandoah Indians game at Page County High School.
The Shenandoah Memorial Stadium on Junior Avenue was burned down by arsonist on October 29, 1987. Since then, the Shenandoah Indians have been playing their home games at Page County High School Baseball field and on the Elkton Blue Sox field at the Stonewall Memorial Park in Elkton.
Please visit Veterans Memorial Stadium for an ongoing effort to rebuild Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Apple Valley Baseball League (AVBL)
Shenandoah played in the Apple Valley Baseball League from 2010-2018. The earliest online papers revealed that in 2010 Shenandoah had two teams in the Apple Valley league; Shenandoah Indians North and Shenandoah Indians South.
2015 Shenandoah Indians won the AVBL title in 2015 when they defeated the Culpeper Cardinals with a score of 11-4.
2016 Shenandoah Indians lost the 2016 AVBL Championship game when the fell to Woodstock Raiders with a score of 4-9.
2017 Shenandoah Indians lost the 2017 AVBL championship game when they fell to Rappahannock Monarchs 4-7.
2018 Shenandoah Indians won the 2018 AVBL championship when they defeated the Woodstock Raider with a score of 12-10.
Shenandoah Indians team picture in 2015 when they won the Apple Valley Baseball League Championship.
Shenandoah Indians team picture in 2018 when they won the Apple Valley Baseball League Championship.
The Apple Valley League dissolved at the end of the 2018 season when commissioner Craig Orndorff stepped down. Shenandoah Indians has not fielded a team since then.
In On August 16, 2014 Manager Larry Dofflemyer hosted a reunion of former Indians players that played in the Valley Baseball League. This reunion was held at his home on Junior Avenue in Shenandoah.
The article Indians Gather by the River For Reunion was written by Bill Meade. See link below.
Indians Gather By The River For Reunion
Be sure to visit the Shenandoah Museum to see all the baseball memorabilia they have on display, including Wayne and Buddy Comer. In addition to lots of pictures and articles, you will see:
- Signed Shenandoah Indians baseball caps, signed by Scott Gardner and in 1974, and Mike Dempsey in 1975, both donated by Mr. Robert Bloom.
- Skip Dofflemyer has donated a 1961 Shenandoah Indians Team autographed ball. They won the Valley League Championship that year.
- Mr Robert Bloom has donated 1974 and 1975 Shenandoah Indians team autographed balls. And baseballs autographed by Otis Foster and John Dietz.
- Mr Robert Bloom has loaned the museum a collection of Tom Brookens Baseball Card Collection. Mr. Brookens played for the Shenandoah Indians in 1973 and 1974 and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1975.
A lot of the above baseball statistics came from the book The Valley Baseball League, A History of Baseball in the Shenandoah Valley by Chaz Weaver. This book can also be found at the Shenandoah Museum.
The Shenandoah Museum is located at 507 First Street Shenandoah Va. 22849
Follow the link below to see lots more articles on our website about the Shenandoah Indians Baseball team.
We found some additional information we wanted to share about the Shenandoah Indians.
Early on they played their home games on a field located off Long Avenue and then played at Shenandoah Memorial Stadium on Junior Avenue starting in July of 1950. Below is a very old picture looking across the Shenandoah River towards Long Avenue.
We found a few pictures of Shenandoah Shops teams.
1924 Team Click here to view larger image of 1924 Shops Team
1927 Team Click here to view larger image of 1927 Shops Team
