Independence, KS

Independence is located in southeastern Kansas, 60 miles southeast of Wichita, KS. It was the location of Organized Baseball's first night game on April 28, 1930. The lighting system was first used for an exhibition game on April 17th that year. Independence played most of its home games during the season at night.

Teams that have played here

• Independence, Kansas State League (1896)
• Independence Coyotes, Kansas State League (1906)
• Independence Champs, Oklahoma-Arkansas-Kansas League (1907)
• Independence Jewelers, Oklahoma-Kansas League (1908)
• Independence Packers, Western Association (1911)
• Independence Producers, Southwestern League (1921-1924)
• Independence Producers, Western Association (1925, 1928-1932)
• Independence Yankees, Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (1947-1950)
• Independence Browns, Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League (1952)

Persons who were born here

• Earl Hamman, minor league infielder
• Herm Merritt, infielder

Educational institutions located here

• Independence Community College
• Independence High School

Further Reading

• Mark Metcalf: "Organized Baseball's Night Birth", The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 45, Number 2 (Fall 2016), pp. 47-49.