On Tuesday evening, four Marshalltonians took an audience back to a bygone era when baseball was the national pastime, players wore flannel uniforms and fans filled local ballparks large and small by the hundreds and thousands.

Their topic was the Marshalltown Ansons semi-professional baseball team – which caught the attention of the city, county and region from 1914-17, 1922-28 and 1947-57.

Panelists were Jerry Gazaway, Kelley Cordt McBride, Bill Vana and Linda York.

Vana, a catcher on teams from 1947-57, said the team was named for the Anson family.

Henry Anson – the town founder – and sons Sturgis and Constatine (Cap) all distinguished themselves in the sport playing for the Marshalltown Stars, according to Times-Republican archives. The Anson family and others played their initial games in the town square before the Marshall County courthouse was built according to newspaper archives.

The Stars won the Iowa State Championship in 1868. Fittingly, a statue of Henry Anson is prominently displayed on the square.

In 1871, Henry, Sturgis and Cap were offered professional contracts by the Rockford Forest City Club. Henry and Sturgis declined. Cap accepted and went on to a Baseball Hall of Fame career.

Several of his team records with the Chicago Colts/Cubs still stand. The Marshalltown Ansons followed a strong tradition of baseball played locally.

The Warner Grays and Packing House Browns preceded the Ansons. The Ansons semi-pro team played at the former Marshall County Fairgrounds on East Main Street (near MARSHALLTOWN Co. facilities) from 1914-17 and 1922-28 according to Historical Society of Marshall County (HSMC) archives.

They played in leagues against teams from Boone, Burlington, Fort Dodge, Oskaloosa and Ottumwa, among others.

York said her father, the late George Williams — a prominent local industrialist and philanthropist — worked with local businesses and civic leaders to build Memorial Stadium at Marion Street and 10th Avenue. It is now a parking lot for JBS employees and also housed nearby the former Williams Elementary School. The facility cost in excess of $20,000, according to archives.

York said she worked as a ticket-taker and cashier at Memorial Stadium.

“Dad worked aggressively with the business community and others to make sure players had uniforms and proper equipment,” she said. “He also worked to promote the team with attendance of 3,000 on some nights.”

Panelist Gazaway attended the Marshalltown Ansons Baseball School, of which Williams also played a major role in supporting financially. Local and area youth – some from the village of Green Mountain — attended the school free-of-charge.

“We had excellent instructors,” Gazaway said. “Ben Trickey, who played baseball at the University of Iowa was one. “He and other coaches emphasized the fundamentals. Local youth looked up to the Anson players. They were special.”

Gazaway thanked Vana profusely for giving him a serviceable baseball glove.

“I had a raggedy old glove … my parents could not afford to get me a better one,” he said.

Vana was also a coach with Trickey at the baseball school.

Panelist Kelley Cordt McBride said her late grandfather was Anson player Jim Cordt. He was voted most valuable player five consecutive seasons.

His son Joe Cordt, Kelley’s late father, managed the Marshalltown Parks and Recreation summer softball program for many years. Vana said the 1947-57 Anson team had players from Marshall County towns and throughout central Iowa region. One was Gary Thompson of Story City.

He was a multi-sport athlete who excelled in basketball at Iowa State University and in later years a respected basketball analyst on national networks. Vana said the Ansons folded after the 1957 season because baseball lost popularity in the small rural towns.

“Television also became a major factor too,” York said.

“All of the panelists provided valuable commentary tonight,” said Julie Jontz Lang of Marshalltown, who is an HSMC board member and event coordinator. “Audience members offered good questions too. All made for an informative and delightful evening.”

Attendees were treated to hot dogs, beverages and candy after the event.