The Menomonie Blue Caps vintage base ball team was established in 2012 -- 71 years after the original Blue Caps last played -- to educate the community about the origins of our national pastime as part of the Playing Through: African American Baseball in Dunn County, Wisconsin exhibit.

The Blue Caps are fashioned after the team of the same name who were a highly successful amateur club from 1882 to 1941. The team is a member of the Vintage Base Ball Association.  You can find their matches played at Phelan Park (south Menomonie) on June 23/24 & July 28, 2018.  The Blue Caps play by the rules of 1860, no gloves, vintage uniforms, vintage lingo and other unique changes from the modern game.

The Blue Caps are sponsored by the Dunn County Historical Society, along with other local business and individuals.

THE ORIGINAL BLUE CAPS 

The Blue Caps were one of the first teams to draw large crowds in Dunn County. While they were not the earliest established team, they were by far one of the most successful. Established in 1882, the Blue Caps were challenged to play the Eau Claire Crescents on July 4, 1882. The game resulted in the first game recorded in Blue Caps history, as well as the first win. The Blue Caps defeated the Crescents by a score of 16-0, netting a purse of $25.

For the next 60 years, the Blue Caps continued to play a high level baseball. The Blue Caps played teams from all over the country, while earning the nickname the “Invincible Blue Caps” along the way. By the time the 1940s rolled around, the Blue Caps, like most teams, were losing players to World War II. The Blue Caps played their last official game in 1941, before turning the team over to the local Menomonie Eagles, a team that still plays today.