With a planned exhibit space to honor the history of the Mon-Clair League and several similar circuits across the country, a capital campaign is now underway to construct a 6,000-square-foot National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame building next to Grizzlies Ballpark off I-255 in Sauget. 

“It’ll be so close to that stadium that we might get a dent from a foul ball or two,” National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame Executive Director Tim Turpin said. “But I guess that just adds to the charm.”

In addition to the special Mon-Clair room, there will be a meeting space that could fit up to 100 people.

Several former Mon-Clair League greats are already members of this Hall of Fame – including longtime player and current Waterloo Buds manager Barry Grant plus legendary league managers Vern Moehrs and “Boog” Pieper. 

Other recent Mon-Clair League inductees to this Hall of Fame include past players Mark Mueller, Mike Breyman, Brad Dunnigan, Andy Kassebaum, Jeff Ridenour, Jeremiah Bergheger, James Greenwald, Brent Wood, Darin Hendrickson, Bob Hughes, Joe Mehallow, Dan Nicholson, John Parke and Scott Posey, umpires Gene Jordan, Kevin Hayes, Frank Rannollet, Carl Thomas and Ted Daniels, and league officer Paul Baillargeon.

“We’re hoping to make this the Cooperstown of the Midwest,” Turpin said. 

Turpin stressed that some of America’s major league baseball greats – Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb and Pete Rose among them – played semi-pro baseball before they made it big. 

There are multiple fundraising options being presented in an effort to gather enough money to make this building a reality – including the sale of granite floor tiles remembering past baseball greats, exhibit sponsorships and more. 

Another sponsorship option is a program saluting 130 years of semi-pro baseball in the Gateway St. Louis region as an ode to local players, with advertising spaces available to those wishing to honor their favorite Mon-Clair star. 

For more details on contributing to this effort, contact Turpin by phone at 812-430-2725 or email at timturp15@aol.com.

The Field of Honor for this Hall of Fame is located at GEBHOF Park in Evansville, Ind., which will remain even though the actual museum is built in Sauget.

For more information on the National Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame, visit semiprobaseballhof.com.