Chaska Cubs celebrate 90 years of history

CHASKA, Minn. (KMSP) - In an old livery stable, made of Chaska brick, the Chaska History Center is celebrating a hometown team that’s survived 90 years.

“Well, Chaska had a lot of baseball clubs,” said Yvonne Welter, Chaska Cubs historian. “They had the White Diamonds, they had the Independence, the Royals, the Teske Delights.”

Welter, whose husband Dale is in the Chaska Cubs’ Hall of Fame, spent five weeks just reading old newspapers to get a handle on how to showcase the Cubs, who began as one of many playing in the area.

“But the first time we found a reference was this one right here - was in the July newspaper of ’28, when they referenced a young upstart group of players, the Chaska Cubs,” said Welter.

Her display is broken into 30-year sections. From 1928 to 1957, the team played in several parks before building the current one in 1950. They won two state championships - first in 1932, when players were awarded a belt buckle, and again in 1947, when they were given a championship billfold. Their next championships would come decades later in 1971 and 1987.

The display is a treasure trove of old spikes, old gloves, old jerseys and three of the four trophies. No one knows where the one from 1947 wound up. Also showcased is a list of those who were signed by major league teams and a list of all 358 players in team history. 

“As I said, there have been other teams who’ve played for Chaska, but to still be around for 90 years - it’s quite something,” said Welter.