The Wausau Lumberjacks (occasionally known as the Timberjacks) were a minor league baseball team based in

Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city into east and west. The city's suburbs include Schofield, Weston, Mosinee, Maine, Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter, and ...

that existed on-and-off from 1905 to 1957. The Wausau franchise then became the

Wausau Timbers The Wausau Timbers were a minor league baseball team, located in Wausau, Wisconsin. The Timbers were members of the Class A Midwest League from 1975 to 1990. The franchise was sold in 1991 and moved to Geneva, Illinois, where it became the Kane Co ...

before relocating to become today's

Kane County Cougars The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their ho ...

. The Lumberjacks played in the

Wisconsin State League The Wisconsin State League was a class D baseball league that began in 1905, changing its name to the Wisconsin–Illinois League in 1908 and operating through 1914. The league re–organized under that name in 1926. Another Wisconsin State League ...

(1905–1907, 1946–1949),

Wisconsin–Illinois League The Wisconsin State League was a class D baseball league that began in 1905, changing its name to the Wisconsin–Illinois League in 1908 and operating through 1914. The league re–organized under that name in 1926. Another Wisconsin State League ...

(1908, 1912–1914),

Minnesota–Wisconsin League The Minnesota–Wisconsin League, known as the "Minny" League, was a professional minor baseball league that existed from 1909 to 1912. It was a Class D league in 1909, 1910 and 1912 and a Class C league in 1911. As its name suggests, it featured ...

(1909–1911) and Northern League (1936–1939, 1956–1957). The team was affiliated with the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

(1936–1937),

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

(1938),

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...

(1947–1949) and

Cincinnati Redlegs Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

(1956–1957). The team played its home games at Athletic Park from 1936 to 1957.

The Ballpark

The Lumberjacks played at Athletic Park, located at 324 E. Wausau Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin Originally built in

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

, Athletic Park was also home to the

Timbers Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...

of the Class-A

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

(1975-1990) and the Wausau Timberjacks (1950–1953). The park hosted the Lumberjacks in three separate incarnations (1936-1942, 1946–1949, 1956–57). Currently, since 1994, Athletic Field has hosted the

Wisconsin Woodchucks The Wausau Woodchucks are an American baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. They play their home games at Athletic Park in Wausau, Wisconsin. History The team was known as the Wausau Woodchucks ...

of the summer collegiate

Northwoods League The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not paid, so as to maintain their college el ...

Notable players

Ray Boone Raymond Otis Boone (July 27, 1923 – October 17, 2004) was an American professional baseball infielder and scout who played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Primarily a third baseman and shortstop, he was a two-time American League All-Star ( an ...

played for the Lumberjacks in 1942. Boone enjoyed a 13-year big league career (1943–1960). Ray was the patriarch of the Boone family, followed by son,

Bob Boone Robert Raymond Boone (born November 19, 1947) is an American former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, he is the son of MLB player Ray Boone, and he is the father of ...

and grandsons Brett Boone and

Aaron Boone Aaron John Boone (born March 9, 1973) is an American baseball manager and former infielder who is the manager of the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 through 2009. As a player, ...

. The Boone family was the first to send three generations to the All-Star Game. Ray led the AL in RBIs in 1955. He was a 2x All-Star and World Series Champion with the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

. Boone had career stats of: .275, 151 HR, 737 RBI.

Vada Pinson Vada Edward Pinson Jr. (August 11, 1938 – October 21, 1995) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball for 18 years (1958–1975), most notably for the Cincinnati Reds, for who ...

played for the Lumberjacks in 1956. Pinson enjoyed an 18-year big league career (1958–1975). Pinson combined power, speed and was

Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...

winning center fielder. His best years were with the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

(1958–1968). Vada twice led the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

in hits (1961, 1963). He batted .343 in 1961, when the Reds won the pennant. He was a

All-Star 4x. Pinson had career stats of: .286, 256 HR, 1,170 RBI. He had 2,757 hits in his stellar career.

Notable alumni

Phil Masi Philip Samuel Masi (January 6, 1916March 29, 1990) was an American professional baseball player. From though , he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Boston Braves (1939–1949), Pittsburgh Pirates (1949) and Chicago White Sox (1 ...

(1937) 3 x MLB All-Star; *

Dickie Kerr Richard Henry Kerr (July 3, 1893 – May 4, 1963) was an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball. He also served as a coach and manager in the minor leagues. Early life Kerr was born in St. L ...

(1927) MLB: 20 game winner * Wally Gilbert (1939–40, 1941–42) *

(1942) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1955 NL RBI Leader *

Fred Schulte Fred William "Fritz" Schulte (January 13, 1901 – May 20, 1983) was a professional baseball center fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators (1901–60), Washington Senators, and Pittsburgh Pi ...

(1946, MGR) *

Ryne Duren Rinold George "Ryne" Duren (February 22, 1929 – January 6, 2011) was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was known for the combination of his blazing fastball and his very poor vision. With his thick eyeglasses, few batters ...

(1949) 3 x MLB All-Star; 1958 AL Saves Leader * Mike Tresh (1952) MLB All-Star *

Bob Bruce Robert James Bruce (May 16, 1933 – March 14, 2017) was an American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 219 games in Major League Baseball from to for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Colt .45s / Astros, and Atla ...

(1953) *

(1956) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2,757 MLB hits *

Jack Baldschun Jack Edward Baldschun (born October 16, 1936) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for all or part of nine seasons (1961–67; 1969–70), for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinn ...

(1957) *

Dave Bristol James David Bristol (born June 23, 1933) is an American former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants during this period. Success in th ...

(1957) MLB Manager *

Cookie Rojas Octavio Víctor "Cookie" Rojas Rivas (born March 6, 1939), is a Cuban former professional baseball second baseman / outfielder, coach, and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Lo ...

(1957) 5 x MLB-All Star

References

External links

Baseball Reference
Baseball teams established in 1905 Baseball teams disestablished in 1957 Defunct minor league baseball teams Northern League (1902-71) baseball teams Wisconsin State League teams Wisconsin-Illinois League teams Minnesota-Wisconsin League teams Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates St. Louis Browns minor league affiliates Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliates Sports in Wausau, Wisconsin 1905 establishments in Wisconsin 1957 disestablishments in Wisconsin Defunct baseball teams in Wisconsin {{Wisconsin-baseball-team-stub