PHOTO CREDIT: Muncie Central Bearcats Basketball Game at Muncie Fieldhouse, date unknown. Image courtesy of Ball State University’s Bracken Archive and Special Collection.
Whether it’s basketball at the Muncie Fieldhouse, volleyball on Munciana courts, or football at Ball State’s Scheumann Stadium, Munsonians of all ages and in every era have embraced sports as a fundamental part of our community. In the late 19th century, residents created intra-city, inter-city and minor league baseball teams. The city’s abundant parks and greenspaces made it easy for teams to play games. Later, during and after the end of the World War II, the Pittsburgh Pirates held their spring training in Muncie’s McCulloch Park, and the Cincinnati Reds fielded a minor league team in the city from 1947-1952.
Muncie’s Congerville Flyers, the city’s pre-eminent neighborhood football team, became a founding member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), the precursor to the NFL. However, after two dismal seasons, the Flyers dropped out of the APFA. In the late 1940s, a minor league hockey team was formed, also known as the Muncie Flyers. This team played in the International Hockey League. Muncie’s athletic achievements extended to non-professional teams as well. Among the most notable were Muncie Central’s eight men’s basketball state championships, Muncie Southside’s two men’s wrestling state championships, and the outstanding records of the Muncie Burris girl’s and Ball State University’s men’s volleyball teams.
Conger Flyers Football Team, 1915
Image courtesy of Ball State University's Bracken Archive and Special Collections.