Officials unveiled the historical marker Saturday afternoon with a small ceremony. It stands at the entrance to the Cairo Memorial Ballpark on Main Street.
Elijah Knodell | For The Lima News
CAIRO — The Village of Cairo came together Saturday afternoon to celebrate a fascinating episode of the community’s history, unveiling a historical marker commemorating the contest that took place between the Kansas City Monarchs and the Cairo Merchants of the Lima Metro League on Aug. 4, 1961.
The score of the game has been lost to history, but the opportunity to see Negro League baseball legend Satchel Paige take the mound left a lasting impact on the community for the hundreds of fans in attendance. The marker, which sits on Main Street, will now help the community remember this important event for years to come.
Erecting the plaque was a process several years in the making, which began in November 2020 when Gail Altstaetter, who was in attendance at the game and even got Paige’s signature, approached the Cairo village council.
“This whole thing has been a journey,” Altstaetter said. “When I talked to the city council, I had my Satchel Paige signature and a story.”
He added, “Sometimes history is made in giant splashes with bold headlines, and sometimes it’s made with what appears to be a small, insignificant ripple. The baseball game on Aug. 4, 1961, was, for most, a small ripple. But for the community of Cairo, it was a giant splash.”
The marker was installed as part of the Ohio History Connection’s historical markers program. Betsy Hedler said the marker is one of more than 1,700 that have been installed throughout Ohio through the program. She presented a proclamation on behalf of Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted recognizing the marker.
Hedler said markers like these help preserve the important moments of the history of Ohio’s communities that might otherwise be forgotten. They are a way to hold on to a treasured past.
“As a statewide organization, we can’t recognize all of the things that happen all over the state without the help and support of local communities,” Hedler said. “Having these physical symbols, this physical information about specific things that happened in your community helps spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. You read the marker, and you want to learn more about the topic.”
Altstaetter emphasized that a large part of the significance of the event was that it was a chance to overcome racial tensions. As the marker reads, “a baseball game between an all-Black and all-White team taught many in attendance that they had much in common, including a love of the game.”
“The 1950s and ’60s were a time of racial tension and national change in our country,” Altstaetter said. “Racism existed in many forms in Ohio. … This game demonstrated a better way: respect for each other, great talent on both teams, and a simple human kindness demonstrated by the players, giving a group of 11- and 12-year-old boys their autographs. And, by the way, I was one of those boys.”
Elijah Knodell is a part-time writer for The Lima News. Reach him at [email protected].
