When it was a game

On July 6th, 1923, the All Nation baseball team played the Neche(USA)-Gretna(Canada) Internationals in Neche. The All Nation team was owned by J.L. Wilkinson, who also owned the Kansas City Monarchs, winners of the first Negro League World Series in 1924. Manager of the All Nation team was all time great John Donaldson. Many of the All Nation players also played for the Monarchs.

















The Internationals also played such famous barnstorming teams as the bearded House of David from Michigan. Although there is no documentation, Satchel Paige was rumored to have also played in Neche, during his tenure with the Bismarck Barons in the 1930's. Bismarck won the National Semi-Pro Championship with Paige. On the way to the championship games, Satchel performmed one of his famous routines, where he had the fielders stay in the dugout, will he proceded to strike out the opposing team.