The Nebraska State League was a four team league again in 1935. Beatrice had enough muscle at bat to do well in the league but a lack of pitching was their downfall. They finished the season with a 42-69 record 29 ½ games out of first.

Manager Brookhaus quit after a contentious 1934 season. He had unwittingly played an illegal player. The Beatrice paper and fans were incensed when the league made them forfeit every game he participated in and fined the club $100.00. Lincoln newspaper columnist Cy Sherman defended Beltzer's decision and came down hard on Beatrice. Beatrice saw this as a transparent attempt to help Lincoln in their run to the pennant as most of their forfeits came to help Lincoln. The Beatrice paper called Beltzer and Sherman every name that a family paper was allowed to print.

To add to their challenges, five of their players of 1934 were promoted to a higher league for 1935.

Beatrice hired Thomas Dee Walsh as their new manager. He had a long major and minor league career with the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Browns, Hannibal, Mobile, Indianapolis, Chatanooga, Rochester, Lousiville, Milwaukee, Little Rock, San Francisco and Portland. He came down with an illness in the early spring and wound up stepping down as manager.

Beatrice appealed to St. Louis for help and the Cardinals sent Charles Stis to manage the club. Stis managed the club until July when he became a league umpire after Lou LeBarge quit.

The team was the youngest in the league with an average age of 19 years old. Jerome Witte was just 17 while Pete Filbert, Carl Pettigrew and William Swinger were the old men on the team at 21 years old.

The team had a number of heavy hitters with four of the top eight hitters in the league coming from the Blues roster. The best hitting club in the league was also the worst fielding team. They also were weak on the mound with no pitcher in the top eight in the league.

At the end of the year a number of the players were selected to play in higher leagues. Bill Sekeres, Joe Dobbins and Justin Keenoy were picked up by Cedar Rapids of the Western League.

All Stars:

Justine Keenoy was selected as the all star utility player in 1935. He led the league in runs scored with 100 runs and averaged .321 for the year. The short stop also had 22 stolen bases for the Blues.

Cobby Moore was an all star and regular third baseman for Beatrice in 1935. He averaged .311 but only played in 48 games for the Blues. He was fined $5.00 and suspended for a number of games for pushing an umpire during the year.

Ashley Joerndt led the league in batting average with an average of .331. He also led the league in hits as the left fielder had 153 during the season. At the end of the season he was signed by the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League and returned to his home town of San Diego.

Joe Dobbins was an all star and regular at second base for the Blues. He averaged .311 for the hard hitting Blues. He was picked up by Cedar Rapids in the Western League at the end of the season. He spent his off season working at the Walter Church service station in San dDiego.

Bennie Warren was a repeat all star catcher in 1935. While some sources list him as playing for Norfolk, the Spalding guide lists him as being catcher for Beatrice. A picture of the Norfolk team for 1935 also shows that he was not on the Norfolk team in 1935. He averaged .347 in 66 games for the Blues. On August 20th Beatrice had a Benny Warren night. Benny had 2 home runs in a 14-8 victory over Lincoln. The youngster from from Elk City Oklahoma made his major league debut when he was 27 years old on September 13, 1939. He had a six year career as a catcher with the Philadelphia Phillies and the NY Giants. He died in Oklahoma City in 1994.

Regulars

Bill Swinger a veteran, he led the league in home runs in 1935 and the center garden tender averaged .330 for the season.

Pete Filbert was a regular at first base for the Blues and averaged .304 for the year.

V. Jones played in 37 games and averaged .221.

Ivy caught 37 games for the Blues and averaged .255 for those games.

Pitchers:
Bill Sekeres pitched in 28 games and was the leading pitcher for the Blues with a 12-10 record. He also led the team with 126 strike outs for the season. On August 21st, he pitched a 1 hit game against Sioux Falls and only allowed four balls out of the infield in a 6-0 victory.

Duda was 6-16 in 28 games with 122 strike outs.

Ronsiek made 28 appearances and had a 9-9 record.

Robert Altmansberger pitched in 14 games and had a 3-8 record. He was released in late July.

Jude Matthews started the year in Oklahoma City. He was moved to Beatrice in July and was 4-5 in 10 games. In August Cardinal scout Joe Mathea watched Jude pitch a 6-0 shutout against Lincoln. Jude also hit a home run during that game. His contract was picked up by the Cardinals after the 1935 season.

Stokes did not win a game in five decisions.

Stacy was picked up in July. The Parsons Kansas pitcher was 1-3 in 7 games.

Five other pitchers were tried during the year but none pitched in more than five games.

Nebraska Minor League Baseball Home