Jasper has a long history of baseball and the Jasper Reds, more fondly known to locals as the “J Cards,” have been a staple of the community for over 100 years. What started as an amateur town team playing on vacant lots and pastures has evolved into one of the most successful collegiate wooden bat leagues in the country. Let’s take a deeper look at the history and legacy of J Cards baseball in Dubois County.
The earliest incarnation of organized baseball in Jasper can be traced back to 1904 when the Jasper Black Sox were formed as the town’s semi-pro team. They played against other amateur squads from surrounding counties and competed in the Indiana-Illinois League during the early 1900s. Not much is known about that original Black Sox team, but it helped spark a love of the game locally that continues today.
Through the 1920s and 30s, Jasper fielded intermittent town teams under various sponsors like the Huntingburg Machine Shop or Koch Brewery. In 1937, Jasper businessmen Melvin “Bus” Runck and Paul Winkler organized the Jasper Reds as the city’s official representative team. They joined the Midwest Semi-Pro League and soon became a league powerhouse. Led by players like Kenny “Chicken” Runck, the Reds won numerous championships in that era.
World War 2 depleted the Reds roster, but the team remained active in the late 1940s after veterans returned home. A young pitcher named Bob “Hoot” Gibson had a brief stint with the Reds in 1950 before embarking on a Hall of Fame career in Major League Baseball. His time in Jasper showed that even a small Indiana town could produce big league talent.
In 1956, Ivy League and Notre Dame alumnus Carl “Bud” Renzelmann was hired as Jasper High School’s baseball coach. He preached the fundamentals and tactics that made him a three-time Ivy League batting champ at Princeton. His leadership took Jasper baseball to new heights, culminating in state championships in 1960 and 1965. Many of his former players would go on to play for the Jasper Reds as well.
With Renzelmann at the helm of the high school program through the 1950s-60s, the city’s passion for baseball grew stronger. Community support and interest in the Jasper Reds reached an all-time high. In 1966, local businessman Randy Kimy and other community leaders reorganized the Reds as the forerunner of the modern J Cards franchise we know today.
Kimy became the dominant force in Jasper baseball for over 50 years. As Reds team president, he oversaw the construction of a new lighted ballpark along the Patoka River in 1967. Named “Randy Kimy Field” in his honor, it became the envy of all summer baseball leagues across the Midwest. Under Kimy’s direction, the Reds joined the Collegiate wood Bat League in 1974, beginning an incredible run of on-field success.
Some of the greatest players in Jasper Reds/J Cards history suited up in the 1970s-80s. Names like Barry Bonnell, Terry Brown, Marty Tabor, and Jeff Jones dot the franchise’s record books. Outfielder Rick Manning brought home two NWL MVP awards and went on to play 10 seasons in the majors. Catching legend Lance Parrish spent a summer in Jasper in 1976 before embarking on a 19-year MLB career.
Manager Steve Swarztrauber ushered in the J Cards “Glory Years” in the late 1970s-early 80s. His clubs won five NWL championships between 1978-1985, cementing Jasper as the league’s premier franchise. Dozens of Reds alumni went on to careers in affiliated pro ball and college coaching from that era. The success and exposure major colleges and pro scouts received in Jasper kept the talent pipeline flowing.
Into the 21st century, the J Cards have remained a summer highlight under the leadership of Randy’s sons Kevin and Kyle Kimy. New ballparks were built in 1991 and 2005 to keep the facilities state-of-the-art. Jasper established the Diamond Club to fund scholarships for deserving ballplayers to attend the school of their choice. Countless all-conference pros and Division I draftees have called Randy Kimy Field home over the last five decades.
Some notable recent J Cards include TCU standout Jared Moore (2010), Creighton ace Dylan Hecht (2014), and Louisville reliever Michael McAvene (2015). Current Cincinnati Red Amir Garrett spent two summers in Jasper sharpening his skills. In 2019, the J Cards won their sixth NWL Pennant with a stellar pitching staff led by future Oriole Zach Peek. Under manager Jon Hart, the franchise still competes at the highest level of collegiate summer ball today.
Jasper Reds/J Cards baseball forms the backbone of the city’s recreational identity and civic pride. Generations of families have formed life-long bonds at the ballpark, whether cheering on hometown heroes or making their own memories on the field. Though players and coaches come and go each season, the tradition and spirit instilled by men like Bus Runck, Bud Renzelmann, and Randy Kimy endure in the Dubois County community. J Cards baseball is truly a storied American pastime that continues to foster Jasper’s small town excellence on the national stage.
