Bee Jay's Semi-Pro Baseball

Each summer, baseball fans of all ages enjoy Bee Jays baseball- Liberal's own semi-pro team. The Bee Jays have made their mark as a premier team, winning the national championship four times, most recently in 2000.

The Bee Jays are named after baseball pioneer Byron Bancroft Johnson, the creator of the American Baseball League. After a short stint as a baseball player, "Ban" Johnson took over a struggling minor league circuit in 1893, made it a success, and changed it's name to the American League.

The Bee Jays' tradition in Liberal spans more than six decades, dating back to 1955. Bee Jays' players are recruited from colleges across the nation, and schools such as the University of Texas at Arlington, Arizona State, Northeast Louisiana and the home town school, Seward County Community College, have been represented on the team.

The Bee Jays Season runs from June until August, and thanks to the sponsorship of local merchants, the public can attend the games free of charge.

During the season, players share more than a baseball diamond with the city of Liberal. Local residents volunteer as host families for players each summer, and as some host parents will tell you, letting go of their Bee Jays player is sometimes as hard as letting go of their own children.

Former Major League Manager and Liberal BeeJay is managing the BeeJays this Summer
Mike Hargrove is returning to Liberal this summer to manage the Liberal BeeJays. He played for the BeeJays in 1972. He went on to play in the major leagues for twelve seasons with three different teams: Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, and Cleveland Indians. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1974. After his playing career ended, he managed the Indians for eight years. He took them to the World Series twice. In 1994, he was named the American League Manager of the Year. He then managed the Baltimore Orioles for four years and the Seattle Mariners for four years.