Information found in old newspapers indicate that Buckley had an organized baseball team as early as the 1860’s. Pictures of teams in the 1890’s are on display at the Buckley American Legion.  Buckley had always been a competitive baseball team, but it was in 1933, with the arrival of Arlie Seymour in Buckley that things really began to happen.

The name Dutch Masters has been a trademark of Buckley to its central Illinois neighbors.  Have you ever wondered how that name was chosen? As the story is told one spring evening in 1927, Bill Janssen, Walt Krumwiede, and Lee Klann were in Roche Pharmacy. There was a sign in Roche’s front display window for Dutch Master Cigars. Remi Roche, proprietor of the business inquired, “Why don’t you take up the name Buckley Dutch Masters? After all you’re all Dutchmen.”

            Other stories are told about that day at Roche’s, but regardless, that did it. Minds began to register the name Dutch Masters, which sounded good, and then, too, there might be a chance that the cigar firm would donate some money to buy uniforms and equipment for the Buckley town team. That did not happen, but they did send the team a box of cigars every year.

           Although there have been some up years and some down years, Buckley Dutch Masters have carried on the baseball tradition. Numerous league championships have been won and the team ranks near the top of the league with eleven tournament championships trailing only longtime E.I. foe Gifford-Flatville who have won twelve.

The above is a small portion of the information and pictures about the Buckley Dutchmasters that is found in “Celebrating 150 Years”, a book published in celebration of Buckley’s 150^th birthday.  Books are still available,
contact Louie Krumwiede at krumui@illicom.net for more information.