Columbus has been home to professional baseball since at least 1875, making it one of the oldest baseball towns in the nation. The city's journey through America's pastime is a rich tapestry of pioneering players, memorable teams, and a deep connection to the community.
The story begins with the Columbus Buckeyes, the city's first professional club, competing in the International Association for Professional Base Ball Players. They were soon followed by the Columbus Senators, who thrilled fans at Recreation Park in German Village and later at Neil Park on Cleveland Avenue.
In a remarkable piece of baseball history, the Senators featured Columbus's first documented Black professional player in 1887—a full 50 years before Jackie Robinson broke the Major League color barrier. J. Higgins took the field for the Buckeyes in the Ohio State League that year, as reported by the Columbus Dispatch. Higgins was one of just four Black players on Ohio teams during this early era, but by the decade's end, a harsh color line would exclude Black athletes from recognized professional leagues for generations.
The 1930s brought a new chapter when the St. Louis Cardinals took over the Columbus team, renaming them the "Red Birds." City officials embraced the name, seeing it as a perfect way to promote Columbus as an emerging aviation hub, with its newly opened airport and involvement in early transcontinental air service. The Red Birds also made history as the first team to play at Franklin County Stadium on Mound Street in Franklinton.
By 1955, the team needed a fresh identity, sparking a city-wide naming contest. Suggestions ranged from the traditional (Bears, Capitals, Buckeyes) to the creative (Carnations, Reapers, Swanks, Christophers). But one name soared above the rest: Jets. A January 1955 Dispatch article predicted "a good hot 'horse' to put your ballot on is Jets," and the prediction proved spot-on. The newspaper later praised the choice: "Columbus Jets ... Short, catchy, looks good in a headline, stands for speed, power and belongs to the modern age." The aviation theme continued to reflect Columbus's forward-looking spirit.
The Jets flew high from 1955 through 1970, but by then, Franklin County Stadium had fallen into disrepair. When the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League affiliate at the time, chose not to invest in renovations, Columbus baseball fans were left stunned. Yet the legacy of those early teams—from J. Higgins breaking barriers to the Jets taking flight—remains a proud part of Columbus sports history.