It all began (we think) in 1947. The day that "this" Shultis Stadium opened up to a new league called the KOM League... a combination of all the little ballparks in and around the corner where Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri all come together (thus the... KOM League). The league had begun a season earlier and played with 6 teams in 1946. In 1947, the league expanded to include Oklahoma's Ponca City and this ballpark in Independence Kansas. With the new team established, the New York Yankees signed a 4 year PDC with the franchise, and named the team the Independence Yankees.