Two baseball-related exhibits are now on display on the second floor of the Sangamon County Building. These coincide with the inaugural season of the Women’s Professional Baseball League and games being played at Springfield’s Robin Roberts Stadium. One tells the story of 100 years of women’s baseball and softball in Sangamon County from 1875—1975. The other features Springfield artist Rod Buffington’s unique artistic representations of seven major league baseball stadiums and other memorabilia.
When the Sangamon County building was recently remodeled, a lobby area with exhibit cases was designed into the area outside of the County Board room on the second floor.
“We wanted to celebrate our art community and our history,” Andy Van Meter, chair of the Sangamon County Board, told Illinois Times.
Betsy Dollar, director of the Springfield Art Association, curates the art exhibits. Stephanie Martin, curator of the Sangamon Valley Collection at Lincoln Library and board member of the Sangamon County Historical Society, creates the history exhibits.
Typically, these exhibits are designed independently of each other. When Dollar found out Martin planned to feature the history of women’s baseball in Springfield, she knew the perfect person for an art exhibit related to baseball. Rod Buffington has curated two baseball shows at the Springfield Art Association, and his baseball stadium watercolor paintings are unique.
The 100 Years of Women’s Baseball and Softball case exhibit describes the rich local history and includes photos, historic documents, player cards, a replica uniform and other memorabilia. The introductory panel reads: “This exhibit celebrates the women of Sangamon County who took the field, broke barriers, and proved that the love of the game knows no bound. These athletes were more than players; they were pioneers. They built a legacy that helped expand opportunities for future generations.”
Frank Myers of Springfield and his associates organized the National Amusement Association in 1875 and recruited women for an all-female team to travel across the U.S. The Blondes and the Brunettes of Springfield was one of the earliest known professional women’s baseball teams, playing its first public game on Sept. 11, 1875, in Springfield with 500 spectators.
The exhibit also tells the story of the Springfield Sallies, which was part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, playing its opening game on May 9, 1948. Players, chaperones and the founder, James Fitzpatrick, are featured. Another case features the Rockford Peaches All-American Girls Professional Baseball League team.
The Sangamon Valley Collection holds a large collection of material related to the Springfield Sallies, and librarian Anna Sielaff researched the 1943-1954 history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which also included the Rockford Peaches. Women’s softball leagues in the 1960s and 1970s are also described.
The art display on the other side of the room includes seven large watercolor paintings by Buffington showcasing the baseball stadiums of the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds. They are large, quilting-inspired watercolor paintings with collaged fabric on paper.
“There is nothing else like it,” said Dollar. Buffington’s paintings are assembled like a quilt, applying mixed media, fabric and paper over a watercolor painting. He was inspired to paint in this manner after watching his grandmother quilt for many years.
Springfield artist Rod Buffington’s unique artistic representations of seven major league baseball stadiums and other memorabilia are part of a display of two baseball-related exhibits on the second floor of the Sangamon County Building. PHOTO BY KAREN WITTER
Buffington is a huge baseball fan and has a vast personal collection of baseballs, autographs and other souvenirs and collectibles. He is a longtime member of Rotary and founded Rotary Day at the Ballpark in St. Louis, an annual event featuring a Cubs/Cardinals game that has raised more than $600,000 for literacy projects.
Over the past two years, the art exhibits have showcased paintings by the Sangamon County Watercolor Society and Illinois Prairie Pastel Society and student art. Previous history exhibits featured past Sangamon County buildings and things manufactured in Sangamon County.
Anyone can visit the exhibits at the Sangamon County Building, 200 S. Ninth St., Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The art exhibit will be on display through early September and the history of baseball exhibit through October.
There are two history exhibits annually and the art exhibits change quarterly. When there are new exhibits, the County Board hosts a public reception prior to its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month. Van Meter said he hopes this will become a regular event for people to go downtown, peruse the exhibits and attend the County Board meeting.
This article appears in July 30 – August 5, 2026.
