Columnist Dean Karau recalls when Kewanee High School stepped up to the plate DEAN KARAU I’ve written before about aspects of Kewanee’s rich baseball history, which began soon after our hometown was founded in 1854. But curiously, it wasn’t until 1940 that Kewanee High School fielded a team. Why did it take so long for the National Pastime to reach the high school? It’s possible that, because other youth baseball leagues were typically starting in the spring, it was hard to field a team – American Legion ball was hugely popular. Or perhaps because it was a spring sport which required fair weather, and the school didn’t think it was practical.