DISCLAIMER: This article was originally published in 2020, and is from a time in our careers we are not proud of and do not reflect our current views. Our behavior was insensitive and inappropriate, and we did not treat such serious topics with the respect and gravity they deserve. We are re-uploading old articles to our new blog as we find them after the loss of our original website and all our files. So far the accompanying video has not been recovered.
We are also no longer associated with the guests featured in this episode; please stop contacting us and their families asking for information about them or their deaths. We do not have information about the situation nor are we in any position to answer questions about it. Emailing us and insinuating that the two faked their deaths for attention while continuing to ship out merch is insane. Their merch is made and shipped by a third-party print on demand service just like we used to use for our own merch. At no point in the process were we or they involved in the manufacturing or shipping process. Unfortunately it seems there's no way to close their merch shop since the two have passed. Please stop asking us. We cut ties with them a long time ago.
- Francisco
Preface
Welcome back, ghoul hunters! Today our team finds itself in the lone star state of Texas, known for their cattle ranches, cowboy traditions, and if you're a fan of the paranormal, the stories that surround the Buck Park Baseball Stadium. Joining us in the field today are two faces I'm sure you're familiar with by now: Howie and C! The other half of this collab can be found over on their podcast, Kill The Conversation, where we go over the events that led up to the stadium's haunting in detail.
As a brief summary before I talk about this episode’s findings, the Buck Park Baseball Stadium was once the home turf of a women's baseball team called the Hera Cleats back in the 90s. Harriet Turnpike -- or as she's known more commonly in pop culture, Home-Run Harriet -- was the team’s star player, until she was caught in 1999 trying to burn down the stadium and subsequently arrested for the murder of 8 of her teammates. Afterwards, the Hera Cleats team was essentially dead, as understandably many women had quit the team in the years leading up to Harriet's arrest and nobody new wanted to join. The team owners distanced themselves from the Hera Cleats, and their pink cow mascot Hera faded into obscurity.
Investigation Breakdown
Unlike many of the places we explore, the Buck Park Stadium is not abandoned, and is still an active sports area. We were granted permission from the owners to explore the grounds after dark, complete with a tour of the facilities from one of the workers. After getting the lay of the land, we were locked into the dark stadium, completely alone.
We started our investigation at the memorial plaque honoring the eight women killed by Harriet Turnpike. These women were all players on the Hera Cleats team in the 90s, and deserved to be able to live long, full lives. What happened to them was horrific, which may be why some believe their spirits linger at the stadium they used to call home. It's here that we decided to break out the spirit box in an attempt to contact one of these women. I will transcribe our conversation with the spirit box here, but to witness it for yourself, be sure to watch the episode!
Myself: If there's anyone here who would like to speak to us, please talk into the device in my hand. Nancy King, Sharon Edwards, Ann Shen... are there any of the Hera Cleats players with us here tonight?
Spirit box: (static)
Jess: If you're here, we'd like to talk to you about what happened to you.
Spirit box: under (unintelligible)
Jess: Underwood? Kimberly Underwood?
Howie: Kimberly, tell us why Harriet killed you. This is your chance to finally tell people what happened!
Spirit box: top hits
Howie: That's right, Harriet was the top hitter -- err, batter. Is that what you're trying to say?
Myself: Miss Underwood, why do you stay in this stadium?
Spirit box: (unintelligible) going to (static)
Myself: Is there anyone else here? Jenny Ramirez? Pamela Taylor? Anyone who played for the Hera Cleats, we're here to listen to you.
Spirit box: (static)
Howie: C'mon ladies, give us something to work with here!
Jess: Oh, be polite, Howie.
Spirit box: stupid
C: (Laughing) Dude, the ghost just called you stupid.
Myself: Well, if Howie hasn't offended all ghosts within a 10-mile radius, we invite you to join us as we explore the stadium tonight. I'm going to turn this device off now, but we'll be here until dawn.
From there, we moved on to the team locker rooms. Naturally, since the rest of us are all men, Jess was the only one who could go into the women's locker room. We decided to use walkie-talkies to keep in contact with her while she explored them on her own. We hoped that her skills as a medium combined with the quiet time alone might help make the spirits of the murdered women feel more comfortable. Before she entered the locker room, though, Howie and C pulled out a surprise for her: a genuine 90s Hera Cleats baseball cap with the pink cow mascot that they'd somehow gotten from a vintage reseller. In Howie's words, this was supposed to make the spirits "feel like she's part of the team!" Jess, however, was worried it might "make her a target." You can watch Jess's solo exploration of the locker room from her POV in the episode!
While Jess explored on her own, us boys made our way to the stadium's impressive trophy case. Displayed within were some remnants of the Hera Cleats' many victories, including a picture of two of the former team members -- Aisha Olson and Wendy Isaacs (Harriet Turnpike has been cropped out of the image) -- holding the trophy the team won during the 1993 season. Our EMF detector indicated there was some activity in the area, jumping into the yellow range, so we set up the REM pod to see what we could detect.
Once Jess was done exploring on her own, we all met back up on the baseball field for our final attempt at communing with the dead. According to one legend, if nine players are on the field at night with an empty stadium, they'll be able to hear the whispers of the murdered Hera Cleats players. Another story says that they'll witness an echo of Harriet Turnpike in her last moments of freedom instead, trying to burn down the stadium. While Harriet is still alive, some believe that pockets of history that held a lot of pain and suffering can stay stuck in that moment; an echo of the past haunting the present.
There were only six of us, but we decided to try anyways. We left a camera and EVP recorder on the home plate while the rest of us took various positions in the field, with C acting as the pitcher. We were not allowed to use any of the stadium’s equipment, nor did we bring any of our own (At least not any sports equipment. You can't really play baseball with a thermal camera.) Interestingly, when we watched back the footage picked up by the camera left on home base, some of the recording was corrupted. Was this a technical malfunction, or a sign of something otherworldly? It's difficult to make out, but in the slowed-down footage, if you really squint, you might be able to make something -- or someone -- out of the corruption.
Closing Thoughts
Our journey through the Buck Park Baseball Stadium was one marked by a profound sense of sorrow. While the stadium stands tall and proud, the small reminders of the team that once brought crowds and trophies to this arena haunt its field. Maybe as we retraced their steps through the echo-y corridors, we were joined by the women we spoke about. I hope that if those eight women do remain here, it's due to a sense of pride in their team and each other, and not because their pain prevents them from moving on.
Thank you again to Howie and C for exploring with us today. Their insight into the tragedies surrounding the stadium was very eye opening.
- Ethan
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