While Joplin did not have a professional baseball team until around 1901 / 1902 in the form of the Joplin Colts (who became the Miners), amateur teams were active and present before then. Among them was this African American team called the Joplin Shadies. Unfortunately for the Joplin team, on July 30, 1896, they lost to a Carthage team.
A brief score from Joplin's African American baseball team in 1896.
Source: The Joplin Globe
