Minnesota Townball Fields Review

Who is Ray Plut?  Ray and his wife, Phyllis Hamann, owned the "LeCenter Leader" newspaper and partnered to start the "Little Dandy Supper Club”, which still exists today.  He was often referred to as Mr. Community because of his involvement in community activities, whether through his participation or the compelling stories he published in the Leader.  He was a commander of the American Legion Post 108 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1803 and served in the U.S. Army from September 28, 1950, to September 8, 1952, during the Korean conflict.  He was a member of the German-Jefferson Sportsmen Club and the Izaak Walton League of America, a lifetime member of the Le Sueur County Fair Association, and the FFA Foundation. It is stated that his membership in the LeCenter Baseball Association and the Quarterback Club were likely Ray's favorite. Often, after a game, he would return to the office to write about it, ensuring it would be included in the next issue of the Leader...

Like most teams and fields, there is minimal history to share.  The Hastings Hawks were established in 1982, coinciding with the construction of Veterans Park, replacing the Hastings Spirals.  The park was surrounded by trees and parkland to minimize the awareness that this was in a larger city. Parking There is a small gravel parking lot near the field, and 90-degree parking is available on the grass off Soccer Field Road.  The parking is safe from foul balls for the Hawks game.  If the east field is used, there would be a chance of vehicle damage from a home run.  On the day I attended, the Hastings Hawk s vs Baseball 365 was the only field in use. Spectator Options Behind home plate is a 9-level bleacher.  On each side of the field are grass areas designated for seating.   The bleacher seating was acceptable; however, the number of crossbars on the backstop reduces visibility of half the ball, making each seat less than desirable.   Additiona...

access road and parking I was unable to find any history about the St. Benedict Saints .  Maybe cause it is really in the middle of nowhere.  St. Benedict is an unincorporated community in Helena Township, Scott County, Minnesota, United States, located along 250th Street West and St. Benedict Road.  The West Branch of Raven Stream and the East Branch of Raven Stream meet at St. Benedict.  There are five houses (seven if you drive up the gravel road), a cemetery, and a baseball field.  There are no paved roads leading into Saint Benedict; only a 500-foot portion of St. Benedict Road where it crosses the streams. Parking There is no parking lot for the field.  Parking was along the gravel roads leading to the park.  This narrowed the road and was not the ideal parking situation, yet I assume 95 percent of the traffic was game-generated. Spectator Options There are three wooden bleachers and several old empty cable rolls that are used as standing tables....

Webster Township was established in 1855 and named after Ferris Webster, a local store owner. The township is 35.7 miles in size, and within it is the unincorporated town of Webster. Webster has approximately 40 homes, a post office, a supper club, an elevator, and a few repair shops. Just west of Webster is a gravel road that leads north 1/4 mile to the local park and ball field.  There was no history available for the  Webster Sox team or information about the field. Parking A large gravel lot is off the main entrance road.  The parking is situated at an adequate distance to eliminate issues with vehicle damage and foul balls.  There were several spaces when I arrived 10 minutes before the game, but overflow parking was needed by the end of the first inning.  There was no indication of the attendance cost until the 5th inning, when a team representative walked the crowd to collect $5. Spectator options   There are two small bleachers, one on the...

There is very little information available on the history of Sechler Park. Initially, the area consisted of sawmills, grist mills, and other industrial facilities along the Cannon River. The milling industry experienced a decline in the late 1800s. Nevertheless, Northfield continued to be an essential hub of economic, educational, and recreational activity, with dairy farming and development along the banks of the Cannon River. As industrial development along the Cannon River slowed, interest in opportunities for parks, trails, and open spaces on public land increased, leading to the creation of Sechler Park and several other public spaces in the city.  Sechler Park's prime location along the Cannon River has been a cherished community space since the mid-1900s. Today, Sechler Park serves as a successful example of transforming a former industrial riverfront area into an inviting public park, reflecting the city’s historic ties to the river and its commitment to outdoor recreation...

HISTORY Prior Lake was a Village from 1891 to June 1, 1921, when the City was formally incorporated.   For over 60 years, the Prior Lake community has supported the Prior Lake Lakers, an amateur baseball team.  The Lakers comprised older members.  In the 1960s, a new team (The J’s) was created for younger members.  It was named J’s as it was primarily juniors from the local high school team.  Home Juice Company sponsored them.  The J’s growth included a greater variety of ages, and the name was changed to the “Jays.” They were highly successful yet disbanded in 1976. Eleven years later, a small group of baseball enthusiasts and several local businesspeople partnered to sponsor amateur baseball.  The “new” Prior Lake Jays were supported by over 70 initial sponsors.  The formation resulted in the “Jay” bird logo.  They were a Class B team.  In 1991, the Prior Lake Mudcats were established to provide a Class C team and offer more playing op...