Bell Field, Fairbault Lakers- Fairbault, MN

Shattuck Baseball Team 1886
Faribault, MN, has a long-standing baseball tradition, largely due to the popularity of the Shattuck High School team.  After the Great Depression, townball excitement commenced.

Hadley P.  Bell was Faribault’s mayor, and he and the city council voted to purchase 40 acres of the George Caron Farm located just south of the Rice County Fairgrounds for a public park.  The public, however, was none too pleased.  Still battling through the Great Depression, the citizenry took affront to the purchase, and in the next election, every council member except Mayor Bell and one council member was defeated.  However, Alexander Faribault Park was constructed and survived.  Driveways were constructed, picnic benches and tables were installed, and playground equipment was purchased. 

Bell Field State Tournament 1969
The city was funding the field's construction in the Northwest corner of the park with liquor and cigarette taxes.  The lights cost $13,000, the grandstand $20,000, and the remainder goes to grading and seeding.  Katrochvil Construction of New Prague was hired, and work began in the fall of 1948.  The city was funding the field with liquor and cigarette taxes.  The lights cost $13,000, the grandstand $20,000, and the remainder goes to grading and seeding.  This was when townball’s popularity was nearing an all-time peak. 


On opening day in 1948, Faribault’s team added the nickname ‘Lakers,’ bringing 1,150 spectators.  Attendance peaked at over 3,400 spectators per game, marking the height of popularity.  By 1954, attendance had dropped to fewer than 1,600 attendees per game.

In the mid-1960s, the Lakers ceased playing.  In the late 1960s, Chuck Madson, Lowell Nomeland, Leo Brand, and Nort Johnson revived the Lakers.  Within a few years, the Lakers returned to the state tournament.  In the late 1970s, the Lakers and the city split the cost of installing new lights, and around the same time, they replaced the rotting wooden outfield fence, which was covered in advertising, with a chain-link version.

In 1978, a hand-changed scoreboard was replaced with a neon scoreboard donated by the Ernest Fleckenstein Beverage Company.  In the 1980s, the electronic scoreboard was installed.  

There is a video about the field at Bell Field Video Link.


In 2021, the Fox 9 Townball Tour visited the facility.  Fox 9 Town Ball Tour Link.


Parking

The field features ample parking, with over 150 spaces, and minimal threat of foul ball damage.  The disappointing part is that the large parking lot has no trees.  Being a city park, I expected more attention to the impact of urban heat islands and aesthetics.  I also enjoy parking in the shade of the trees on a hot day.  It was over 90 degrees on the day I attended.



Spectator Options

I am unsure of the capacity of the fully covered grandstand, but it is likely to be close to 2,000 spectators.  The main section behind home plate features a rail backing with many non-rail-backed bleacher seats.  The fully covered seats were GREAT on a scorching day, and a cool breeze made the game enjoyable.

One issue is the volume of the average-quality sound system.  It was so loud that I could not talk between innings to the person next to me without yelling.  I am unsure if they are oblivious, but that alone means I will bring earplugs if I go back!

Concessions (hot dog/root beer)

They served a typical store-bought Johnsonville Hot Dog and a basic bun.  They had Secret Stadium Saude for the hot dogs.  I have never seen that condiment before.  I learned it was initially developed at Milwaukee (WI) Stadium.  It was created by Rick Abramson, the president of Delaware North Companies.  He stated they were running out of ketchup and mustard, and we needed a condiment.  He took barbecue sauce, a little ketchup, mustard, smoked syrup, and other ingredients and developed secret stadium sauce.  I will look for the Sauce, but I would not look forward to another hot dog at Bell Field.

There was no Root Beer, so I had to suffer through the day with a Dr. Pepper.  The hot dog and soda were $5.  Overall, the concessions were basic, except for the special Sauce. 

Summary

There is a $3 admission fee, which seems more common in larger facilities.  It was disappointing to see that the visiting team crowd (Prior Lake) was about the same size as the hometown crowd.  The excitement around Laker Baseball from decades ago has waned. 

I am glad I attended a game at this field, yet I miss the larger crowds, the obvious local support, and the excitement you get in Miesville, Dundas, Jordan, and many more.  Unfortunately, I doubt I would return for another game, but the future is never known, and if I do, earplugs will be mandatory.

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