Bell Field - Fairbault Lakers

 HISTORY

Shattuck Baseball Team 1886

Faribault, MN, has a long baseball tradition, with 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 Maypor Bell and one council member was defeated.  But Alexander Faribault Park survived and was constructed.  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—to be constructed 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, which was the peak of popularity.  By 1954, attendance was less 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 were back in the state tournament.  In the late 1970s, the Lakers and the city split the cost of new lights and, around the same time, replaced the rotting wooden outfield fence that 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.

MY EXPERIENCE

Parking—The field has ample parking, over 150 spaces, and minimal foul ball damage threat.  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 like to park in the tree shade on a hot day.  It was over 90 degrees on the day I attended.

Spectator Options—I don't know the capacity of the fully covered grandstand, but it must be close to 2,000 spectators.  The main section behind the home plate has a rail backing with many non-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 - (I prefer a hotdog with a root beer) - They served a typical store-bought Johnsonville Hot Dog and 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 Deleware 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 COMMENTS

There is a $3 admission fee, which seems more common in larger facilities.  It was disappointing to see the visiting team crowd (Prior Lake) was about the same size as the hometown crowd.  It is clear that 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, obvious local support, and excitement like 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.