Fort Ripley Park - Fort Ripley Rebels, Fort Ripley, MN

Fort Ripley is approximately 130 miles northwest of Minneapolis. It was a United States military installation from 1849 to 1877, when it was vacated after 28 years. The fort, now part of Camp Ripley, was located on the opposite side of the Mississippi River from Morrison County, where the current city in Crow Wing County is situated. The town of Fort Ripley was incorporated in 1927 and took its name from the fort, which was named for Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, an American soldier and politician.

I was unable to find any information on the team's history. 

Parking

The Town of Forest Ripley is small. Once off the main highway, you travel three blocks on gravel roads to Fort Ripley Park. There is a large grass field next to the park that I assumed would provide plenty of parking. However, the teams were well-supported, with nearly 100 people, but no parking was available. I parked beside the access road. 


Spectator Options 

There are three sets of bleachers. The main bleacher behind home plate has over 120 seats, with an additional 40-seat bleachers on each side of the concession stand. There's also plenty of space for lawn chairs if that's preferred seating.

Concessions (I prefer a hot dog with root beer) 

Unfortunately, no root beer was available. They offered Von Hanson’s hot dogs for $3.00. While better than typical store-bought hot dogs, they are average at best. Soda, which I had as a Dr Pepper, was $2.00. There were no popcorn or other hot concession options. Limited candy and small snack bags were available.

Summary


This was a game! The Buckman Billygoats beat the Fort Ripley Rebels 7-6 in 16 innings! Even though it was a warm day, there were shaded seating options. The field had an average sound system and, when appropriate, played uplifting music. The field has no lights, so evening games are not possible.  There was a small electronic scoreboard in right field that provided the basic information. 

I enjoyed the setting and the welcoming atmosphere for the game. While the field was simple, that small-town feel and team support made the trip worthwhile.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Memorial Park, Dundas Dukes - Dundas, MN

Image
Statue at the entrance Memorial Park is on the Cannon River in Dundas, Minnesota. The ballpark hosts over 60 games annually, including the Dukes (Class B team with the Minnesota Baseball Association), Northfield Legion, Northfield High School, Dukes over-35 team, the Milltown Outlaws with the Federal League Class A, and the Minnesota State High School League Section Playoffs. The Dundas Baseball Association, the Dukes' parent organization, maintains and funds the ballpark. The Dukes rely on a network of dedicated volunteers and a small seasonal staff to manicure the four-acre complex. The 2024 season was challenging as the Cannon River experienced significant flooding. Once the flood receded, the volunteers quickly cleaned the field for play. The park underwent a roughly $100,000 renovation in 2021, which included updating the main grandstand, a 500-square-foot press box, and a new audio system. Memorial Park co-hosted the 2022 Minnesota Baseball Association Class B and C State Tou...
Read more

Veterans Field at Memorial Park, PL Jays & Mudhens - Prior Lake MN

Image
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...
Read more

Bonin Field, St. Partrick Irish - St. Francis, MN

Image
On July 25, 2024, I attended the St. Patrick Shamrocks vs. the Chaska Diamonds , a 35-year-and-over town ball team game at Bonin Field.   St. Patrick is a small unincorporated community comprising the St. Patrick Tavern and Grill, the St. Patrick Catholic Church of Cedar Lake, the St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery, and Bonin Field. B onin Field was named after a former Catholic Priest, Fr. Leo Bonin, who was instrumental in supporting local baseball in St. Patrick in the 1950s.  Bonin Field had a significant renovation project in 1989.  An electronic scoreboard was installed in 2004, infield irrigation was added in 2008, and over 1,000 linear feet of drainage tile were installed below the playing surface in 2012.  In late summer 2015, irrigation was added to the rest of the field, along with a zone to water the infield with ag-lime. In the fall of 2018, the 30-year-old homemade backstop was demolished and replaced with a concrete knee wall and net backstop system. Part ...
Read more