Mini Met - Jordan Brewers - Jordan, MN

In Jordan, Minnesota, you can discover a historic baseball park with unique, nostalgic features and a lively community spirit. In 1969, when a visiting sportswriter compared it to the Minnesota Twins' Metropolitan Stadium ("The Met”), the name “The Mini Met” was born and remains in use today.  

The Mini Met was originally part of the Scott County Fairgrounds, with the grandstand facing a horse racing track. The old wooden grandstand was initially built for Scott County Fairground musical acts and livestock reviews as a WPA project. The fair was held after the baseball season, but the carnival rides and food trucks were set up on the field, causing significant damage. The fair moved in 1973, allowing the field to stay in good condition.

1940 ballpark outfield - home base to the right, not shown

It has been an amateur baseball venue since the 1930s, hosting the Jordan Brewers, Jordan High School, and Legion teams.

The Mini Met has undergone several changes, including enlarging the field, moving the home plate from the left field corner to the right field corner after WWII, adding lights in 1955, and installing a manual scoreboard in the 1980s. Over the past decade, city officials considered the wooden grandstand structurally unsafe, and more than $83,000 was approved for repairs. New wood supports were added, and a fresh coat of “Met Green” paint was applied. 

In 2022, a raised platform and additional bleacher seating were installed along the first baseline to improve viewing options. In 2023, a new backstop was installed. In 2024, new LED lighting was added, and it was discovered that the scoreboard is aging and cannot be repaired. Therefore, the estimated replacement cost for the scoreboard was $65,000, and a request to the City for $8,000 was approved on May 12, 2025. 

Parking

Parking is primarily available in a lot south of the field, which can accommodate over 150 vehicles. About 10 percent (15) of the spaces are at risk of foul ball damage. Due to high attendance, the parking is not sufficient, but there is ample parking along the main street to the north or at Mill Pond Park to the west. Both options are less than a quarter mile from the park entrance.

Spectator Options

The seating options are significant. As you enter the park, there is a large hill along the first baseline, flanked by blankets and chairs. A larger patio area is also available, approximately 8 feet above the field, in front of and west of the concession stand. The larger covered grandstand and open concrete area flank the third baseline. A concrete bleacher section is located behind home plate, with the press box at the top. There is a larger raised platform, about 12 feet above the field, over the first base dugout, with additional bleacher seating along the first base side of the field.

The atmosphere at The Mini Met is full of local support and pride! Fans and volunteers have kept this historic baseball field running for over 80 years. The manual scoreboard is operated by volunteers. Volunteers perch behind the right field wall to keep score the old-fashioned way: moving tiles and posting innings. I've been told the area is tight, making it a one-person job.

The sound system is high-quality. The recently installed LED lighting system provides outstanding light without any glare for spectators.  

The platform along first base	Grandstand
Seating / Press Box behind Home Plate	View from the entrance

Concessions (hot dog/root beer)

The concession stand is conveniently located along first base. There is a covered area where you can enjoy food and beverages. They have hot dogs ($3), hamburgers ($5), candy, peanuts, chips, popcorn, and Klondike bars, all priced reasonably. Pepsi products (MUG Root Beer) are served in cans and cost a dollar. Gatorade is $1.50. Hard Seltzer and Beer are $3, and Ale Jordan (local brew) $5.

The hot dog has a crisp skin and solid flavor.  They only provide ketchup and mustard, no onions or relish, which is a shame.  They also serve hamburgers, and they will add fried onions and cheese if desired.  Bother are slightly above average; I have had much better in LaCenter and Delano.

Summary

The Mini Met in Jordan, Minnesota, is one of the best town ballparks in the state and one of the most distinctive-looking baseball facilities in the country. The home of the Jordan Brewers (Class C for most of the years, recently moving to Class B) team of the River Valley League has been a staple in the city since 1935.

The ballpark’s layout fits snugly into the surrounding area. Interestingly, it wasn’t originally intended to be a ballpark but developed quite naturally between a creek, a row of trees, train tracks, and a rocky cliff. There’s even a steeple from St. John the Baptist church that peeks out from the trees beyond the outfield walls.

A highlight of other parks is the large hand-operated scoreboard in right field. This dramatically enhances the nostalgia of the townball roots. I am glad there is no desire to replace the scoreboard with an electronic version! Additionally, sometimes, a train whistle and the rumble of a train can be heard as it passes by. Overall, the Mini Met creates a wonderful experience when attending the game.

John Burch Park - Cannon Falls Bears - Cannon Falls, MN

John Burch was a World War II (WWII) veteran who made Cannon Falls his home. After WWII ended, he taught "Veterans' On-Farming-Training" in Cannon Falls until 1955 and served as Cannon Falls Postmaster from 1955 to 1981. After retiring from the Post Office, he and his partners built three condominium buildings in Cannon Falls. John was a sports enthusiast. He learned to play baseball from his older brother, Lawton, when he was a young boy. 

He played baseball at Hamline University, in the Army, and for the town teams of Randolph, Stanton, Goodhue, and Cannon Falls. John Burch began his town ball career in 1946 and retired after the 1961 season. In 1948, it was reported in the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he knocked the cover off a baseball during a game. The humble Burch would later say that the ball must have been manufactured incorrectly.

After retiring from baseball in 1961, he played softball, umpired games, and managed the local concession stand. He was actively involved, often in leadership roles, in numerous organizations, including the American Legion, Rotary, City Planning Commission, Commercial Club, Industrial Development Organization, and served on the hospital board. He was honored with the "Hometown Spirit Award" in 1994. His many years of service led Cannon Falls to name the premier ballpark after him. It was said that at age 95, someone asked John Burch if he had any regrets. He replied, "That I can't hit a fastball one last time." 

The park was established in 1938 and has remained a popular tourist spot ever since. Originally a swampland, construction started in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which added fill and built the limestone wall. The project was completed in 1938. Home plates once sat in front of the current bandshell. The Cannon Falls Bears have played baseball on this site since 1938, although the current grandstand was built in 1984.

The Cannon River runs behind left field, only 293 feet from home plate, with a 20-foot-high fence restricting home run opportunities.

Cannon Falls Bears made their first tournament appearance in 1949. A few seasons later, the team won 42 consecutive games, including both regular season and playoffs. The highlight was capturing the Class A tournament championship over the Belle Plaine Tigers in 1952, which remains their only state title to date. John Burch Stadium hosted the Amateur State Baseball Tournaments in 1985 and 1991 and is scheduled to host again in 2028.

Field in the 1950s

Parking

Minimal parking is provided at the field.  A majority of the parking provided is at risk from foul balls.  Alternatively, park in the Cannon Valley Trail parking lot to the east of the river or throughout the adjoining neighborhoods.  The sidewalk network is minimal, and people must walk in the street.  This is particularly difficult when little kids are trying to be herded.  The game I attended there was a mom (of a player I saw later) who was trying to keep the about 2, 4, and 6-year-olds safe walking in the street with crazy drivers trying to find a parking spot.

Spectator Options

Outlining the first base side and over the away team's dugout is the rock wall. At the top of the rock wall, a favorite spectator location, the concrete is stepped, allowing an array of lawn chairs to be set up for enjoying the game.  There are four rows of rock wall seating, and above that are picnic tables to sit on. Further down the line, fans will line up the side with lawn chairs. It's a great place to watch a baseball game, but be cautious and pay attention to foul balls during the games!  This area was packed, with the grandstand operating at about 20 percent capacity.

Located behind home plate is the larger grandstand, which is elevated about ten feet.  A majority of the seating throughout the park is elevated to that height.  At the top of the grandstand is a press box, a table with signatures of past players, coaches, and fans. You are allowed to sneak underneath the grandstand and place a chair behind home plate. Off the third base line is another raised platform with tables and an area for chairs.  There is no shortage of great viewing locations at the park.  

The sound system is high quality with clear vocals and music playing at the correct times. One thing I love about the park is that there are no noticeable advertising banners, which makes it look less like a commercial mess, unlike some other parks. It’s a clean and pristine ballpark!

Electronic Scoreboard and 20-foot high left field fence

Concessions and Grandstand

Raised platform over the third base dugout

Wall and tiered patio along the first baseline

Concessions (hot dog/root beer)

Cannon Falls recognizes that a quality concession stand is vital for a whole baseball experience. It offers hot dogs ($3), burgers ($5), brats ($4), popcorn, candy, water ($1), and 20 oz Mug Root Beer ($2), as well as beer! Bears apparel is also available for purchase at the concession stand.

The hot dog has a crisp casing and a slight snap. It is juicy and lightly flavored. The Mug root beer is similar to Barq's and A&W at most fields. The popcorn is the typical popped onsite you get at most townball parks.

Summary

John Burch Field offers a high-level townball experience. Outstanding spectator options make the ballpark a popular gathering spot among the locals. The majority of the fans sit on the first base side, which is shaded with trees and provides an area to spread out a blanket or two.

The field has a unique design that keeps all of the seating areas well above the playing field and provides a nice view of the lush forestry that is behind the outfield walls near downtown. A simple, but lovely sign spells out the ballpark above the grandstand.  Look forward to additional games at this field!