Kris Hjelmeland
May 3, 2000

A Baseball Stadium Full of Memories

"Norman Rockwell could paint a picture of the Mini-Met and it would fit into his series on Americana.  You can tell the community has a lot of pride in that ballpark and it shows," KSTP sports anchor Joe Schmit commented on Jordan, MN's trademark ball field.  Jordan sits some 30 miles away from Minneapolis on the outskirts of the metro area.  The small town is becoming more of a suburb with each passing baseball season. 

The field has grown and evolved along with the town of Jordan, but still remains a picturesque example of small-town baseball. The tattered and splintered old wooden grandstand of Jordan's Mini-Met, transports spectators to an era before multi-million dollar salaries and shoe contracts.  The field is built at an irregular angle, so that the ancient latticework grandstand runs along the third base line.  A beer garden, complete with concession stands and picnic tables lies adjacent to the grandstand.  Along the other side sits new concrete bleachers topped off with a press box. A 30-foot high wooden fence colored green encases the baseball diamond. The baseball field itself is small. It stretches just 315 feet to left (same as at Fenway Park), 360 or so to center, and 320 to right. I find it funny how many memories can fit in such a small ballpark.

  Sitting in the deserted grandstand, I hear the quiet current of Sand Creek, which wraps itself delicately around the field.  A grove of trees surrounds the creek, shielding the ballpark from the rumbling of highway 21.  The old brewery, recently refurbished, peaks above the line of trees.  Behind the right field fence, the older brick buildings of a smallish downtown create a perfect backdrop. The steeple of the local Catholic Church towers above the trees and buildings.  With a squint of an eye, you can read the time off the clock tower. 

An old railroad track left from the days of the Minneapolis and St. Louis railway runs behind the left field fence.  Occasionally a train will still make its way through the town.  A scoreboard highlights the right field fence.  Scorekeepers mark balls and strikes electronically, but hand mounted numbers still tally each inning’s score.  "If there was a field like this in New York, they'd steal it. One night, the bases would be gone. Then the next day you'd come back and the lights would be gone." says Charlie Larca, Jordan's manager.

The seating capacity is 2000 with room for 1000 more on the sloping bank of green grass in front of the beer garden.  On many occasions, the park has accommodated far more people than that.  The highlight of the ballpark might just be the field itself.  The small community tends to the field far more meticulously than some professional ballparks.  The grass on the diamond, always mowed to complete perfection, reminds spectators why they miss outdoor baseball.  When I use to work for the city of Jordan, my superiors always promised me that someday I could mow intricate lines into the field.  I guess I never mowed in a straight enough line to receive that honor.

The automatic sprinkler sprays the field with its afternoon drink of water and reminds me that technology has touched the historic park.  Though many of the Mini-Met's features have changed over time, glimpses into the past remain prevalent.

Baseball has been played on this site for well over 100 years.  In 1888, the piece of land first entered the local newspaper.  Schutz and Kaiser purchased the property across the creek from their brewery for $2,700.  The fixed-up ruin of that same brewery still sets the backdrop of the park today.  The land became a private park, owned and operated by the brewery.  The park was used for a variety of activities including baseball.

Baseball and the brewery have been associated with each other since the beginning of Jordan.  The amateur team that currently plays at the field is named the Jordan Brewers, though the brewery has not brewed a beer in well over 50 years.  The Schutz and Kaiser, later named Schutz and Hilgers, brewery enjoyed highly successful times during the early years of Jordan.  The products of the brewery always had a reputation for excellence and purity that brought them large sales.  They challenged the fields of the large corporations that seek to control the business.  The brewery had a history of delivering beer to Hopkins, Shakopee, Watertown, Waconia, Chanhassen, other points in Carver County, and even delivered beer to the capital city of St. Paul.  The reason for all this activity was the excellence of the Jordan Beer. 

In 1902, Peter Hilgers bought interest in the local brewery and the name Schutz and Hilgers was given to the park.  Around this same era, the park went through a grand expansion.  The brewery refurbished their park and added many amenities.  Excursion trains started to bring hundreds out from the Twin Cities to the brewery’s private park.  Sand creek circled the park that included a ball field, refreshment stand, and other attractions.  The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway built a loading platform adjacent to the park so excursionists may detrain right at the park.

The success of the excursions created a demand for additional park expansions.  In the spring of 1903, the brewery decided to add a mammoth 64-foot circular pavilion to its park.  It had a grand hardwood floor, and was thoroughly protected from the elements by an ornamental conical roof.  A covered bandstand, large enough for a grand orchestra, connected to one side of the pavilion.  Additional concessions and tables were soon brought to the park.  For the next 20 years, every summer weekend brought large numbers of city dwellers to the small town.  On many occasions thousands of people barraged Jordan in search of entertainment that included dancing, picnics, games of sport, and baseball.  Few records remain of the baseball games played during the parks early days.  The local town teams played their games at Smail Field, located across town.  That field would soon disappear and the current diamond would house Jordan baseball for many years to come.  Slowly additions to the park would make it one of the states superior fields.

In 1908, the Brewery added a large barn to their park.  It initially was located in right field.  At this time the baseball games played at the park started to increase.  The park owners called their baseball diamond Morlock’s field.  At the time, a big oak tree on the third base side was considered a grandstand.  Cars and horses parked along the chicken fence facing the diamond.  On the hillside overlooking the field, white painted rocks printed out “Welcome to Jordan.”  A lusty clout into the cedars usually brought a cheer from the crowd.  During games, busy ticket collectors would walk among fans reminding them of the team’s financial needs.  The team would usually charge up to a quarter to watch the battles.   

            Around 1914, the Jordan community secured a bid to host the Scott County Fair.  The fair would remain at this site until 1973. Schutz and Hilgers donated their grounds for the grand celebrations.  Soon, expo buildings and cattle barns surrounded Morlock’s field.  A large latticework grandstand joined the surroundings and offered a place for spectators to view the games in shade.  This grandstand still stands today serving the same purpose as it did years before.  The grandstand was complete with dressing rooms underneath the bleachers.  These dressing rooms were used by vaudeville acts that performed at the fair.  Many of the umpires and players used these rooms before game-time to put on their uniform.  The name Fairground’s Park soon labeled the field, but the old-timers would continue calling the diamond Morlock’s Field for many years.

            Fairground’s Park played host to many exciting and interesting games.  On a late-summer Saturday in 1929, a game played at the field sparked the curiosity of a large crowd.  On that day, the famous bearded barnstorming baseball team, the House of David, arrived at the park.  Many of the players were members of a religious sect that practiced celibacy and did not eat meat.  The House of David's were decidedly entertaining ballplayers who would be thought of as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball.  The David’s opponents that day may not be as well known in baseball, but they were an equally odd band of ball players.  They were the 12 Fredrickson Brothers, who were the antithesis of the foes.  A game between the two teams was something of a battle of opposites.

            Four Thousand fans packed the fairgrounds to witness the nostalgic battle.  A team full of all the male siblings from one large family prevailed 4 to 2 in the battle.  They received $400 in prize money for their performance.  Of all their wins, the Fredrickson’s rank that victory as their proudest.  A victory that took place on the grounds of Jordan’s ballpark. 

            Fairground’s park changed dramatically during the early 1940s.  The field shifted from the present left field corner (which was home plate) to the present site.  The grounds were given a fresh coat of sod with turf pulled up by horse-drawn cutters.  Soon after, eight light-towers were added to allow the field to offer night games.  The town banded together and paid for the renovations in part with donated labor and goods.  This is a trend that would carry on throughout the history of the park.  The town’s people of Jordan have continually stepped in to ensure the existence of one of the state’s finest diamonds.

            After the renovations, baseball prospered in Jordan.  It may have been a sign to come when one of the first balls hit out of the park landed foul over the river, but continued to roll down the paved streets and came to a rest at the Hamburger Home, some 3 blocks away.  During these golden years people would often try to sneak into the field.  A large canvas was built along the creek to stop the cheeps from seeing the ballgame.  Parts of that cable still remain today.  Baseball fans came out in thousands during this period.

           

            The most famous competitor ever to play for Jordan’s home-team graced the field during the late 1940s and early 1950s.  Jimmy Pollard, a star basketball player for the champion Minneapolis Lakers, blasted long homeruns out of the park for the Jordan Brewers.  Teammates comment that he only missed two practices in seven years with the local club.  He never missed a game.  In 1954, Pollard showed up at the park for a Sunday game.  The Lakers had won the NBA title the night before in Rochester, New York.  Legend has it that Pollard’s Lakers teammate, Pep Saul, also played for the Brewers.  They both showed up that Sunday, having brought their baseball gloves to Rochester to warm up.

            Pollard played first base, third base, and pitched.  He hit monstrous homeruns. His most famous homer supposedly bounced into an open boxcar on a southbound train and wound up in St. Louis.  Actually folks give different accounts of that event.  Some say it only made it to Waseca.  He also hit a homerun that bounced on the bridge over sand creek; it measured close to 500 feet.  He became notorious for hitting balls into the Melon patch across the tracks.  Fans searching for the ball would trample the garden destroying the melon crop.

            During this time period teams were allowed to pay players.  Pollard received $45 a game.  Once or twice a year he would tear up his check or donate it to the boy scouts if he figure he didn’t earn it.  The local team would often buy competitive pitchers for games.  They would pay them $10 an inning. Paying players ended by the early 1960s.

            In 1960, a devastating flood consumed the town of Jordan.  Fairground’s Park, quickly turned into a large lake.  Surprisingly, most of the field would wind up unharmed when the water finally receded.  Cattle-barns located in the outfield for the county fair were destroyed.  The town removed the buildings that had served the fair for close to fifty years. 

            The community came to the need of the park again in 1962 when they expanded the old beer stand.  The present new roof, slab, and popcorn stand came about because of donated moneys.  This stand became famous throughout the area baseball world for its delicious popcorn. Many fans have enjoyed a cold frosty mug in the beer garden.  As soon as I turned 21, I remember drinking a can of Schmidt Beer for the first time while watching a game with my dad.  I am sure many of Jordan’s residents have had a similar introduction to the beer garden.

            The community banded together to benefit the baseball park again during the late sixties.  Baseball's popularity had started to fade during this period.  Other entertainment forms were drawing attention and the game of slow-pitch softball gained appeal.  Jordan would not let diamond in the rough go to waste.  They put together a strong bid to host the 1969 State Amateur baseball tournament.  After the news of their successful bid, the town banded together to make the tournament a success.

            The small town hosted one of the most attended tournaments in years.  Jordan laid out the red carpet, literally and actually, to welcome the 32 best town teams for the 46^th annual tournament.  This was the first time Jordan would stage the event, and they did not disappoint.  With donations and contributions, Jordan turned beautiful Fairground's Park into a baseball gem.  The Minneapolis star concluded that, "Metropolitan Stadium should have it so good." The town actually received a donation of 70 yards of red indoor-outdoor type carpeting.  For the tournament, they decided to cover the entire grandstand walkways and stairs in red.

            An all-session crown of 15,274 attended the tournament and watched as Arlington prospered and took home the title. Pitcher Jim Stoll, a former triple A professional, took home the MVP in the well-played tournament.  The attendance more than doubled 1968s total and many declared Jordan the state capital of baseball.  This prompted officials to campaign for an unsuccessful tournament bid for the following year.  This would not be the last state tournament played on Jordan's popular field.         

Following the 1969 State tournament, the ballpark received a new identity.  The ballpark's beauty and condition drew praise from the entire baseball world.  Soon comparisons were made to professional parks.  An article written by Bill Boni that appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press read, "It (Fairgrounds Park) could have been the Met (Metropolitan Stadium, home of the Twins) in miniature - except that in a ball park such as this you're closer to the action, more part of the scene."  This article caught the attention of the community.  Soon they would label their field with the name Mini-Met. 

            The newly named Mini-Met had an eventful beginning to the 1970s.  They hosted another successful state tournament in 1971.  The Babe Ruth State Tournament graced the Mini-Met with great baseball.  The Babe Ruth league developed many future stars.  Again, the Jordan community and Baseball Park were commended for the tournament.

The summer of 1972 marked the last time that Scott County would hold its annual fair on the same grounds as the Baseball Park.  The Scott County Fair made a home at the park for 58 years until it moved across town to a larger location.  With the fair gone, many of the surrounding building also left the premises.  From this point on, the park would dedicate itself to primarily baseball.

            This dedication paid off in dividends the very next year.  Jordan received a bid to host the 50^th Anniversary Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament.   The tournament attracted the largest crowds since the last time Jordan hosted the event.  Cold Spring won the title with 12,150 fans watching the Event.  Though the finals were exciting, the most interesting game occurred in the first round.  The team of Stark fielded a team composed of players with the last Helget.  The Stark truth is that Stark's starting line-up consisted of six brothers and three first cousins.  Although the Helget brothers did not prosper versus Red Wing, the overall tournament was another success for Jordan.

Jordan hosted their next state tournament in 1981.  This time Jordan Co-hosted the tournament with neighboring Belle Plaine.  The 1981 tournament was the first time a dual-site tournament had been tried.  The tournament officials thought of the tournament as a grand success.  They vowed to continue the dual site format.  The 15,743 fans watched as Cold Spring took home the championship.  The Jordan community again proved their love for baseball and the stadium were it is played.

Jordan would continue hosting state amateur Event for the remainder of the century.  One of my fondest memories occurred in the press box during one of these Event.  My friends and I were running the scoreboard.  We noticed an older scout with a big ring on his finger.  After we started talking we discovered this was the famed Minnesota Twins scout Angelo Giuliani. The scout who had signed my all-time favorite player, Kent Hrbek, sat a seat away from me.  The ring on his finger, which he allowed us to wear, he received for the 1987 World Series Championships.  He was attending on business, scouting some catcher from Lakeville, but spent the majority of his time telling us stories.  The historic stories define the nostalgic sport of baseball.  The Mini-Met has had its fair share of stories.

The Mini-Met has had its share of baseball heroes.  Ron Beckman just may be the most popular of them all.  Ron has played for the Brewers for as long as I can remember.  A couple years ago he was in search of a career milestone.  The all-time Brewers hit leader started to approach 1,000 hits.  When he got close, the fans placed a Ron Beckman Hit-O-Meter on the left field fence. Whenever Ron would get another hit they would flip the number to show his new career hit total. Like the Baltimore Orioles did with Cal Ripken when he was chasing Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record.  When Beckman finally reached 1,000, the team shot off a grand fireworks display complete with bottle rockets, firecrackers and roman candles.  I never get tired of watching him play.

            Growing up in Jordan, I always had a dream of playing on the same field as Ron Beckman or Jim Pollard.  Every night the local team would play, children of all ages would rush to the park to view the games.  Every foul ball or homerun hit out of the confines of the park would cause a riot.  We would all make a mad dash to the ball. Often times we would take a swim, fully clothed, searching for a ball in the creek that wraps around the park.  The lucky individual who snagged it first would receive a free soda or candy from the concession stands.

            I will never forget the first time I played an actual game at the park.  Our little league team had just made it to the finals and that was the reward.  The glow of the sun off the grass infield mesmerized me.  The big green grandstand made me feel l0ike I was playing in the major leagues.  Sitting at the plate glaring at Jordan’s version of the green monster gave me aspirations of smacking one over it.  Sitting in the dugout I prayed that the game would never end.  After that game, I had the opportunity to play games on the field throughout high school.   Even since I retired from the sport of baseball, I cherish any opportunity I have to relive my younger memories.

            Town team baseball has flourished in Minnesota for many years.  The sport is filled with history, but fewer pockets of such antiquated charm as the Mini-Met remain. Late-century American suburbia has trouble intruding across the foul lines here. As I walk through the grandstand, I can picture the red carpet rolled out for the state tournaments.  When I glance into the dugouts, I imagine the popular players of the past.  I listen to the small trickle of Sand Creek, and I remember that such a small stream once engulfed this park turning it into a lake.  I remember the times my father brought me to the park for an afternoon game.  He would reminisce and tell me his memories that occurred at the Mini-Met.  Baseball is all about the memories that it leaves on the players and fans.  This stadium overflows with them.  This small park, with its glimpses into the past, reminds everyone of the great times they have shared watching or playing games.  The town of Jordan may grow into a larger city.  Urban life may creep into the area, but the Mini-Met will always remain a small town baseball park.