Corbett Field (Minot)

Corbett Field (formerly Minot Municipal Ballpark) is a baseball park in the north central United States in Minot, North Dakota. Located east of downtown and south of the Roosevelt Park Zoo, it was designed by Minot architect Ira Rush and built between 1935 and 1937 through the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The Minot Park Board began improvements on the ballpark in 1947, including a roof on the grandstand and field lights. It was named after local dentist Victor Corbett, the president of the park board during that time.[2]

Corbett Field

View from center field in May 2012
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Former names	Minot Municipal Ballpark
Address	13th Street SE and E. Burdick Expressway
Location	Minot, North Dakota, U.S.
Coordinates	48°13′54″N 101°16′31″W
Public transit	Minot City Transit
Owner	Minot Park District
Capacity	1,266
Field size	Left field: 310 ft (94 m) Center field': 400 ft (120 m) Right field: 310 ft (94 m)[1]
Surface	FieldTurf (2018– ) Natural grass (1937–2017)
Construction
Broke ground	1935
Built	1935–1937
Opened	1937 (1937)
Renovated	1947 (roof, field lights)
Architect	Ira Rush
Tenants
Minot State Beavers (NCAA) Minot High School Magicians (NDHSAA) Bishop Ryan High School Lions (NDHSAA) Souris Valley Sabre Dogs (EL) 2018–2022 Minot Hot Tots (NWL) 2023-Present Minot Metros and Minot Vistas (American Legion) Minot Mallards (MDL) 1950–1957 Minot Mallards (NL) 1958–1960, 1962 Minot Mallards (PL) 1995–1997

The field is aligned southwest (home plate to center field) at an elevation of 1,550 feet (470 m) above sea level. Natural grass for over eight decades, FieldTurf was installed in the fall of 2017.[3] The teams' dugouts are behind home plate in the base of the grandstand, rather than along the foul lines. The orange seats that were later added to the grandstand were purchased from the old Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Georgia.[4] The parking lot is located on the northeast corner of the property, along the Burdick Expressway.

The Minot Mallards, a team playing in the integrated Manitoba-Dakota League or Mandak League, began playing at Corbett Field in May 1950. The name "Mallards" was an entry submitted by Minot native Bonnie Rae Miller in a fan-naming contest, beating out "Kernels" and "Plainsmen".[5] In the summer of 1950, Satchel Paige pitched three games for the Mallards. After the league folded, the Mallards continued to play at the ballpark in the 1960s for the Northern League. In 1995, a newly-revived Minot Mallards began playing at the park in the Prairie League, but the league soon folded in 1997.

Today, the Minot State Beavers, Bishop Ryan Lions, and Minot High Magicians play their games at the field in the spring. In the summer, it is the home of the Minot Metros, a youth team, and the American Legion Class A Minot Vistas.

The Minot Hot Tots of the Northwoods League will begin playing collegiate summer baseball at Corbett Field in 2023.[6][7][8]