When the Twins open their new ballpark this week, one important figure in Minnesota baseball history will be unrepresented: former U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy, one of the best town-ball players in state history -- at least by his own telling. McCarthy grew up in the small burg of Watkins in central Minnesota, a hotbed of town ball in the state. After graduating from St. John's University McCarthy taught at various state high schools, clearing up his time to play baseball in the summer. McCarthy once wrote that in an era of paid ringers, he was among the highest-paid pitchers in the state; only future Vikings head coach Bud Grant was paid more. McCarthy was a lifelong baseball fan, even after entering national politics: here the U.S. Representative is shown taking part in a Congressional baseball game against a girls' squad in April 1950 at Florida's Sanford Memorial Stadium. Behind the plate: former Giants great Carl Hubbell. (Photo courtesy of Florida State Archives.)
2011 BallparksCheney Stadium renovations, Tacoma Rainiers
Ed Smith Stadium (renovations), Baltimore Orioles spring training
John Henry Moss Stadium, Gardiner-Webb University
Lake County Fielders, Zion, Ill.
Mequon (Wis.), Concordia University
Omaha (College World Series)
Pensacola, Fla., Pensacola Pelicans
Ramapo, New York
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Arizona Diamondbacks/Colorado Rockies
Sarpy County, Neb., Omaha Royals
University of South Florida
2012 Ballparks Lee County spring-training facility, Boston Red Sox
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Dodgers (renovations)
Florida Marlins
Green Bay Bullfrogs
Loudoun County, suburban D.C., Atlantic League team
Montgomery County, Texas (American Association)
Sugar Land, Texas (Atlantic League)
Topeka, Kansas
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(08/27/2010) On a roll: the Tri-City ValleyCats should set a franchise attendance record for the seventh consecutive year.
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(08/27/2010) The Connecticut Tigers and Detroit Tigers will continue their affiliation for two more years.
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(08/27/2010) Buoyed by fan demand, the Salem Red Sox are removing tarps from seating areas and increasing capacity at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
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(08/27/2010) The Trenton Thunder are poised to reach a major milestone in team history: the 7-millionth fan in team history should cross the turnstiles this weekend.
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(08/27/2010) The annual Baseball Winter Meetings will return to Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Resort in 2012, marking the sixth time that the annual gathering of professional baseball club and league executives will be held in Nashville.
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(08/27/2010) The New York Mets and the Savannah Sand Gnats extend their marriage by two years.
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(08/27/2010) No surprise, as Tampa Bay owns part of the team, but it's still worth noting.
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(08/27/2010) Last year's inaugural event was a big success, so we're expecting even bigger things at the second Summer Ball Conference, set this fall for Madison, Wis.
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(08/24/2010) The Modesto Nuts and the Colorado Rockies will be together for two more years, as the pair's PDC is extended.
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(08/24/2010) The Houston Astros and Corpus Christi Hooks extended their player-development deal through 2016, but 'Stros officials admit they don't have much hope for retaining the Round Rock Express as a Triple-A affiliate.
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(07/27/2010) Five pro ballparks will be entering the bidding to host the SEC baseball tourney, now drawing large crowds at Birmingham's Regions Park.
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(06/06/2010) The former Travis Credit Union Park is slated to open next spring at Simpson University.
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(05/25/2010) The late Robertson, who played pro ball for seven years before returning to Topeka and serving as athletic director at Washburn, is being honored by the summer-collegiate squad.
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(05/25/2010) The Missouri Valley Conference tourney should be the first major event held in Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park.
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(04/27/2010) Almost 8,000 fans showed up for college and high-school games at Shreveport's Fair Grounds Field, including a big crowd for LSU and Northwestern State.
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(04/26/2010) Buoyed by a new ballpark and an intense rivalry, the annual Tulsa game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State is a sellout.
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(04/01/2010) Jack Diesing Sr., who helped transform the College World Series from a poorly attended, money-losing venture to the powerhouse it is today, passed away yesterday at the age of 92.
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(04/01/2010) The longtime head of the South Atlantic League will be remembered at a new Gardner-Webb University ballpark.
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(03/29/2010) When the Cleveland Indians moved spring-training operations to Arizona, many in Winter Have predicted economic doom. Instead, college tourneys have more than filled the gap.
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(03/04/2010) Another sign the college game is big business: Northwestern State and LSU sell out a game in a minor-league ballpark.
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