FL Evansville Otters

Record crowd celebrates the 4th with the Otters

by Marc Viquez
Published on July 23, 2009 under Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters


It was just another ballpark visit and I was looking forward seeing the almost century old Bosse Field in Evansville, Ind.; however, something was different by the time I left the ballpark, that made this writing not just another ballpark review. On the night that I was there 7,782 people jammed inside the rustic park and watched a Frontier League game-the most ever in the Evansville Otters' fifteen-year history.

The 7,782 patrons set a team record for a ballpark that opened on June 17, 1915 and is currently the third oldest ballpark in existence in professional baseball-behind Fenway Park and Wrigley Field

There were various reasons why many folks were at the game tonight: the weather was cool and not as muggy as it had been for the past few weeks, it was the first night of the July 4th weekend-meaning their would be fireworks-and dollar hot dogs, beer, peanuts and soda. All of these variables had the makings for what the Otters' staff initially thought would be a crowd of 5,000.

Don Park of Newburgh, Ind., has been watching games here since the Detroit Tigers fielded their Triple-A team, the Evansville Triplets over 25-years ago. He was in attendance with his wife and was surprised by the influx of interest throughout the ballpark.

"It impresses me that almost 8,000 people are here tonight," said Park. "It is a good night to watch baseball and there is a lot of enthusiasm. It's got an atmosphere that takes you back as far as the 40's"

Bosse FieldBosse Field certainly does have charm and it is sprinkled throughout the facility. Large vintage signs adorn throughout both concourses and exits-left over from when "A League of its Own" was filmed here in 1991-and box seats that seem to have been here for at least 50-years. Then there are the oddities that are not as recognizable: the large foul area that makes batting averages dip and outfield fences that have been brought in-leaving a large amount of room for a party deck in rightfield. Clay Taylor of Henderson, Ky., was near the party deck and was at his first game of he season.

"It's a quaint place to watch a baseball game, but I don't think it's equipped to handle this kind of a crowd."

He may be right about the crowd since it was gridlock throughout the beginning of the game as fans attempted to find their seats, but the transition went as planned, according to team officials. The covered grandstand and narrow aisles are a history lesson of what a ballpark experience might have been like for not just are parents-but are grandparents and great grandparents.

As fans walked up to the top row of seats, there was a low over hang; you could look down below at the outside concourse; there was plenty of action outside with clowns making balloons, fans gorging themselves with overstuffed potatoes and people talking up a storm about just about anything.

Vernon Goeddi was sitting on the top row with his wife, Jean, and has been to his share of games in the past.

"It reminds me of how baseball should be, the crowds come and go, but it's fun," added Goeddi. "It's an old-time feeling, very nostalgic."

In total, there have been twelve different baseball teams that have played 64-seasons of minor league baseball at Bosse Field and one National Football League team. The Evansville River Rats of the Central League attracted a crowd of 8,082 for the first game ever played at the ballpark in 1915, but I am almost certain that not too many other teams attracted the same amount that the Otters did tonight, but team's GM Liam Miller was not surprised by the amount of people in attendance.

"It was an amazing event," said Miller. "It shows that the affordability of an Evansville Otters' game, dollar menu and fireworks, is a great asset to the community

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