Newman Outdoor Field

About

Newman Outdoor Field is a baseball stadium in Fargo, North Dakota. It is located on the campus of North Dakota State University and is the home of the independent American Association's Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and the North Dakota State Bison baseball team.

The 4,513-seat facility opened in 1996. In 1998, naming rights were sold to Newman Outdoor Advertising for $1.5 million. Fargo based architect firm R.L. Engebretson P.C. worked on the design with RedHawks GM John Dittrich and Assistant GM Tim Flakoll and City of Fargo leaders.

The stadium contained the Maury Wills Museum in honor of the former Major League Baseball player who worked for the RedHawks as a coach and a radio analyst until the conclusion of the 2017 Season.

The stadium at Newman Outdoor Field holds the world's largest wooden bat. That designation has been confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records. The idea came to GM Tim Flakoll after seeing the large wooden bat at the end of the movie "A League of Their Own." It is 161 inches long and made by specs to replicate a Louisville Slugger bat. It was made by Cinderwit company in Wahpeton, ND and unveiled in 2000. It was named "Big Bruce" after RedHawks' executive and one-time owner Bruce Thom.

The first number retired at the stadium was the #8 worn by hometown hero Roger Maris when he played for the Fargo-Moorhead Twins in the 1950s. The outfield distances replicate those of Yankee stadium where Maris made history.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.