By Jesse Menden
Sports Writer

In many ways, a ballpark says a lot about a community.

Simple towns have a ballpark carved out of a corn field, with simple bleachers for the fans. Large towns have large grandstands at their fields, and elaborate scoreboards. No matter what kind of ballpark, it is a reflection on the community.

Take for example Saints Field in Dassel. It is one of the crown jewels of the community and one of the nicest ballparks in the area. It is a positive reflection of the area.

But as they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Neither was Saints Field.

The area that is currently Saints Field has been home to baseball since the beginning of the 20th century. Dassel teams started playing there in 1901, when it was modified from a site for horse and bicycle races, into a baseball field.

Over its history, improvements have been regularly made and pieces added. All of the committed funding and hard work has really paid off.

“Through the years, many individuals and groups have been working on it,” said head coach of the DC Saints, Mark Forsman. “It’s been a big community event.”

The Saints play all of their home games at Saints Field. It is also home to DC High School baseball, Legion baseball, and other teams.

The grandstand, which was built in 2002, was a gorgeous addition to Saints Field. Its brick facade presents an old-time look, with a modern feel at the same time. It is a sign of the ever-growing area that has not forgotten about the past.

The field itself is a reflection on the people in the area. The perfectly manicured infield is a sign of the pride everyone has in these communities.

One of the primary caretakers of the field during the summer is Cole Flick. “It is one of the better playing surfaces in the state,” he said.

Combine a great playing surface with a fan-friendly atmosphere that regularly draws 250 people (and often more) for Saints games, the result is a great place for players and fans to take in a ball game.

Evidence of that can be seen by glancing at the 2007 Saints season schedule. They will play 22 contests this season at home in 2007, while just 11 non-tournament games on the road.

“Everybody wants to play at our ball park,” Forsman said. “Why travel if you don’t have to?”

The recent improvements and detailed maintenance to Saints Field has helped it become one of the most decorated fields in the area.

In fall of 2005, Saints Field was the successful host for the 82nd annual Minnesota Amateur Baseball tournament.

Last year, Saints Field was prestigiously named as the 2006 Minnesota High School Coaches Association’s “Field of the Year.”

In 2007, Saints Field got even more exposure when it was one of 15 ball fields in the entire state chosen to be on the 2006-07 Minnesota Twins calendar. A submitted picture taken by Flick graced the calendar for the month of March.

Saints Field is located north of Hwy. 12 on Second Street in Dassel. For more information on the field and the DC Saints, visit dcsaints.com.