SPRINGFIELD (KMHL) – The Class C Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament gets underway this evening in Springfield and Milroy.
Both communities have put together massive efforts to host the tournament this year – but each has a very different story as to how it came about.
Springfield was chosen as one of the original sites for this year’s tournament. It is the first time the state tournament since 1968.
Dale Lindmeyer helped to lead the fundraising effort to bring the tournament to Springfield this year, he says they have made a lot of changes to the field to get ready.
“We fund-raised, got a new scoreboard and then we had some extra money due to the generosity of those people both individuals and businesses so we put in new dugouts and got that going,” said Lindmeyer. “Then about three to four years ago we started talking about new bathrooms, concession stand and getting them out of the flood plain.”
Lindmeyer notes it’s the first State Amateur Tournament in Springfield since 1968.
While Springfield had three years to prefer for the state tournament, Milroy had about three and a half weeks.
Milroy was chosen as the second site for the tournament after New Ulm decided it wouldn’t host the tournament this year due to COVID-19 concerns.
Milroy Yankees player Brian Dolan said the last three weeks have been filled with projects to get things ready. He was very thankful for the help from family and nearby communities for the support they have received.
“It’s taken a lot of family help, a lot of community support,” said Dolan. “Towns like Wabasso, Tracy, Minneota and Wood Lake and communities around here have really helped us out.”
State tournament games begin this (Friday) evening in both locations.
