Bengal Field is an outdoor athletic stadium in Lewiston, Idaho. Opened 90 years ago in 1934 as a multi-sport athletic field,[2][3] it is currently the football stadium for Lewiston High School, formerly located a few blocks to the northwest. The natural grass field runs conventionally north-south, with the main grandstand on the west sideline. The elevation of the field is approximately 860 feet (260 m) above sea level.
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  Lewiston Location in the United States  Lewiston Location in Idaho | |
| Address | 11th Avenue & 14th Street |
|---|---|
| Location | Lewiston, Idaho, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 46°24′32″N 117°00′40″W / 46.409°N 117.011°W |
| Owner | Lewiston School District |
| Capacity | 3,500 (baseball) |
| Field size | Left Field – 335 ft (102 m) Center Field – 411 ft (125 m) Right Field – 308 ft (94 m)[1] |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1934 |
| Opened | November 12, 1934[2][3] |
| Tenants | |
| Lewiston High School 1934–present Lewiston Broncs (NWL) 1955–1974 Lewiston Broncs (WIL) 1952–1954 Lewiston Indians (Pio. L.) 1939 Lewiston Indians (WIL) 1937 | |
It was formerly a minor league baseball park, the home field of the Lewiston Broncs from 1952 through 1974.[4][5] The Broncs were in the Western International League (WIL) for the first three seasons and the Northwest League (NWL) for the following two decades, which changed to short-season play in 1966.
Bengal Field also hosted the Lewiston Indians for two seasons, one in the Class B WIL in 1937,[6][7] and in the Class C Pioneer League in 1939.[8][9][10][11] The first night game at the park was the opening game in 1937 on April 27.[6][12] The WIL franchise moved northwest to Bellingham for the 1938 season,[13][14] and the Pioneer League team was moved to Idaho Falls in eastern Idaho in 1940, closer to the rest of the league.[15]
The baseball diamond at Bengal Field had an unorthodox southwest alignment,[16][17] with the setting sun in right field; the recommended orientation (home plate to center field) is east-northeast.[18] Owned by the school district,[19] the ballpark was also the home field for high school and American Legion baseball. It hosted the American Legion World Series in 1973.[20]
It transitioned into a football-only venue in the 1980s.[17][21][22] The LHS Bengals last played baseball there in 1983,[23] and used two venues in 1984, Harris Field at Lewis–Clark State College and Clearwater Park (46°25′23″N 116°59′46″W / 46.423°N 116.996°W), on the north bank of the Clearwater River.[21] They now play at Dwight Church Field (46°22′48″N 116°57′43″W / 46.38°N 116.962°W) in the southeast end of the city, about two miles (3 km) east of the Lewiston–Nez Perce County Airport,[24] while American Legion baseball is played at Harris Field. Church (1925–94), LHS class of 1943, was the longtime head coach of the high school and Legion baseball programs.[25][26][27][28][29]
References
edit- ^ Shannon, Bill; Kalinsky, George (1975). The Ballparks. New York: Hawthorn Books, Inc. p. 270. ISBN 0-8015-0490-2.
- ^ a b "Will dedicate athletic field". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 9, 1934. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Armistice parade today marks opening ceremony at new Lewiston field". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. November 12, 1934. p. 6.
- ^ "Broncs bring pro baseball back to Lewiston tonight". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 22, 1952. p. 8.
- ^ "Brenner pitches Lewiston to 5-2 win over Braves". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 23, 1952. p. 2.
- ^ a b "Lewiston to see first game under the lights tonight when Indians meet Spokane Hawks". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 27, 1937. p. 8.
- ^ "Spokane Hawks trim Lewiston". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. April 28, 1937. p. 13.
- ^ "Lewiston ball club in first home game". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. May 5, 1939. p. 5.
- ^ "Join us in celebrating". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. (advertisement). May 5, 1939. p. 8.
- ^ "Undefeated Lewiston team will meet Boise Pilots tonight". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 5, 1939. p. 10.
- ^ "Mel Marlowe whitewashes Indians as Salt Lake City takes series". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 1, 1939. p. 8.
- ^ "New W.I. League opens tonight". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. April 27, 1937. p. 13.
- ^ "Bellingham will get baseball franchise despite torrid protests from Lewiston fans". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 23, 1937. p. 14.
- ^ "New Class C loop is considered by Lewiston". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Spokane. January 5, 1938. p. 16.
- ^ "Sam Collins' burial today; dies at 72". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. March 21, 1960. p. 10.
- ^ "Danforth wins 20th game". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. September 3, 1961. p. 8.
- ^ a b Ramsdell, Paul (January 25, 1982). "School board hearing next hurdle for new football field". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 2B.
- ^ "Objectives of the Game – rule 1.04". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ "Broncs will play at Bengal Field". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 11, 1964. p. 22.
- ^ "Legion opener today". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. August 30, 1973. p. 24.
- ^ a b Sahlberg, Bert (April 15, 1984). "Home isn't what it used to be". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1C.
- ^ Browitt, Jim (June 9, 1994). "The names, and game, have changed". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1C.
- ^ Ramsdell, Paul (May 15, 1983). "Bengals sweep by Vikings to win northern Idaho title". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
- ^ Riggs, Dick (August 5, 2010). "Lewiston has rich Legion history". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
- ^ "Church tries hand at forecasting". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. November 9, 1984. p. 4B.
- ^ "Church stepping down". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. June 1, 1989. p. C1.
- ^ "Services for Church today in Lewiston". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. July 19, 1994. p. C3.
- ^ Robinson, Jeff (July 15, 1994). "Men like him only come around once in awhile [sic]". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
- ^ Sahlberg, Bert (July 20, 1994). "Saying farewell to a legend". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1B.
External links
edit- Baseball-Reference.com – minor league teams – Lewiston, Idaho