A night at the old ballgame
Danville Stadium ‘ one of the best places to watch a ballgame anywhere around ’
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHAD DARE
For decades , residents of Vermilion County and the surrounding areas have spent parts of their summer watching a baseball game at Danville Stadium .
While it might not be exactly the same as a game at Wrigley Field or Busch Stadium , it ' s still a big deal for the hometown fans .
“ When I was young , we did go to bigleague games in Chicago , St . Louis or Cincinnati ,’’ said Darrin Fletcher , who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball . “ For me , personally , going to the stadium was like going to a professional stadium . It wasn ’ t a big-league stadium , but it just felt special when you were there .
“ As a boy , I looked up to those players and I always thought it would be nice to play there when I got older .’’
And the former Oakwood standout got his chance when he was in high school . Fletcher also got the opportunity to just be a fan when his son , Casey , played two seasons with the Danville Dans .
" I really enjoyed those summers ,'' said Fletcher , noting that grandparents , aunts , uncles and cousins also made it to the ballpark that season .
Danville Stadium , which was opened in 1946 as a minor-league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers , has been the home field for more than 200 players that have played Major League Baseball and it has also been used for exhibition games featuring players like Satchel Paige , Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson .
" Anyone that walks in the door can feel the historic vibes of the players that have
Danville Stadium , shown here in between innings during a game in 2006 , has been home of multiple minor-league baseball teams and most recently , the home of the Danville Dans of the collegiate wooden bat Prospect League .
SPRING 2023 | ILLIANA MAGAZINE
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