By: BILL PEARCH
Today, the ballpark located at Sixth Avenue and Ballpark Drive in Clinton, Iowa is known as LumberKings Stadium and it serves as the home of the Midwest League’s Clinton LumberKings. Throughout the decades since the facility opened, a host of minor-league teams have called the place home.
Construction of the ballpark commenced in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project and it opened in 1937 as Riverview Stadium, home of the Clinton Owls of the Three-I League. After 21 years without a baseball team in Clinton, 4,000 fans packed the ballpark on May 9, 1937, and watched the Owls defeat the Bloomington Bows, 3-2. Later that season, on July 26, the Owls hosted their major-league affiliates, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and beat them 5-1 at Riverview Stadium.
As SABR Chicago members were touring the field, LumberKings general manager Ted Tornow mentioned the banner highlighting Clinton alums from the team’s various incarnations who spent time on Major League Baseball rosters. While scanning the names, he was careful to note that Clinton fans are still waiting to claim their first Hall of Famer. The ballpark retained its original name into the 21st century, but in 2002, the park was renamed Alliant Energy Field.
During 2006, the ballpark underwent a significant $4.2 million renovation. Throughout the years, renovations have included replacement of the entire stadium lighting system, a new home clubhouse, new drain tiles, dugout expansions and covered batting cages. After being named Ashford University Field from 2012 through 2016, it’s now named LumberKings Stadium.
SABR Chicago 