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The Bismarck Governors American Legion baseball team play its
home games at the spacious Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, a city-owned
stadium that includes bleacher seating for approx, 3,500.
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The current Bismarck Municipal Ballpark was built in 1992.
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Washington Street, which runs on the east side of the
ballpark, needed to be widened. Unfortunately, the old
ballpark took up a lot of the real estate that was needed to
widen the street.
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The ballpark was turned around 180 degrees. Center
field was moved to home plate and home plate was moved to center
field. The concrete grandstand was completely demolished.
A new one was built in time for the 1992 season.
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Bismarck's Municipal Ballpark underwent a $50,000 face lift in
1971, the most obvious change being a 900-seat concrete
grandstand with cover. The grandstand was completed just
in time for Bismarck to host the 1971 North Dakota Class 'A'
American Legion baseball tournament.
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The
original Bismarck Municipal Stadium was actually a wooden
structure that stood where center field is now. The great
wooden grandstand burned to the ground in 1971.
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Bismarck's Municipal Ballpark has hosted a variety of semi-pro
organizations. Bismarck has had three brief flings with
professional baseball. The Bismarck Barons played in the Mon-Dak
league, an independent
"minor-league" that played throughout Manitoba and the
Dakotas, from 1955 through 1957. From 1962 through 1964 and
again in 1966 the Bismarck-Mandan Pards were members of the
Northern League as a farm club of the Minnesota Twins and
Houston Astros. The Prairie League brought pro baseball back to
Bismarck in 1995 and 1996 with the Dakota Rattlers.
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Bismarck Municipal Ballpark has also hosted a variety of
High School, American Legion, and Babe Ruth baseball district,
state and regional tournaments.
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Bismarck Municipal Ballpark has hosted the North Dakota American Legion
state tournament in 1998, 1992, 1980, 1971, 1965, and 1945.
Bismarck is scheduled to host the state tournament again in
2010.
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Bismarck hosted the 1956 and 1962 American Legion World Series.
St. Louis (MO) Post 245 defeated New Orleans (LA) Post 345 in
1956 and St. Louis (MO) Post 299 defeated Honolulu (HI) Post 11 in 1962
to win the World Series.
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One of the unique features of the field are the train tracks
located just north of the ballpark. Trains passing through the
Bismarck-Mandan area are often seen and their blaring horns
heard during games.
