The early baseball games in Healdsburg were played on what was known as the Luce tract, owned by Guy Rose, at the corner of University and Piper Streets. In 1920 Rose rented the land to Healdsburg’s Baseball Committee. The Committee converted the field into a ballpark using heavy equipment and manpower supplied by the City. In 1923 a group of fifty Healdsburg citizens purchased the four acre tract for $3000. They built the grandstands using lumber from the Cotati Speedway which was being torn down at the time, erected a fence, and stipulated that baseball would have first rights over other forms of recreation to use the field. After Healdsburg’s famous original Prune Packers disbanded in the mid-1920's, the Park’s owners approached the City with a plan for the City to take over the Park.
In 1927 the City took over the Park with the “baseball first” stipulation intact and with a further condition that the City would improve and maintain the Park. Improvements to the Park were made continually. Streets were paved, gutters, curbs and sidewalks were added, a new fence was built, showers and dressing rooms were added under the grandstands, concrete dugouts were built, a ticket office was installed and the grounds were made level and smooth. In 1949 lights were installed for night games. In 1951 the Lions Club took over the concessions on a profit sharing basis. A new fence was built in 1952. In 1959 stock pens were added for display of livestock during the Future Farmers Fair. In 1965 portable bleachers were added, and in 1966 additional bleachers were built. In 1948 the Healdsburg Lighting Committee was formed to install and construct a lighting system for the Park for the “playing of baseball, softball, football, and any other recreational activity approved by the Recreation Board” (Healdsburg and Community Lighting Project). Members included Doug Badger, Ralph Sandborn, Clarence Ruonavaara, Norman Schweitert, Walter Cottini, Smith Robinson, Francis Passalacqua, Morris Ruby, George Smith, and Maynard Boulden. Other members who joined the committee included Dan Modena, Quinto Barbieri, William Carroll, Len Williams, Ernie Biasotti, Art McCaffrey, Felix Lafon, Steve Searcy, and Ernie Demostene. To finance the lighting, their plan was to raise $20,000, which was done through the selling of $5 and $10 non-interest bearing bonds. These bonds were sold throughout the Healdsburg community. By March 11, 1949, $12,835 had been raised. By March 25th the full $20,000 had been raised. Charles Anderson/Healdsburg Electric Shop installed the lights and the Lighting Committee reached an agreement with the City and took over the administration of the Park so they could raise money through recreation activities to pay off the bonds. For the next 28 years the Lighting Committee worked the games, collected tickets and even turned the light on and off. In 1966 the bonds were paid off and in 1977 the operation of the park was turned back to the City of Healdsburg. |