Pohlman Field
Beloit, WI
Review by Mike
Visiting a ballpark for the first time is always a wonderful experience, but every now and then this hobby (obsession?) brings us into contact with some really nice people. I stopped by Pohlman Field in Beloit, Wisconsin early on a Friday morning in June and found the gates locked. Pohlman Field stands in a public park and I spotted a rec department employee painting lines on a nearby field. I asked her if I could go into the stadium, and she politely said that I would need prior permission. Understandable, so I thanked her and proceeded to walk around the exterior, shooting photos through the fence. As I headed back to my car, she came running across the parking lot and handed me her phone. It was the Beloit Park Supervisor, and, after explaining who I was and about the website and all that, she instructed the maintenance woman to let me inside. Now, she didn’t have to make that call, but she did, and I think that’s just swell. Thank you, Beloit Parks Department!
Pohlman Field was built in 1982, but it feels like it’s from an earlier era. It was home to the Snappers of the Class A Midwest League for its entire lifespan, from 1982 when the team moved downtown to ABC Supply Stadium in 2022. It’s an all-metal affair with a nice roof and open-air grandstands down each sideline. I didn’t see a game, but I image that the crowd would make quite a racket stomping on those metal floorboards during a Snappers rally. Quick thought here… is it a good idea to name a sports team after a slow, lumbering creature, i.e. a turtle?
In its 2nd season post-pro-ball, the stadium is in good condition, used for high school baseball and other events. It doesn’t look like it was ever a fancy ballpark, but it is well maintained and looks like it will serve Beloit for years to come. I’m particularly fond of the roof, which wasn’t always a feature of metal stadiums built in the 1980s.
Most of the seating is made up of metal benches, so bringing along seat cushions might be advisable. The view beyond the fence is pleasant, with abundant trees. I can’t report on the concessions as the outbuildings were all closed up and may or may not still be in use.
All in all, this is a very nice little ballpark. Though clearly outdated for pro ball, this is a facility that could surely host a collegiate summer league team if there was an appetite for that in this far southern outpost of Wisconsin. There’s nothing fancy here, but Pohlman has its charms and I’m glad I got to see it. Thanks again to the nice folks at the Parks and Recreation Department for making it happen.
--
2023
227
--
