Vince Genna Stadium
Bend, OR
Review by Gary
Bend, Oregon’s “Municipal Ball Park” was built in 1947 and would be renamed “Vince Genna Stadium” in 1972 after the town’s Park and Rec Director and American Legion Coach. Situated in the foothills of central Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, the legendary stadium was used by American Legion, high school and semi-pro teams until 1970, when the first professional squad, the Bend Rainbows, arrived. An affiliate of the California Angels, the Class A-Short Season team’s time here would be, well, short, departing for Walla Walla, Washington after just two seasons.
From 1970 through 1994, six Northwest League teams called Genna Stadium home, with a Phillies affiliate fielding a team here from 1978 until 1987. After the Bend Bandits rode out of town following the 1998 season, the deteriorating stadium sat without a pro team for two years. Facing demolition, a community-led “Save-Our-Stadium” committee stepped in to preserve the historic venue in 2000 and the Bend Elks began play at Genna later that same summer. The West Coast League Elks have shared the facility with a local American Legion team ever since.
Two rows of individual reserved seats line the brick wall around the infield, but the views may be limited by those not quite tall enough to see over the barrier from a seated position. Seat backed chairs rise up behind home plate while less expensive bleachers run down each baseline. As the diamond is unconventionally oriented northwest, the setting sun beyond the left field wall was blinding to practically everyone in attendance for a few innings on this mostly cloudless day in May.
Vince Genna Stadium has an artificial turf infield and a grass outfield, a combination that is becoming more and more common. The Bend Fieldhouse, a 17,000 sq. ft. indoor sports facility with artificial turf and batting cages, sits down the third base line while the left field wall abuts a strip mall. The team store is a small room adjacent to the main concession stand, while a bistro on the third base side and a beer garden near first base provide ample beverages for the Bend connoisseurs.
With a small parking lot, seemingly for about 100 people, latecomers to Elks games can park on nearby residential streets around the ballpark. Fans enter through one main location just behind the grandstand and disperse around a small concourse to any of the 3,500 seats. On this day, Elks’ player Aiden Talarico went 4-for-4 with two homers as the home team defeated the Springfield Drifters, 8-5. It was a beautiful day for baseball!
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2026
315
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