Ex-Minnesota Twins Spring Training Home Tinker Field Looks Rough
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers played in a bowl game yesterday in Orlando, Florida. We will not discuss the result of said bowl game, but we will discuss what was right next to the stadium the bowl game was played in.
The Gophers faced off against the Missouri Tigers in the Citrus Bowl and right next to the Citrus Bowl is Tinker Field, or more accurately, what remains of Tinker Field.
Tinker Field is named after Hall of Famer Joe Tinker and used to be the Spring Training home of the Minnesota Twins. It now looks like it could be home to a rat colony.
Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune tweeted out a picture of the, what is probably most accurately described as a former, baseball stadium. To say the least, it looks rough.
Tinker Field, former spring training home of the #MNTwins, right next to Citrus Bowl. pic.twitter.com/J6er7Jo6CO
— JoeChristensen (@JoeCStrib) January 1, 2015
Now the Citrus Bowl was just remodeled which leaves some hope for Tinker Field. One plan in Orlando is to renovate Tinker Field; another is to tear it down. Tearing it down would be difficult, because the stadium is on a very important list: the U.S. National Registry of Historic Places. Tinker Field was added to the list in May 2004.
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Tinker Field was opened in 1914 and was the spring training home of the Twins dating back to before the Twins moved to Minnesota. The Washington Senators used it as their home for spring from 1936-1942 and 1946-1960 with the Twins using it from 1961-1990.The Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Dodgers used it prior to the Twins franchise.
The Orlando Twins of the Florida State League also used to call Tinker Field their home.
Wikipedia claims that the FCC Suns of the NCCAA (National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association) still calls Tinker Field their home, but for their sake I really hope not.
The last time Tinker Field was renovated was 1963. A makeover might be a little overdue.
UPDATE: Apparently they were parking cars IN THE OUTFIELD. THIS IS AN HISTORIC LANDMARK, DAMMIT!
Cars parked in the outfield of Tinker Field for the Citrus Bowl! @TwinsPrez pic.twitter.com/3sqyCqV5bH
— Matthew Muenchow (@mmuenchow123) January 1, 2015