52°06′41″N 106°41′50″W / 52.111273°N 106.697089°W / 52.111273; -106.697089 Cairns Field is a stadium in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is primarily used for baseball and serves as the home of the Saskatoon Berries of the Western Canadian Baseball League as well as local baseball.[1]

Cairns Field
Cairns Field on June 19th, 2024
Cairns Field in 2024
Map
Address1717 Dudley St, Saskatoon
Canada
LocationSaskatoon, Saskatchewan.
OwnerGordie Howe Sports Complex
Capacity2,000
Field size
  • Left Field: 335 ft (102 m)
  • Center Field: 400 ft 9 in (121.9 m)
  • Right Field: 335 ft (102 m)
Tenants


The Saskatoon Berries warming up at Cairns Field in June 2024.

Features

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Cairns Field features artificial lighting, an electronic scoreboard, an irrigated and groomed grass infield, drainage, an 8-foot outfield fence with wind screening, and dimensions of 335 feet down each line and 400 feet in center field. The supporting facilities at the field include stands seating 2,000 fans,[2] a clubhouse with four dressing rooms, concession, washrooms, showers, media press box with a public address system, an umpires' room, warm-up mounds, and a permanent batting cage.

History

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The original ballpark back in 1914 held a capacity of 1,700 which drew a total of 6,422 spectators for the city's entry into the Western Canada League. The original Cairns Field was situated near the Canadian Pacific Railways station named after James Frederick Cairns, who became the president of the Saskatoon Baseball Club in 1921. The former grandstand used in the current Cairns Field had been constructed for harness racing in the Pion-Era. The park had renovations during the 1980s as well some others after the Berries moved in, in 2024.[3]

The ballpark hosted for the 2005 Canadian National Junior Championships.[4] It was home to the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets from 2002 until the team folded in 2014.[5] When Saskatoon was awarded an expansion WCBL team in 2023, the team's ownership renovated the facilities, including adding a new video board and expanding seating.[6] A sold-out crowd of 2,200 turned out for the first home game in Saskatoon Berries history on May 28, 2024.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mitchell, Kevin (2023-07-14). "They have a name and a coach; now, the Saskatoon Berries wait for the 2024 baseball season". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  2. ^ "Venues - Gordie Howe Sports Complex | Saskatoon, SK".
  3. ^ "Saskatoon sports facilities: there's a story behind every name". The Saskatoon Star Phoenix. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  4. ^ "Baseball Canada Junior Championship: Historical Results" (PDF). Baseball Canada. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Kevin (2015-12-10). "Saskatoon would be welcomed back into the WMBL, if it's 'done right', league president says". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  6. ^ Roblin, Scott (2024-05-22). "Saskatoon Berries lift the curtain on Cairns Field makeover ahead of inaugural home game". Global News. Archived from the original on 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  7. ^ Roblin, Scott (2024-05-29). "Sold-out crowd greets Saskatoon Berries for first home game in franchise history". Global News. Archived from the original on 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-06-04.