Kindrick Legion Field

Helena Brewers, Pioneer League

8/10

A better picture of the exterior from 2015, still painted sheet metal.

A lighter moment as the sprinklers suddenly turn on during the game in 2015 gave as good a chance as any to get a picture from behind home.

There are a few more stands down the first base line, but this is what there is behind home plate. A very basic stand.

I stuck the lens through the mesh during a break in play in 2010 and got this picture, which is still one of my favourites from anywhere.

 I went here in 2010 as part of a 3 park Pioneer League loop with my stepbrother. This is an old park, originally dating from the 1930's. It is a VERY simple wooden grandstand. It's located off of US 12, just north of downtown. It was a bit difficult to find, as it's not actually next to the street, but down a hard to see side street, which leads to a gravel lot. We parked for free about two blocks east.

The stadium has no real concourse to speak of, but a fenced in area behind the grandstand. Concessions offered a good variety, but especially of ice cream, which can be a requirement in Montana. The stadium was renovated by adding bright orange stadium seats which were removed from the Oakland Coliseum, when "Mount Davis" was built there. My cup holder still had an Oakland A's logo stuck to it.

If the stadium itself is less of an old gem and more aging, the atmosphere is incredible. Helena are last in attendance for the Pioneer League, but draw a little under a thousand a game in a city only about 30,000 total. There are not many casual fans passing through here, but with front row seats going for 9(N-I-N-E) Dollars, you end up with real fans instead. We moved into the front row, where our seats were, around the 6th inning and ran into a grizzled fellow who misunderstood what was going on and informed us that he would let us use some of his ticket stubs "if anyone gives you any shit" (pronounced sheeit). Nice fellow.

In summary, this park looks hideous from the outside, amazing once you're inside and is a 1930's era wooden bandbox. Food's slightly above par and the atmoshphere is way above, which is why I give it an 8/10. I am going to attempt to head back here again, possibly even this year.

Update 2017: I got back here for a second game in 2015 to watch them play Missoula as the first night of my summer loop. It was a bit on an anticipated game, with the season winding down and Osprey Pitcher Bo Takahashi having a steller season. The Brewers handed him his first loss however, in front of an unusually large crowd for here. In reevaluating this place, there's a lot to consider. Is the facility old? Yes. But is it bad enough to dock a point? No, it isn't.....barely. The food here is actually really good though, with a ton of local microbrews and food items are lacking in selection, but also very cheap. It's a plus. The atmosphere is good for such a small crowd, but nothing remarkable. This one stays at an 8, but was slightly more enjoyable than last time.

The Brewers managed to break 1,000 in terms of average attendance for the first time in many years. The city only has about 25,000 people, with 75 thousand in the area, although many of them are at least an hour from town and not well off. There has been zero talk of a new park here, as attendance and the local economy just don't justify it. However, rumours of a potential move for the AAA franchise in Colorado Springs for the 2019 season have led to speculation that the H-Brewers could be a good candidate to move, as both teams are owned by the same conglomerate. The ballpark and market there would be a massive upgrade, but it would also mean just another small town losing their team. I'd be just fine if that didn't happen, but will keep this place in mind for the next two seasons, just in case.

Linescores
2010-07-20
                                     123    456   789    R H E
Orem Owlz(LAA)             001   020   011   5 7 1
Helena Brewers(MIL)       100    800   20X   11 13 1
Temp: 82F  Time: 2:57  Att: 1,287

2015-08-27
                                        123    456   789   R H E
Missoula Osprey(ARI)        200   100   000    3 7 0
Helena Brewers(MIL)          042  100    00X   7 12 0
Temp: 86F   Time: 2:27  Att: 1,869