Cobb Field was a

baseball park A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimensions can vary widely from place to pla ...

located in Billings, Montana from 1932 to 2007. It was originally named Athletic Park and opened as Cobb Field on May 4, 1948 after renovations. It was the home of the

Billings Mustangs The Billings Mustangs are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Billings, Montana, and have played their home games at Dehler ...

, the Pioneer League Rookie Affiliate of the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

, from 1948-2007. Cobb Field was named after Bob Cobb, who was responsible for bringing the

Mustangs The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once-domesticated animals, they ...

Billings Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Metrop ...

. It also hosted home games for local American Legion baseball teams. In 2006, the stadium welcomed the re-formed NCAA baseball team from nearby Montana State University Billings. From March to May, home games were played at the field.

Features

Cobb Field had a natural grass surface. The dimensions were 335 feet to left, 405 feet to center, and 325 feet to right. Cobb Field sat 4,200, though crowds had been known to eclipse 5,000. The stadium was primarily made up of the same wood used when it had been built and had shown substantial wear. Many areas of the stadium had needed wooden boards to be installed over holes in the floor. Cobb Field's concessions had undergone a drastic overhaul in its last few years. In addition to the basic concession items, the

added the "Cobb Grill" and "Betisse's Bullpen", a patio on the left field line where Mustangs fans can enjoy a beer and roam about freely. "Betisse's Bullpen" also hosted pre-game

tailgate parties A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open Trunk (automobile)#Door, tailgate of a automobile, vehicle. Tailgating, which primarily takes place in the United States and Canada, often involves consuming Alcoholic drink, alcoh ...

Cobb Field film

Producers Craig Lindvahl and Joseph Fatheree created a film about the ballpark entitled ''Cobb Field, A Day at the Ballpark''. The film gives a view of the world of minor league baseball from the eyes of the ballpark. It was shot during the final weeks of Cobb Field's existence. The film won Mid-America Emmys in three categories: Promotional Video, Musical Composition, and Photography. Lindvahl and Fatheree teach a film class at Effingham High School in Effingham, IL. Some of their students helped in the filming of the movie. Three of these students helped in the filming of Cobb Field and also won Mid-America Emmys for their film work.

New stadium

On November 8, 2006, a $12.5 million stadium levy passed (with a 53% majority 'for' vote) allowing construction of a new stadium at the Cobb Field location. Construction began in the Spring of 2007 and Cobb Field was torn down after the 2007 season. The new stadium opened as

Dehler Park Dehler Park is a multi-use stadium in Billings, Montana. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home of the Billings Mustangs of the independent Pioneer League. It is also the home field of the Montana State University Billings Yellowjacke ...

on June 29, 2008.

References

External links

Minor League Ballparks Cobb Field''Cobb Field: A Day at the Ballpark''
{{coord, 45, 47, 27.97, N, 108, 30, 37.91, W, display=title Minor league baseball venues College baseball venues in the United States Baseball venues in Montana Sports venues in Billings, Montana 1932 establishments in Montana Defunct sports venues in Montana 2007 disestablishments in Montana Sports venues completed in 1932 Sports venues demolished in 2007