22
Play Ball!
G
reat Bend’s ball fields are available for rent by individuals, groups or private tournaments. Chris Umphres, sports director of the Great Bend Recreation Commission, coordinates the master schedule for the ball complex and is the person to call for questions or
making reservations. Chris can be reached at the GBRC office, 620-793-3755, ext. 114. The Great Bend Sports Complex at 41 McKinley St. is the perfect place to enjoy a ball game or to schedule a tournament. The 61-acre complex offers four skinned infields with lights
Culligan Water of Great Bend Serving Communities of Barton County for over 70 years! Home, Office & Commercial, call Culligan Water for ALL of your water er needs! t 8BUFS 4PGUFOFS t 3FWFSTF 0TNPTJT t )JHI 2VBMJUZ %SJOLJOH 8BUFS OH 8BUFS t %FJPOJ[BUJPO t 8BUFS $PPMFS t 4BMU %FMJWFSZ t 8BUFS %FMJWFSZ
Stop by our Great Bend location, 1706 Main Street or call 793-6412
Friendly Hometown Service!
Great Bend, Lyons & Hutchinson
800-894-2532 www.kansasculligan.com
and a grass infield. However, bids were accepted in April of 2021 to install artificial turf on the infields and bullpens of the four sports complex fields (and at Langrehr Field). The cost of this $1.36 million project will be shared by the City of Great Bend, Great Bend Recreation Commission and Great Bend USD 428. The goal is to have the fields done in time for the 2022 ball seasons. Features at the Sports Complex include state-of-theart scoreboards and “constant light level” Musco lighting, along with ample parking, seating and shade. At the hub of this complex are the concession area, restrooms, locker rooms, and air conditioned officials/meeting rooms. There are also batting cages on either side. Organizers of baseball and softball tournaments for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Kansas State High School Activities Association (1A/2A), National Baseball Congress and others have found the complex to their liking,
and many volunteers from the community are ready to make visitors feel welcome. BAT CATS Barton County loves baseball, and there are several other fields available for local use. In 2017, Al Burns Field in Veterans Memorial Park became home field for the Great Bend Bat Cats, who finished ninth in the NBC World Series its first year. Team organizer is Roger Ward, a former American Legion Baseball coach and longtime local baseball promoter. The 2021 home schedule runs from June through July. Admission to all home games is free. The Bat Cats are part of the Sunflower Collegiate League, which features the Andale Warhawks, Cheney Diamond Dawgs, Derby Twins, El Dorado Broncos, Haysville Aviators, Hutchinson Monarchs, Newton Rebels, Wichita’s 316 Sluggers and Dodge City A’s and the Sunflower Seeds.
