View source for Bosse Field

{{short description|Baseball stadium in Evansville, Indiana}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Bosse Field
| nickname = 
| image = Bosse Field, Evansville, Indiana.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = 
| location = 23 Don Mattingly Way <br> [[Evansville, Indiana]] 47711
| coordinates = 
| public_transit = {{rint|bus|1}} [[Metropolitan Evansville Transit System|METS]]
| opened = June 17, 1915<ref name="Facts" /><ref name="Ethridge" />
| renovated = 
| expanded = 
| owner = [[Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation]]
| operator = [[Evansville Otters]]
| surface = Bermuda Grass
| construction_cost = [[United States dollar|$]]65,000<ref name="Facts" />
| architect = 
| project_manager = 
| main_contractors = 
| former_names = 
| tenants = [[Evansville Otters]] ([[Frontier League|FL]]) 1995–present<br>[[Bosse Field#Former/current professional teams|List of previous tenants]]
| seating_capacity = 7,180 (1915–1958) <br />5,181 (1958–present)<ref name="capacity" />
| record_attendance = 8,253 (July 24, 2013)<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Valenti |first1=Maggie |title=A Swing and a Hit |magazine=Evansville Living Magazine |date=March 17, 2025 |url=https://www.evansvilleliving.com/a-swing-and-a-hit/ |access-date=September 21, 2025}}</ref>
| dimensions = Left field – {{convert|315|ft}} <br> Center field – {{convert|415|ft}} <br> Right field – {{convert|315|ft}}
}}

'''Bosse Field''' is a [[baseball stadium]] located in [[Evansville, Indiana]], seating 5,181 people.<ref name="capacity">{{cite web |title=Bosse Field |url=https://www.exploreevansville.com/listing/bosse-field/71/ |website=Explore Evansville |publisher=Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau |access-date=September 21, 2025 |language=en-us |quote=Spectator Capacity 5181}}</ref> Opened in 1915, it was the first municipally owned sports stadium in the United States and is the third-oldest ballpark still in regular use for professional baseball, surpassed only by [[Fenway Park]] (1912) in [[Boston]] and [[Wrigley Field]] (1914) in [[Chicago]].<ref name="Facts">{{cite web|title=Bosse Field Facts |publisher=Evansville Otters |url=http://www.evansvilleotters.com/bosse_field.html |access-date=December 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705054531/http://www.evansvilleotters.com/bosse_field.html |archive-date=July 5, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Ethridge">{{cite news |last=Ethridge |first=Tim |date= March 8, 2015 |title=ETHRIDGE: 100 on 100, the history of Bosse Field |url=http://www.courierpress.com/columnists/tim-ethridge/ethridge-100-on-100-the-history-of-bosse-field-ep-971521627-327211821.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218032050/http://www.courierpress.com/columnists/tim-ethridge/ethridge-100-on-100-the-history-of-bosse-field-ep-971521627-327211821.html |archive-date=February 18, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Engelhardt">{{cite news |last=Engelhardt |first=Gordon |date=June 17, 2015 |title=Bosse Field a comfortable Evansville fixture for 100 years |url=https://archive.courierpress.com/news/bosse-field-a-comfortable-evansville-fixture-for-100-years-ep-1140193791-324669881.html/ |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |access-date=September 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Engelhardt2">{{cite news |last=Engelhardt |first=Gordon |date=August 2, 2014 |title=Bosse Field still shines after all these years |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/bosse-field-still-shines-after-all-these-years-ep-532963495-325458291.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220061138/http://www.courierpress.com/news/bosse-field-still-shines-after-all-these-years-ep-532963495-325458291.html |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |access-date=February 20, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="CVB">{{cite web |url=http://www.evansvillecvb.org/attractions/bosse-field |title=Bosse Field |website=Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218032726/http://www.evansvillecvb.org/attractions/bosse-field |archive-date=February 18, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2016 }}</ref>

It is the home field of the [[Evansville Otters]] of the [[Frontier League]] (FL), as well as [[high school]] and [[American Legion baseball|American Legion]] games, and in the past hosted [[spring training]] for the [[Detroit Tigers]], college baseball, high school, college, and [[NFL]] football, college soccer, and concerts.<ref name="Ethridge" /><ref name="Engelhardt" /> Six [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] members played for Evansville teams at Bosse Field during their minor league careers, including [[Chuck Klein]], [[Hank Greenberg]], [[Warren Spahn]], [[Bob Uecker]], [[Bert Blyleven]] and [[Jack Morris]].<ref name="Facts" /><ref name="Engelhardt" /><ref name="Engelhardt2" /><ref>{{cite news |date=April 29, 2015 |title=BOSSE FIELD: The all-time Evansville team |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/326486351.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218044408/http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/326486351.html |archive-date=February 18, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 19, 2015 |title=Can you name Bosse Field's 100 Hall of Famers? |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/can-you-name-bosse-fields-100-hall-of-famers-ep-1089757260-325481261.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218044156/http://www.courierpress.com/news/can-you-name-bosse-fields-100-hall-of-famers-ep-1089757260-325481261.html |archive-date=February 18, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2016 }}</ref> The historic stadium was also used in 1991 by [[Columbia Pictures]] for filming numerous game scenes in the 1992 comedy-drama, ''[[A League of Their Own]].''<ref name="CVB" /><ref>{{cite web| title=A League of Their Own| publisher=The Internet Movie Database|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/| access-date=December 1, 2008}}</ref>

==History==
[[Benjamin Bosse]], mayor of Evansville from 1914 to 1922, reached an agreement with Thomas Garvin's family shortly after taking office in January 1914 to purchase land on the north side of the city for a park. However, the city was in a deficit and could not afford the full $50,000 price. Mayor Bosse conceived of the plan to sell part of the land to the school board who would then build a new stadium to be used for school functions as well as Evansville's baseball team, of which Bosse was a co-owner. When the president of the school board opposed the plan, Bosse had him replaced with a friend, and the new school board both approved the project and also voted to name it Bosse Field in honor of the mayor. Construction was completed the following summer, and Bosse Field opened on June 17, 1915.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bosse |first=Jeff |date=April 29, 2015 |title=BOSSE FIELD: Ben Bosse's grand idea |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-ben-bosses-grand-idea-ep-978341536-325502451.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220010616/http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-ben-bosses-grand-idea-ep-978341536-325502451.html |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |access-date=February 18, 2016}}</ref> A [[Central League (baseball)|Central League]] record crowd of 8,082 fans attended the stadium dedication and opening game, a 4–0 Evansville victory.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 15, 2015 |title=BOSSE FIELD: Opening Day, 1915 |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-opening-day-1915-ep-1137936407-326106131.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220012820/http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-opening-day-1915-ep-1137936407-326106131.html |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |access-date=February 18, 2016}}</ref> Evansville was in third place when they moved to Bosse Field, but went on to win the league championship in 1915.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Dave |date=May 20, 2015 |title=BOSSE FIELD: Evansville's first home run |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-evansvilles-first-home-run-ep-1091495804-326176201.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220055109/http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-evansvilles-first-home-run-ep-1091495804-326176201.html |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |access-date=February 18, 2016}}</ref>

{{quote box
|width=30%
|align=left
|quote=If it had not been for his wise and energetic management of the affairs of our city, Garvin's Park would not have been purchased by the city, and this stadium would not have been built. No more fitting name could therefore have been given this stadium than to call it Bosse Field.|source= —School board member Rev. J.U. Schneider honoring Mayor Bosse at Bosse Field's dedication in 1915<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-06-14 |title=BOSSE FIELD: Loving Cup on opening day |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-loving-cup-on-opening-day-ep-1135737136-325473631.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220050932/http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-loving-cup-on-opening-day-ep-1135737136-325473631.html |archive-date=2016-02-20 |access-date=2016-02-18}}</ref>
}}

Ten baseball teams other than the Otters have played at Bosse Field. Some of the most famous are the [[Evansville Triplets]] (1970–84), [[Evansville Braves]] (1946–57), Evas/Pocketeers/Hubs (1919–1931) and the [[Evansville River Rats]] (1914–15). The [[Evansville River Rats|River Rats]] had played in Evansville previously from (1903–1910) and (1901–1902). The [[Evansville Triplets|Triplets]] won the [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]] titles in 1972, 1975, and 1979. The [[Evansville River Rats|River Rats]] won the [[Central League (baseball)|Central League]] title in 1908 and 1915. The [[Evansville Braves|Braves]] won the [[Three-I League]] title in 1946, 1948, 1956, and 1957.<ref name="Facts" />

From 1921 to 1922, Bosse Field was used as a football stadium and was home to the [[Evansville Crimson Giants]] of the [[NFL]].

The Otters franchise came to Evansville in 1995 and have attracted a record number of fans for the league.<ref>{{cite web | title=Frontier League History | publisher=Frontier Professional Baseball | url=http://www.frontierleague.com/history.php | access-date=December 6, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102093328/http://frontierleague.com/history.php | archive-date=January 2, 2010 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2006 the Otters won the Frontier League title.

[[Baseball Hall of Fame]] members [[Hank Greenberg]], [[Chuck Klein]], [[Edd Roush]], [[Warren Spahn]], and [[Sam Thompson (outfielder)|Sam Thompson]] played at Bosse Field during their careers; Hall of Fame Broadcaster, [[Bob Ueker]] spent part of the 1957 season as part of the [[Evansville Braves]]; another 95 Hall of Fame members visited Bosse Field on opposing teams.<ref name="Engelhardt" /> There have been over 20 Major League Baseball players from Evansville and dozens of Minor Leaguers.

[[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Football Hall of Fame]] member [[Bob Griese]] played high school football and [[American Legion baseball]] at Bosse Field; [[Don Mattingly]], [[Andy Benes]], [[Rob Maurer]], [[Jeff Schulz]], [[Alan Benes]] and [[Jamey Carroll]] all played at Bosse Field during their high school and/or college careers.

==Former/current professional teams==
{{Further|Sports in Evansville}}

Current / former professional teams who have called Bosse Field home, have won a combined 10 league titles.

{| class="wikitable"
! Team
! Sport
! League
! Played
! Class
! Affiliation
! Championships
|-
| [[Evansville River Rats]]
| Baseball
| [[Central League (baseball)|Central League]]
| 1915
| B
| 
| [[Central League (baseball)|Central League]] Title 1915
|-
| [[Evansville Evas]]
| Baseball
| [[Central League (baseball)|Central League]]
| 1916–1917
| B
| 
| None
|-
| Evansville Black Sox
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1919
| B
| 
| None
|-
| Evansville Evas
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1920–1923
| B
| 
| None
|-
| [[Evansville Crimson Giants]]
| Football
| [[National Football League]]
| 1921–1922
| Major Professional
| 
| None
|- 
| Evansville Little Evas
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1924
| B
| 
| None
|-
| Evansville Pocketeers
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1925
| B
| 
| None
|-
| Evansville Hubs
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1926–1931
| B
| [[Detroit Tigers]], 1928–1931
| None
|-
| Evansville Bees
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1938–1942
| B
| [[Boston Bees]], 1938–1940 <br>[[Boston Braves]], 1940–1942
| None
|-
| [[Evansville Braves]]
| Baseball
| [[Three-I League]]
| 1946–1957
| B
| [[Boston Braves]], 1946–1953 <br>[[Milwaukee Braves]], 1953–1957
| [[Three-I League]] Title 1946, 1948, 1956, 1957
|-
| [[Evansville White Sox]] 
| Baseball
| [[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]]
| 1966–1968
| [[Double-A (baseball)|AA]]
| [[Chicago White Sox]]
| None
|-
| [[Evansville Triplets]]
| Baseball
| [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]]
| 1970–1984
| [[AAA (baseball)|AAA]]
| [[Minnesota Twins]], 1970 <br>[[Milwaukee Brewers]], 1971–1973 <br>[[Detroit Tigers]], 1974–1984
| [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]] Title 1972, 1975, 1979; [[Junior World Series]] 1975
|-
| [[Evansville Otters]]
| Baseball
| [[Frontier League]]
| 1995–present
| Independent
| 
| [[Frontier League]] Title 2006, 2016
|}

==Concerts==
* July 2, 1972:  ''Freedom Festival and Ice Cream Social'' with [[Ike & Tina Turner Revue]], [[Edgar Winter]], [[Dr. John]] 'The Night Tripper', [[Cactus (American band)|Cactus]], [[Black Oak Arkansas]], [[Spirit (band)|Spirit]], [[Country Joe & The Fish]], [[Howlin' Wolf]], [[John Lee Hooker]], [[Boones Farm (musical group)|Boones Farm]] and [[New Riders of the Purple Sage]]<ref name="ItRocked">{{cite news |last=Ethridge |first=Tim |date=April 29, 2015 |title=BOSSE FIELD: It rocked, good and bad |url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-it-rocked-good-and-bad-ep-989494541-324709621.html |newspaper=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220000427/http://www.courierpress.com/news/local/bosse-field-it-rocked-good-and-bad-ep-989494541-324709621.html |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |access-date=February 19, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=Rock concert could draw 25,000 |publisher=Evansville Press|url=http://local.evpl.org/views/viewimage.asp?ID=713391| access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=The San Francisco Sound |date=February 25, 2010 |url=https://thesanfranciscosound.blogspot.com/2010/02/quicksilver-messenger-service_7244.html| access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=A Timeline |publisher=Country Joe's Place|url=http://www.countryjoe.com/timeline.htm#1972| access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref>
* August 20, 1974: [[Allman Brothers Band]], [[Elvin Bishop]], [[REO Speedwagon]]<ref name="ItRocked" /><ref>{{cite web| title=Allman Brothers, Bishop coming |publisher=Evansville Press|url=http://local.evpl.org/views/viewimage.asp?ID=801| access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Classic Rock Concerts | url=http://www.classic-rock-concerts.com/venues/2807 | access-date=December 16, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022235735/http://www.classic-rock-concerts.com/venues/2807 | archive-date=October 22, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=Set Lists |publisher=Allman Brothers Band|url=http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Calendar&file=showCalendarMonth&tapers=1&year=1974&month=08&day=01&type=listevents&showsetlists=1&search=quick&searcharg=Aug%201974| access-date=December 16, 2012}}</ref>

{{portal|Indiana}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.exploreevansville.com/listing/bosse-field/71/ Bosse Field] at Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau website

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
 |title = Host of the [[Frontier League|FL]] [[All-Star Game]]<br>Bosse Field
 |years = 2006
 |before = [[Falconi Field]]
 |after = [[Champion Window Field]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Frontier League Ballparks}}
{{Evansville, Indiana}}
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{{Detroit Tigers}}
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}}

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[[Category:Defunct college football venues]]
[[Category:Defunct NFL venues]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers spring training venues]]
[[Category:Evansville Purple Aces football]]
[[Category:Frontier League ballparks]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball venues]]
[[Category:High school baseball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Evansville, Indiana]]
[[Category:Spring training ballparks]]
[[Category:American football venues in Indiana]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Indiana]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1915]]
[[Category:1915 establishments in Indiana]]
[[Category:American Association (1902–1997) ballparks]]