 The grandstand and old light poles at Huber Ballpark, Jul-2014. |
 A better look at original stonework near the dugout as well as the grandstand. |
 Looking out from behind home plate at what is now a barren field. |
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The grandstand and old light poles at Huber Ballpark, Jul-2014. |
A better look at original stonework near the dugout as well as the grandstand. |
Looking out from behind home plate at what is now a barren field. |
Once in a while, a ballpark traveler comes across a hidden gem.
While I was attending a game in Santa Fe, a fellow attendee told me of a ball field that was built in the old mining town of Madrid (pronounced MAD-rid) in 1920 and was immediately fitted with field lights, making it the first lighted ball field west of the Mississippi.
As with most of these tales, there is a back story. The Huber family owned the mines here, and Oscar Huber cared about his workers. He didn’t want his employees blowing their entire paycheck on booze and women within hours of being paid on Saturday afternoon. So he turned around and built this ball field on the north end of town, and he lit it up so that his workers could play ball on Saturday night. Soon, the Madrid Miners were one of the best company teams going. They continued on as a semi-pro team for decades. (The community never hosted professional baseball.)
However, when the mine ran dry, Madrid nearly became a ghost town. A few, including the Hubers, stayed on, and in the 1970s an effort was made to revitalize the community. Today, the Turquoise Trail through town is lined with antique and gift shops as well as an old preserved tavern that still operates. And while the ballpark has not been used for serious baseball in many years, the grandstand is still there. At the time of my visit, a carpenter was working on a renovation of the interior of the grandstand, which he was doing to the original 1920 specifications with slight modifications accounting for the availability of materials.
Alas, there is hardly any grass on the field. The facility has been used for powwows, rodeos, concerts, and other gatherings over the years. The field lights are long gone as well. Talk continues about raising the funds to turn it back into an honest baseball field, with grass and lights, but until then the only action the field sees is an occasional softball game against a club from the next town.