St. Cloud Commons

The entrance to St. Cloud Commons, Aug-2012.

Looking in from the outfield at the condemned grandstand, which was demolished four months later.

Mike Lauterhahn of the Huntington Cubs bats in an 18-6 rout back in 1994.

Chronological Tour: Stop 56

• Location: Jackson Avenue at 19th Street West, Huntington, W.Va.
• Opened: 1990 (as professional park)
• Grandstand demolished: 2012
• Home team: Huntington Cubs, Appalachian League (1990-94); Huntington Rail Kings, Heartland League (1998)
• Capacity: 3,100

Rating: 3 baseballs

St. Cloud Commons, a nice little ballpark about a mile off the Ohio River, found itself in the Appalachian League in the early 1990s, when I saw it. The trouble was that the town was just too far away from the rest of the Appy League, and the club left after 1994. After that, the park hosted independent ball for one season. Since the park was in a flood plain, teams were loath to return; Marshall University used the park for a number of seasons but has since moved on campus.

As of a return visit in August 2012, the grandstand had been condemned and the field had been converted for use as a softball field. In addition, former ticket and concession buildings had been removed. Apparently, the grandstand was already slated to be demolished in conjunction with improvements to the surrounding park, including a fitness trail; the wrecking crew arrived in early December to complete the job. The field will continue to see community use, with small sets of metal bleachers installed.

According to reports, baseball has been played at the park, though not necessarily at this field, since 1910; there is a baseball field with an older stone grandstand just southeast of this location.