Goodland Field
Encyclopedia
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
. It was originally named Goodland Field after Appleton mayor John Goodland.
History
The ballpark opened in 1940 as the Spencer Street Athletic Field and was primarily used for baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. The first team to play in the stadium was the Appleton Papermakers, who played there from 1940
1940 in sports
1940 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:NFL championship* Chicago Bears 73–0 Washington Redskins in the NFL championship game...
to 1942
1942 in sports
1942 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:...
and from 1946
1946 in sports
-American football:* All-America Football Conference begins play. Cleveland Browns win the championship by beating New York Yankees 14-9.* Chicago Bears win the NFL crown by defeating the New York Giants 24-14 in New York.-Association football:England...
to 1953
1953 in sports
1953 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions won 17–16 over the Cleveland Browns-England:* First Division – Arsenal win the 1952–53 title....
. The primary team to play at the field, however, was the Appleton Foxes
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a minor league baseball team of the Midwest League, and the Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, and are named for timber rattlesnakes. The team plays its home games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium...
, a minor league baseball team that played there from 1958
1958 in sports
1958 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – December 28 the Baltimore Colts won 23-17 over the New York Giants in overtime. The game is later called the "Greatest game ever played"....
until August 29, 1994
1994 in sports
1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
. The team then moved to Fox Cities Stadium
Fox Cities Stadium
Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium is a baseball park in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers minor league baseball team. Since 2000, it has also hosted the NCAA Division III College World Series. The stadium...
, becoming the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a minor league baseball team of the Midwest League, and the Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, and are named for timber rattlesnakes. The team plays its home games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium...
in the 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
season. The season attendance the last seven years at Goodland Field (1988
1988 in sports
1988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
-94) ranged from 46,576 to 85,310, while the season attendance the first year at Fox Cities Stadium ranged from 207,823 to 233,797.
Goodland Field was taken over by the Appleton Area School District
Appleton Area School District
The Appleton Area School District is a school district that serves Appleton, Wisconsin. Situated in the heart of the Fox River Valley of northeast Wisconsin, the AASD serves the city of Appleton, Wisconsin and its nearly 80,000 residents...
, which converted the site into a sports complex and renamed it Nienhaus Field after Appleton West High School
Appleton West High School
Appleton West High School is a high school located at 610 North Badger Avenue in Appleton, Wisconsin. It is a member of the Appleton Area School District....
teacher and successful coach and 1994 Wisconsin State Golf Hall of Fame member, Mary Beth Nienhaus. Nienhaus Field is used regularly by Appleton West baseball and softball teams , as well as a number of area baseball, softball, and soccer teams, including The Appleton Legends.
Nienhaus Field's most famous player may have been New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
third baseman Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
, who played a short time in the venue's final season, 1994. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
pitcher Tom Gordon
Tom Gordon
Thomas Gordon , nicknamed "Flash", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played with the Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , Houston Astros , Chicago White Sox , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies and the...
also played for the Foxes, between the time he was drafted in 1986
1986 in sports
1986 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:...
and when he was called up to the majors in 1988
1988 in sports
1988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
.