Hermon Brothers Field has a fresh look

PALMER — The Valley’s field of dreams just got a facelift.

Hermon Brothers Field has a fresh look, thanks to a five-week project that included the installation of a new sprinkler system, drainage system and 41,000 square feet of sod.

“Everything is looking good,” Mat-Su Miners general manager Pete Christopher said Monday afternoon.

The project, officially completed last Friday, is the first major renovation of the field itself since a crew of volunteers carved the diamond out of a forest on Alaska State Fairgrounds property in 1976. Hermon Brothers Field has long been considered among the top outdoor sports facilities in the state, known for its picturesque setting and mountain backdrop. In 2004, Hermon Brothers Field was named the top high school baseball field in the country, earning the American Baseball Coaches Association/Turface Field Maintenance award.

But in the last several years, there have been a number of issues with the field. Harsh winter conditions, combined with drainage problems, led to dead grass and countless extra hours spent by Christopher and his staff of volunteers trying to maintain the field.

In 2007, the Miners used grant money to pave the walkway that circles the baseball park. It was an important project for Christopher, who wanted to make it easier for fans young and old to get around the facility. But the finished pavement walkway was raised about eight inches higher than the field. Any water drained right onto the field.

“We always had water on the field. It’d freeze and choke the grass,” Christopher said. “For the last six years we always had lots of dead grass in foul territory.”

Poor field conditions prevented local high school programs from using Hermon Brothers in each of the last two years.

“The whole goal is to get more people to use the field,” Christopher said. “For the last two years, the high schools haven’t been able to use the field. This year is because of the spring we had. The field was just soaked. The year before was because of the problem with the field infield grass. We had to re-seed.”

Grant funding paid for the project, money made available by former Rep. Carl Gatto.

“That’s one of the last things Carl Gatto did before he passed away. (Rep.) Bill Stoltze was involved. Valley legislatures got us the money. That’s what was used for the field,” Christopher said.

Christopher said the project would have been impossible without the work of a number of people and businesses, including USKH Inc. engineering, Shock Electric, Colton Underground Sprinklers, B.C. Excavating and Ray Kizer of Lake View General Contracting.

“A lot of people worked very hard on this thing,” Christopher said. “Everyone did a little bit extra.”

All of the grass in the infield and foul territory has been resodded, and about 30 feet from the edge of the infield into the outfield. The warning track in the outfield and the area between the foul territory grass and first and third baseline fences was also redone to ensure proper drainage.

“If you take a glass of water on the warning track and pour it out, it’ll drain right there. That’s the mix they have,” Christopher said.

Christopher is also excited about the new sprinkler system.

“That’s the key to the whole thing,” Christopher said. “For years I had to water that place by hand. That was hard.”

This is the latest in a number of projects orchestrated by the Miners to improve Hermon Brothers Field. Construction of a two-story concession stand and office, and installation of a new scoreboard and outfield fence were completed in recent years.

Christopher said the Miners hope to build a six-bay garage to house team vehicles and equipment in the near future, but the Miners have been able to check most of the big projects off the to-do list.