Join us in creating a beautiful public baseball field for children & adults in South Bend’s urban core, a place to celebrate stories of underrepresented teams of our past. Foundry Field will provide a quality public-access baseball field for children and adults in South Bend’s urban core. When completed, it will be a truly remarkable public space that adds vitality to the Southeast neighborhood an
d celebrates the baseball stories of our city’s marginalized communities. A PLACE FOR PLAY: This high-quality baseball field will be publicly accessible and reservable through South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, with priority given to our local program partners like the Boys and Girls Club and South Bend schools. A PLACE FOR STORY: Using historical research and public art, baseball stories of the past that highlight underrepresented teams or players will connect the community to our past and to nationally-known mural artists. A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY: Enhanced community space will bring community-focused structures surrounding the field to expand the community experience and increase community usage of the park. RECOVERING A RICH HISTORY
In the 1920s, the Studebaker industrial baseball league was at the top of the South Bend sports page, and the Foundry Giants were often at the top of the standings. The predominantly black team hailed from the Studebaker foundry and included several players who would play in the Negro Leagues. Much of the history of the Foundry Giants has been lost—although cryptic box scores remain scattered throughout the local newspaper archives. Foundry Field is dedicated to recovering that history and honoring the Foundry Giants alongside other underrepresented baseball teams or players from South Bend’s history. Through our collaboration with the community, our local partners, and historical researchers, we hope to gain a clearer picture of these men and women—helping to preserve their stories of courage, resilience, and determination as they navigated issues of inequality, accessibility, and representation in their time. Our aim is to inspire the next generation to continue the fight for greater equality, access, and representation for all South Bend residents. Learn more and be a part of the Foundry Field project by visiting https://foundryfield.org
