Before
there was Helser Field, named for Roy Helser, there was the Baseball Field in
at least two different locations.
Linfield
Sports Info says, “The first baseball field, cornered by Linfield Avenue and
Davis Street, was home of the Wildcats for over four decades. In 1971, the
Wildcats moved to their present location, south of Maxwell Field, near the end
of Lever Street. The field was formally dedicated in 1973 in recognition of
former athletic director, baseball and basketball coach Roy Helser. When Helser's 1966 baseball team won the NAIA
championship, it was the college's first national championship in any sport.”
See
Linfield campus map, apparently from the mid-to late 1960s, posted here showing
the Baseball Field at the Lever Avenue and Davis Streets location. Another
posting shows an enlarged upper left hand corner of the map.
In the
1970 season, Helser was the last Linfield head baseball coach to coach Linfield
varsity baseball on the Lever Avenue and Davis Streets diamond. Ad Rutschman (who played baseball for
Helser as a Linfield student) was the first Linfield head baseball coach to
coach Linfield varsity baseball at the diamond south of Maxwell Field.
When the “new”
Baseball Field at the Maxwell Field location opened in the start of the 1971
season it was called the “Baseball Field” until the evening of May 4, 1973. See
accompanying text and photos for explanation.
The first
time Linfield played varsity baseball on the newly-named Helser Field was May
18, 1973. (Sorry, Linfield lost, 3-2.)
‘Cats
given ball diamond
Sunday Oregonian
May 6, 1973
Looking at past Linfield baseball records it would seem a
sure bet they owned their home field.
They didn’t; but no they do.
In a retirement banquet for the Athletic Director Roy Helser
Friday night, Dr. Walter Dyke announced that the Hewlett-Packard company,
owners of the land on which Linfield has been winning its baseball titles, has
donated the property to the college.
From now on the Wildcats no longer will poach during their
baseball games and, appropriately, they will be playing on a diamond with a new
name – Helser Field.
FINAL CONFERENCE GAME OF 1973 SEASON FOR BOTH LINFIELD
and L&C. LINFIELD MUST BEAT L&C TO GET A SHARE OF NWC TITLE WITH
WHITWORTH
Fri. May 4, 1973 in
McMinnville: Afternoon, Linfield 3, L&C 0 (Reported in 5/5/1973 "O"
which also said "Linfield will likely host the NAIA District 2 playoffs in
two weeks.")
FRIDAY NIGHT (May 4, 1973) ROY HELSER RETIREMENT BANQUET
in McMINNVILLE
Fri. May 4, 1973 in
McMinnville: During Roy Helser
Retirement Banquet held in evening, it was announced Linfield baseball field
would henceforth be "Helser Field." (Reported in Sunday "O"
of 5/6/1973)
NAIA DISTRICT 2 PLAYOFFS in McMINNVILLE
On Friday, May 18, 1973, in
McMinnville, " A round-robin tripleheader here Friday will start the NAIA
District 2 baseball playoffs as Eastern Oregon (of the Evergreen Conference),
Pacific and host Linfield meet in a double-elimination tournament to determine
the district' representative to the upcoming Area 1 playoff." (Linfield is
NWC co-champ. Pacific is "the at-large selection.) (Reported in 5/18/1973
"O")
Fri May 18, 1973 in
McMinnville: Pacific 3, Linfield 2 (Reported in 5/19/1973 "O")
Thus, this May 18, 1973,
game was the first time in which Linfield played on the newly-named
"Helser" baseball field. Ad Rutschman was Linfield head baseball
coach for that game.
Fri May 18, 1973 in
McMinnville: Linfield 3, EOU 1 (Reported in 5/19/1973 "O")
Sat. May 19, 1973 in
McMinnville, Linfield beat Pacific twice, 10-3 and 10-5 (Reported in Sunday
5/20/1973 "O")
Thus, because it won NAIA
District 2 playoffs, Linfield advances to NAIA Area 1 playoffs in Los Angeles.
NAIA AREA 1 PLAYOFFS in LOS ANGELES
Oregonian story says
Linfield will play in "Area 1 playoffs next Thursday in Los Angeles."
"Next Thursday" would be 5/24/1973 (Reported in Sunday 5/20/1973
"O")
Thur. May 24, 1973, in Los
Angeles, Linfield lost to US International, 7-4, in Area 1 playoffs. Linfield
will now meet Rocky Mountain College of Montana at 1pm Friday. Friday would be
May 25, 1973. (Reported in 5/25/1973
"O")
Fri. May 25, 1973, in Los
Angeles, Linfield won two games in Area 1 playoffs. It beat Rocky Mountain
College of Montana, 2-0, and it beat Lewis-Clark State College of Idaho, 6-5.
(Reported in 5/26/1973 "O")
Sat. May 26, 1973, in Los
Angeles, Linfield lost, 5-3, to US International of San Diego in Area 1
playoffs championship game. (Season over for Linfield.) (Reported in Sunday
5/27/1973 "O")
Source for info below
LINFIELD BASEBALL 1973 POST-SEASON GAMES
NAIA DISTRICT 2 PLAYOFFS in
McMINNVILLE
5/18 McMinnville, Ore. Linfield 3, Pacific 2
5/18 McMinnville, Ore. Linfield 3, Eastern Oregon 1
5/19 McMinnville, Ore. Linfield 10, Pacific 3
5/19 McMinnville, Ore. Linfield 10, Pacific 5
NAIA AREA 1 PLAYOFFS in LOS
ANGELES
5/24 Los Angeles, Calif. US International (of San Diego,
Calif.) 7, Linfield 4
5/25 Los Angeles, Calif. Linfield 2, Rocky Mountain
College (of Montana) 0
5/25 McMinnville, Ore. Linfield 6, Lewis-Clark State (of
Idaho) 5
5/23 McMinnville, Ore. United States International 5,
Linfield 3
Record: 5-2
