Ballpark has seen plenty of action in its 16 years
Editor's Note: This is the second installment of an occasional series that will explore sports venues throughout the state and revisit the most memorable moments. Today — Spring Mobile Ballpark.
Steve Klauke didn't build Spring Mobile Ballpark. The longtime baseball broadcaster has, however, spent more time in the facility than anyone else.
Since the stadium opened in 1994, Klauke has missed only four games.
He's had an office in the building for more than four years.
"I know every nook and cranny of the ballpark. I don't think there's a place I haven't been to before," Klauke said. "Certainly in the summertime, it's a home away from home."
And Klauke has the best seat in the house.
"I try not to take for granted the great view from my booth at the ballpark with the mountains in the background," he said.
Especially, Klauke added, early in the season when they're capped with snow.
The view from the corner of 13th South and West Temple is spectacular.
It's given Klauke a great vantage point to watch the stadium's history unfold.
Topping his list of memorable events is the first of two exhibition games between the Salt Lake Buzz (now Bees) and Minnesota Twins.
Salt Lake defeated Minnesota 4-3 in the afternoon affair on June 15, 1995.
"It was just an electric atmosphere that day," said Klauke, who noted that the first Salt Lake City appearance by a major league team in years drew a large crowd (14,596) and was preceded by a home run derby.
Future Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett participated in both events. He homered in the hitting contest and was 2-for-2 in the game before departing in the bottom of the third inning.
"I guess we couldn't find anything better to do on our day off," Puckett said of the Twins' brief stop in Utah. "Actually, I had a good time today."
So, too, did the fans.
"(They) were able to see an entertaining game and to see Kirby and the other major leaguers play," Buzz manager Phil Roof said after the contest.
"I'm sure they got their money's worth."
Twins manager Tom Kelly had similar thoughts after a return visit on the afternoon of May 13, 1999. Minnesota prevailed 10-9 in a seven-inning exhibition before a crowd of 7,764.
"It was one of those fun things that you go out and enjoy with the fans," said Kelly, who raised the ire of Salt Lake's players by saying that no one at the Triple-A team had earned the right to be promoted to the big leagues at that point of the season.
Recent comments
I agree with Mike Butler - Klauke is one of the best in the game and...
Klauke good, but too old | June 29, 2009 at 4:42 p.m.
Why would you say they are pampered? Some of them don't even make...
re; Mom | June 29, 2009 at 3:10 p.m.
The ballpark as it is known now may have been there since 1994...BUT...
Rebecca | June 29, 2009 at 2:37 p.m.
- Landreth Seed Co. turns 225 12:18 p.m.
- 911 tapes of Woods' crash on Sun. 12:03 p.m.
- Residents startle Provo burglars 11:57 a.m.
- Akron fires coach J.D. Brookhart 11:41 a.m.
- Canada engineers walk off job 11:35 a.m.
- Christmas shoeboxes for veterans 11:32 a.m.
- Roethlisberger sidelined 11:29 a.m.
- Louisville fires coach Kragthorpe 11:06 a.m.
- Houseplants can flourish 11:00 a.m.
- Russia: Bomb caused train crash 10:54 a.m.
- Cave to be sealed with body inside
- Predicting the unpredictable: BYU wins
- Efforts to save a life praised
- Rivalry Week is highly profane
- BYU's old uniforms?
- Vegas, Poinsettia bowls or bust
- Glover gives Utes last-second upset
- Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
- Cougars turn back Wildcats'
- BYU football: 5 keys to victory
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
271 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
213 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - Letters: Rushing to judge Palin
134 - Boys basketball rankings
130 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
109 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
99 - Letters: Trump card for believers
94 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
88
It's finally time for the game that everyone has been waiting for all...
Its finally here, the big game. No matter what the circumstances are, it...
Carlos Boozer denied that playing so well against the Chicago Bulls held...
Folks, if you want to see angels landing from the top, you don't need to...
17 terrorist got Bush to double the national debt. I'm prety sure the...
To the family and friends of this young man, I send my heartfelt condolences....
We didn't only win. We DOMINATED them!
BYU by a touchdown!!
I agree with Utah Girl. I've never done any of the things I get accused of...
BYU fans, you are saying that you are the better team because you beat a...
Lets not forget Saddam Husein was telling the truth about not having any...
i feel very badly for the family. if he cannot be recovered then i think...
Yes, they still may be functional but upgrading to earthquake standards is...

