Field of Dreams Ball Park

8933 SE 50th St., Baxter Springs, KS
Phone:

East< GO > West

This is the Don Karnes Field of Dreams Stadium, named for a local high school coach who made his dream come true with the ball parks construction. Karnes had the help of his wife, Betty, and friends, in making it a reality. The effort was established in 1999 when the Coach Karnes, and his wife, Betty, donated twelve acres for the stadium. The stadium is not quite 2 miles south of the Rainbow Arch Bridge.

GPS: 37.048568,-94.740658

Got some bad shadows at the bottom of this 2016 photo but I wanted to get the whole diamond in.

This plaque tells the story better than I could.

"A Dream Come True
The Field of Dreams is just that -- a dream come true! Coach Don Karnes began the baseball program at Baxter Springs High School in 1981, Coach Karnes' dream was that Baxter's baseball and softball teams would have a complex that they could call their own.

In 1999, Don & Betty Karnes and Gene and Linda Leonhard established a nonprofit corporation. The fulfillment of the dream began. Karnes donated twelve acres. Many people gave generously of their time, money and talents to make this dream come true. Fundraisers and donations have built the facility debt free. These combined efforts resulted in beautifully laid-out stadium with concessions, restrooms and parking on historic Route 66.

In August 2014 the corporation deeded the complex to USD #508, Baxter Springs, Kansas, with the school district taking possession in 2024.

Coach Karnes accomplished his dream by living the advice he gave his teams "The thing is, don't quit! Keep planning and keep working and you'll be a winner in the end.""

Photo(s): 2016