Few baseball diamonds in Wisconsin or the Midwest can compare to the Carson Park baseball diamond for historic value or in sheer beauty. Located on the island known as Carson Park in the center of Eau Claire, the baseball diamond has been the "Home of Eau Claire Baseball" for 68 years. During that time, thousands of baseball games have been played here to the delight of millions of local and visiting baseball fans. Generations of Eau Claire ballplayers have had the opportunity to play in this great facility. Countless numbers of baseball stars, past and present, have graced this diamond with the thought of launching a homerun into the towering pines beyond the right field fence or into the football gridiron in left. Truly, the history and beauty of the Carson Park baseball diamond makes it a special place.

Teams that have played at Carson Park

The Carson Park diamond was host to professional baseball from 1937 to 1942 with the Eau Claire Bears and 1946 to 1962 with the Eau Claire Braves, both playing in the old Northern League where many major league players of the era got their start. Any local baseball fan (at least over the age of 40) can recite a long list of past baseball stars who graced the Carson Park baseball diamond. Future Milwaukee Braves who got their start with the Eau Claire franchise included: Bill Bruton, Wes Covington, Andy Pafko, Joe Torre, and even Mr. Baseball-Bob Uecker.

In 1952, the Eau Claire Braves roster included a rookie shortstop from Alabama who led the Northern League in hitting. Nobody would have guessed 53 years ago that this youngster, by the name of Henry Aaron, would go on to break Babe Ruth's career homerun mark and etch his name in history forever.

Hank Aaron

On August 17, 1994, Aaron returned to Eau Claire and Carson Park to celebrate the unveiling of a statue depicting him as the 18 year-old shortstop for the Eau Claire Braves. 5,000 fans jammed the Carson Park baseball stadium and surrounding areas to greet Hammerin' Hank that day.

Carson Park Today

Today at 68 years old, the Carson Park baseball stadium remains busier than ever. The diamond plays host to four high schools, the UWEC club team, and local amateur and American Legion teams. The Eau Claire Express became the newest tenant of Carson Park in 2005. Very few days pass in the spring and summer months where there isn't at least one ball game at the park with roughly 200 games played there annually.

For generations of local "fireballers" and "home-run sluggers", Carson Park has been the home of Eau Claire Baseball. It has seen the likes of two professional baseball franchises, the Homerun King-Hammerin' Hank, Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) play, and five American Legion state tournaments.