FOX 9 Town Ball Tour visits St. Patrick's Bonin Field

ST. PATRICK, Minn. (FOX 9) - The FOX 9 Town Ball Tour continued this week in St. Patrick, Minnesota, a small community nestled in the heart of Scott County.

FOX 9 was live from Bonin Field, where the St. Patrick Irish took on the New Market Muskies. You can re-watch the livestream of the Irish-Muskies game at https://www.youtube.com/fox9.

Town Ball Tour: St. Patrick Irish take on New Market Muskies at Bonin Field

FOX 9's Shayne Wells checks out Bonin Field, home of the St. Patrick Irish. The Irish take on the New Market Muskies Wednesday night. First pitch is at 6 p.m.

If you’ve driven south of the Twin Cities, you may have passed through St. Patrick without even realizing it. The town is located about 15 miles south of Prior Lake off Highway 13.

FOX 9's Shayne Wells outlined the team's connection its neighboring church Wednesday morning.

Town Ball Tour: Priest key to bringing town ball to St. Patrick

In the small community of St. Patrick, Minnesota, there's a bar, a ballpark and a church and if it weren't for the church, there would be no ballpark. Father Bonin, a priest back in the 1950s, made it happen and now the ballpark, Bonin Field, is named after him.

In St. Patrick, Minnesota, there's a bar, a ballpark and a church and if it weren't for the church, there would be no ballpark. A priest back in the 1950s made it happen and now the ballpark, Bonin Field, is named after him.

The story behind Bonin Field in St. Patrick, Minn.

A baseball field in rural Minnesota is the product of a Catholic priest's love of baseball.

The oldest member of the Irish joined the broadcast before first pitch to talk about town ball and what makes town ball so special in his community.

Town Ball Tour: Oldest member of St. Patrick Irish talks about town ball experience

The oldest member of the St. Patrick Irish talked about the whole town ball experience, what it's like being the team's elder stateman and being part of a team.

Some players on the Irish have overcome great odds to play the game they love.

Players with the St. Patrick Irish have overcome the odds to get back on the baseball diamond

FOX 9 hears from players with the St. Patrick Irish who've beat the odds to make it with Minnesota Town Ball.

Irish Catcher Matt Ambrose talked to FOX 9's Hobie Artigue about the growth of the program, including the incremental improvements to the playing field over the years.

Town Ball Tour: Irish catcher outlines growth of St. Patrick program

Irish Catcher Matt Ambrose talks to FOX 9's Hobie Artigue about the growth of the St. Patrick town ball program, including the improvements to the playing field. Ambrose has been on the team since 2003.

The full 2021 FOX 9 Town Ball Tour is available here.

Help light up Bonin Field!

Town Ball Tour: Inside the campaign to out fit Bonin Field with lights

Bonin Field, home of the St. Patrick Irish and numerous youth teams, doesn't have lights for night games. A donation campaign is trying to change that.

The St. Patrick Athletic Association has launched a capital campaign for a three-phase improvement plan at Bonin Field, headlined by the addition of LED ballpark field lights. The campaign has a $750,000 goal. You can donate and learn more at https://www.gofundme.com/f/st-patrick-bonin-field.

Town Ball Tour Scott County Sports