Vargas Field
Winslow, AZ
Review by Mike
Vargas Field in Winslow, Arizona was built in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). We’ve been trying to find out if any professional teams played here in the 20th century, but have yet to find any record of such. My Ballpark Brother, Gary, did some excellent research and discovered that the Tucson Saguaros of the Pecos League played some games here in both 2016 and 2018, one of the many ballparks the Saguaros have called home.
This is a charming, and unusual, old ballpark. A lot of field work was done in 2018 to bring it up to professional standards and the grandstand has been well maintained and nicely painted. The alignment is a bit unusual as there are no curves nor angles in the main structure. It does not wrap around home plate, but rather describes a straight line to either side of home plate. The seats directly behind the plate are closest to the field, with the distance growing as one moves outward.
The grandstand has a very nice full roof supported by an iron lattice and steal support pillars. The structure is concrete with long metal benches making up the seating. These benches all have backs and the pillars are narrow, so the view of the field through the chain link backstop is pretty good. There are some nice trees nearby to cast a little shade.
The basic scoreboard is in right center and the dugouts are field-level cinderblock structures with rooves. There are fence-enclosed bullpens just beyond each dugout. A pleasant park lies beyond the right field line and more athletic fields can be found on the left field side. The grass was in good shape, with the sprinklers running when I stopped by, but the infield looked like it could use some attention from an edger. I’m sure they clean this up before the high school baseball season commences.
There is a concession stand / clubhouse behind the 3rd base dugout that also serves as a press box. It is situated so that it looks out on both Vargas Field and the adjacent Little League / softball field. This is a solid looking structure. The two fields and this building create a small park in the space between. Here you’ll find some monuments and plaques that speak of the dedication of the field to Colonel Ray Vargas, a medal of honor winner for his service in Vietnam.
The subtle art-deco touches are just right and the desert tones of the paint allow Vargas Field to perfectly blend with its environment. I would say that this little ballpark is certainly fit enough to support independent ball or college summer league, but Winslow is kind of out on an island. Travel would be the main expense if a team called this their permanent home. Regardless, the town has done a great job keeping this Depression-era ballpark in good condition for the town.
