Melaleuca Field History
Melaleuca Field
A welcome addition to the city of Idaho Falls, Melaleuca Field has been entertaining fans with exciting baseball-while also hosting other community events-since its grand opening in 2007. However, Idaho Falls' obsession with America's pastime goes back a lot further than that.
In the late 19th century, long before Idaho Falls even became a city, local settlers were playing baseball along the banks of the Snake River. Coinciding with the creation of the first city park in Idaho Falls, the first ball diamond was scratched into the dirt of a beet field in 1919. Professional baseball came to Idaho Falls in 1926, and play-for-pay clubs occasionally saw action here until the conclusion of World War II in 1945. The town has fielded a pro team ever since.
Over the years, Idaho Falls baseball has been affiliated with 11 Major League Baseball clubs: the New York Yankees, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, the Detroit Tigers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Chicago White Sox, the California Angels, the Oakland Athletics, the Atlanta Braves, the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals.
It was in 2004 when the Kansas City Royals came to town and the team became known as the Chukars, an affiliation that stands today. Shortly thereafter, the team's owner determined that the home of Idaho Falls baseball, McDermott Field, was long overdue for an upgrade. McDermott Field had served fans and players well, being home to the longest continual member of the Pioneer League. He met with the mayor and civic leaders to chart a path for financing the project.
In order to help finance a new stadium, the city of Idaho Falls turned to the community for fundraising. In a great show of support for the game and their hometown team, many individuals and businesses came through as expected. However, a steep and unexpected rise in construction costs found the organizers short and the professional club threatened to leave the area unless a new stadium was immediately constructed.
Past the deadline, they turned to Idaho businessman Frank VanderSloot, CEO of the Idaho Falls-based health products company Melaleuca. Recognizing the positive impact baseball had on the town, Frank completed the fundraising effort by donating more than enough to finish the project. Following the 2006 season, McDermott Field was then demolished, making way for Idaho Falls' new ballpark.
Designed by architects Nielson Bodily & Associates and built by general contractors Bateman Hall, Inc.-both Idaho Falls firms-Melaleuca Field was completed entirely in the offseason to ensure the team wouldn't miss a single game.
Melaleuca Field, which features Kentucky bluegrass as its playing surface, has a standard seating capacity of 3,600 people. The grandstand includes 1,350 box seats, 1,459 bench seats with backs and eight luxury boxes. Group areas include a picnic area in front of the brick wall down the third-base line, picnic tables on a bleacher deck down the left-field line, and a larger party area down the right-field line.
In the summer of 2008, the year after the grand opening, editors of Ballpark Digest selected Melaleuca Field as America's Best Ballpark Renovation of 2007. The award recognized Melaleuca Field for its magnificent new grandstand, its extensive and beautiful brickwork and its warm, inviting and classic look. Spectators regularly say they're impressed by how cozy the ballpark is.
Today, the Idaho Falls Chukars call Melaleuca Field home thanks to the generosity and support of hundreds of individuals and businesses. Those who donated have their names engraved on plaques and bricks built into the stadium, serving as a permanent reminder to the team and its fans that their community stepped up to the plate and hit a home run.
Although the ballpark continues to change, one thing remains the same: Idaho Falls loves baseball!
Timeline:
1919 - Idaho Falls sees its first baseball diamond
1926 - City gets its first professional baseball club: the Idaho Falls Spuds; first bleachers erected
1940 - Covered wooden grandstands erected at Highland Park; city becomes home to the Idaho Falls Russets of the Pioneer League
1943-45 - War effort suspends league play
1962 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls Yankees
1964 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls Angels
1975 - Highland Park grandstand burns down
1976 - New Stadium replaces old grandstand
1977- Stadium renamed McDermott Field
1982 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls A's
1985 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls Nuggets
1986 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls Braves
2000 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls Padres
2004 - Team becomes the Idaho Falls Chukars
2006 - McDermott Field stadium demolished
2007 - Melaleuca Field stadium opens
Dimensions
- Left Field Line: 350 feet
- Left-Center Field: 410 feet
- Center Field: 390 feet
- Right-Center Field: 390 feet
- Right Field Line: 335 feet
Professional Outline - Idaho Falls Russets (1940-42, 1946-61), Idaho Falls Yankees (1962-63), Idaho Falls Angels (1964-81), Idaho Falls A's (1982-84), Idaho Falls Eagles (1985), Idaho Falls Braves (1986-91, 1993-99), Idaho Falls Gems (1992), Idaho Falls Padres (2000-04), Idaho Falls Chukars (2005-present)
For more information, check out the Melaleuca Field website and the history of baseball in Idaho Falls.
Debating best Minor League home caps on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition: