We are checking in on the Springfield Cardinals this week as part of our continued minor league coverage at STL Sports Page.
Today we’ll talk about what’s happening around the ballpark.
Big Announcement Coming on Thursday
The Springfield Cardinals are trying to tease something… Since the letters have just been taken off their scoreboard, fans are speculating a name change is in the works.
This was their Facebook Post: “BIG changes coming 
All fans and media are invited to a press conference at the main entrance on Thursday, April 23 at 8:30 AM.”
All fans and media are invited to a press conference at the main entrance on Thursday, April 23 at 8:30 AM.”As you can see from the photo, right, the name “HAMMONS FIELD” which has always rested on those bars above the scoreboard are gone. Check back here for the update on Thursday.
New Statue out front
The City of Springfield has a special promotion going on: “Route 66 Sculptures” have been placed throughout the city, with one-of-kind piece of artwork at Hammons Field designed by local artist Madeline Curtis.
“They are called Sculptures, and it is a part of the Springfield 66 Sculpture Series,” said Curtis. “Heidi Herrman organized it. There are 15-20 of these molds that were personally painted to represent parts of Springfield.”
The Springfield 66 Centennial Sculpture Series is a 2026 public art project featuring artwork and sculptures up to 665-feet tall scattered througuout Springfield and the surrounding Ozarks region.
As part of this initiative, the Centennial Sculpture Series, the Springfield Cardinals have received their own Route 66 sculpture, now placed in front of the ballpark.
When the town was looking for artists, she answered a call last summer.
“I submitted for an open call with a digital mockup of the Hammons field design,” she said. “I heard back in January and went through the process of getting it delivered to my condo, and had about a month and a half to make the mold go from plain white plaster to full color.
She is shown with the Springfield Cardinals mascot, Louie.
Each sculpture is designed to reflect the spirit of Route 66 and the vibrant culture of Springfield.
Curtis, who has a BA in fine art from Missouri State is known for her graphic design, illustration, and murals.
“I am a Cardinals fan,” she said. “I moved to Springfield a few years ago, but I have lots of family in St Louis and we are all big St. Louis Cardinals fans. That fandom has kind of passed on to being a Springfield Cardinals fan.”For St. Louisans who were wondering, her mother went to Cor Jesu High School. Madeline grew up in Warrenton, Mo. before moving to Springfield. Though Warrenton is generally a K.C. Royals town, her family have always been Cardinals fans.
“My mom’s side of the family is from St. Louis, and my dad grew up in Warrensburg where I then grew up,” she told STL Sports Page. “Even so, both sides of my family have always been team Cardinals!. I’m not exactly sure why, I think they just liked the team better.”
Madeline grew up with her parents and two sisters in Warrensburg, and moved to Springfield for college at MSU in 2021.
“We are full blown Chiefs fans though,” she adds. “After I got my degree in Graphic Design and Illustration last year, I decided to stay.”She credits her dad for her artistic flair.
“He is artistic and is one of the reasons why decided to continue.”
After each artist was chosen, they were given the same base, shown left. When Madeline saw hers she was both excited and a big surprised at how big it was.
Getting chosen to do the sculpture at such a young age and stage in her career was an honor, but once chosen, she had to figure out where she would make it.
“I live in a condo complex, and with the sculpture being a bit bigger than expected, I was able to use my complex’s Social Room,” she said. “I had about a month and a half to finish it, so I worked many late nights to get it complete.”
Concerts at the Park
Through a new partnership, the Gillioz Center for Arts & Entertainment is scheduling concerts at the ballpark.
“Since the City of Springfield purchased the stadium our intent has been to serve the community as an outdoor concert venue a few times each year,“ said Dan Reiter, General Manager of the Springfield Cardinals. “The Hatch Foundation initiated step one by purchasing field decking for future shows. Now we are ready for the next step to achieve that goal and believe this strategic partnership with Gillioz will help us get there. To partner with Geoff Steele and his team at Gillioz is a great example of a Win-Win-Win scenario for both of our organization and the community at large.”
Look for announcements to come for the concerts.
Scoreboard Social
The Springfield Cardinals are excited about their new videoboard. It is considerably larter than the old one and along with the scoreboard, they are promoting “Scoreboard Social” a new covered patio space in centerfield designed for private group. This area, located below the new scoreboard.
Stadium Upgrades
Last year (2025) Hammons Field underwent massive rennovations.
If you haven’t been to a Springfiel Cardinals game in a couple of years you will notice a big difference in the sound system. The installed the same type of speakers as are at Busch Stadium. The new system represents a massive upgrade over the previous speakers that drastically enhances the fan experience.
There is a new fan experience area that was added last year along the third base side of the main concourse. The Brightspeed eSports Gaming Zone is a fully equipped video gaming center in partnership with Contender eSports. Fans can play a variety of video games on PCs from Fortnite and Rocket League to Fall Guys and Roblox during Springfield Cardinals games.
The third level of Hammons Field underwent a complete overhaul. With four brand-new luxury suites added. Each suite is twice as large as the ones they previously had at the ballpark, with space to accommodate groups of 25-40 people.
Where to stay when you visit Springfield, MO
The Springfield Drury Hotel is located at 2715 N Glenstone Ave, Springfield, MO 65803. While we are talking about what’s new at the ballpark, we can’t forget that the Springfield Drury Inn has been newly remodeled and is completely ready.
It has an indoor-outdoor pool so it’s great for the summer. It is easy to get to the ball park from the Drury hotel. Use the promocode “SPORTS” or for the STL Sports Page special discount link: CLICK HERE
