Chronic walkers-around will know that the Spec Keene stadium, Willamette’s baseball field, is housed in the middle of Salem’s idyllic Bush’s Pasture Park. Fewer know that the field, which is being revamped on behalf of an investment by the state of Oregon, is soon to be shared with K-12 students and a for-profit baseball team.
In summer of 2025, Spec Keene’s lush new synthetic grass will be ready to act as a stomping ground for the West Coast League’s newest member, the Marion Berries. If you’ve seen Captain America, the Marion Berries are what emerged when Salem Baseball Club injected itself with super serum.
Sporting a shiny new name and logo, Salem’s new baseball team announced that they’re “all about community.” Their branding is, of course, a nod to Marion County’s very own famous fruit. Team owner and manager Luke Emanuel put out a call for name inspiration over the summer on the Salem Baseball Club’s old website; marionberries won out due to their regional relevance.
Staying true to the theme of staying local, the Marion Berries’ promise to the residents of Salem-Keizer is to provide a family-friendly, homegrown environment at games. “Our players, coaches, and staff are committed to being active members of the Salem community,” their website reads — well, as soon as they figure out who those players are. One has to wonder if some of Willamette’s own ballplayers will seek to join the expansion team!
The schedule for 2025 has yet to be announced, but as the 17th team in the West Coast League, the Marion Berries will likely take on such opponents as the Portland Pickles, Bend Elks and Corvallis Knights (to name a few fellow Oregonian teams — the West Coast league also includes teams from Washington and even bite-sized pieces of Canada).
Despite all the community talk, concerns have been raised by some residents of the neighborhood surrounding WU’s ballpark. Those who make frequent use of Bush Pasture Park’s playgrounds — not to mention the large swaths of grass — are wary of the potential disruption summer baseball games might cause, especially by way of filled parking spots. After all, City of Salem’s website cites the vision for the parks surrounding Willamette’s stadium as including “a sense of history” and “areas for reflection,” not the rowdy, rousing sounds of megaphones, cheering and bat-against-ball.
On the other hand, perhaps the new team will provide a boost to the oft-drowsy summers of Willamette students who remain in Salem over the break — despite the added hustle and bustle to a historical chill-out spot.
Digital mock-ups of the finished field are available on the Marion Berries’ website.
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