FOX 9 Town Ball Tour heads to Sleepy Eye
FOX 9 Town Ball Tour heads to Sleepy Eye
The FOX 9 Town Ball Tour was supposed to visit Loretto last week, but Mother Nature had other ideas and it was canceled due to rain. This week, we're back on the diamond visiting Sleepy Eye. Manager Scott Salfer joined FOX 9 News at 5 to talk about what to expect as the Indians host the Stark Longhorns Wednesday night at Sleepy Eye Ballpark.
SLEEPY EYE, Minn. (FOX 9) - It’s Week 3 of the FOX 9 Town Ball Tour, and we’re back after being rained out last week in Loretto.
This week, we head south to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota as the Indians take on the Stark Longhorns in Tomahawk East League action at Sleepy Eye Ballpark. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m.
FOX 9 Town Ball Tour
FOX 9 Town Ball Tour: Sleepy Eye is batter up
With more than 100 years of baseball history, and one the last baseball fields remaining that Babe Ruth once played, the dedication of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, runs deep for America’s pastime. FOX 9’s Lauren Andrego checks in from the field that was first built in 1907 to explain what to expect before first pitch.
What we know:
For the first stop of the 2026 season, FOX 9 went to Farming near St. Cloud for a matchup between the Farming Flames and the Coldspring Rockies. Last week, the Loretto Larks were scheduled to play the Howard Lake Orphans, but the FOX 9 broadcast was canceled due to rain.
The Loretto Town Ball Tour stop has been rescheduled to July 22.
About Sleepy Eye
FOX 9 Town Ball Tour: Sleepy Eye Coffee Co.
FOX 9’s Town Ball Tour rolls into Sleepy Eye this week, as Lauren Andrego checks in Wednesday morning at the Sleepy Eye Coffee Company before the game to show off the local company keeping players caffeinated, and doubles as a brewery later in the day.
Why you should care:
The Sleepy Eye Indians are in the Tomahawk East League and have been playing town ball for more than 100 years. They’ve made the state tournament 21 times, most recently in 2019. They also reached the State Tournament in 2015, and 2018.
Sleepy Eye helps field three different town ball teams, as well as a successful high school program. The town also has a connection to Babe Ruth and "Little House on the Prairie."
2026 FOX 9 Town Ball Tour schedule
Big picture view:
Here's a look at the full Town Ball Tour lineup this summer:
- June 10: Farming Flames host the Coldspring Rockies at 7:30 p.m.
- June 24: Sleepy Eye Indians host the Stark Longhorns at 7:30 p.m.
- July 1: Hinckley Knights host the Quamba Cubs at 7:30 p.m.
- July 7: Brownton Bruins host the Glencoe Brewers at 7 p.m.
- July 15: River Falls Fighting Fish host the Hudson River Rats at 7:30 p.m.
- July 22: Loretto Larks host the Howard Lake Orphans at 7 p.m.
*All dates are Wednesdays except the July 7 stop, which is a Tuesday.
How to watch FOX 9 Town Ball Tour
Watch live:
FOX 9 will broadcast live from the ballparks starting at 5 p.m., with post-game coverage continuing on FOX 9 News at 9 and 10 p.m. You can watch on FOX 9, as well as streaming on FOX9.com and FOX LOCAL.
The latest on the FOX 9 Town Ball Tour can be found here.
Live interviews in Sleepy Eye
Live interviews aired ahead of the FOX 9 Town Ball game between the Farming Flames and the Coldspring Rockies can be viewed below:
Town Ball: Babe Ruth's 1922 visit to Sleepy Eye
Babe Ruth visited the Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, ballpark in 1922, and it's the same park they play at today. Sleepy Eye Baseball Historian Randy Krzmazick has more on the town's claim to baseball fame.
Town Ball: Voice of Sleepy Eye on community's love of sports
Longtime Sleepy Eye sports announcer Denny Mangen spoke live about the changes and growth he's seen over the years as "The Voice of Sleepy Eye."
Town Ball: Sleepy Eye's Mielke Brothers
Sleepy Eye's town ball team has gotten much younger in recent years, with the four Mielke Brothers making up a big portion of the Indians' lineup. FOX 9's Dawn Mitchell caught up with them to learn more about their experience in representing Sleepy Eye.
Town Ball: Perspective from a Sleepy Eye coach
Bruce Whitus, a Sleepy Eye native who has coached a variety of sports at all levels for decades, spoke live to FOX 9 about what it's like to see athletes come through the pipe and what he's learned from coaching in the community.