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COMING JUNE 20-22, THE 2ND ANNUAL CAJUN FEST, our fourth "semi-pro" baseball exhibition, and Cajun Food Festival. On Saturday, there will be live music--the CAJUN STRANGERS from Madison--from 7 PM to 10 PM.

On the food menu, there will be Jambalaya, Catfish Po Boy, Crawfish Etouffe, Bread Pudding, Cajun Potato Salad, and Tony's "Not-So-Famous" Barbecued Ribs

In 2005, a semi-pro team from Utica came to town and played two local teams. In 2006, our Prairie du Chien All-Stars took the La Crosse Loggers to extra innings before losing 3-1. In 2007, we played seven games in two days, and the Prairie du Chien team again represented us well. Teams who came last year include Rochester, MN, Rickardsville, IA, Cascade, IA, Sparta, WI, and of course our local PdC Mudhens.

SOFTBALL LEAGUES schedules for 2008 Men's League and Coed League are now posted. Games begin Tuesday, May 27. The Women's Fastpitch League Schedules will be coming out soon.

"You might be a redneck if you think the last words to the Star Spangled Banner are 'Play Ball'" - Comedian Jeff Foxworthy

Dillman Field, with the concession stand and Isle of Capri Field in the background.

Home to baseball and softball leagues in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, St. Feriole Island features three diamonds, two of which have lighting for night games. Built in 2004, the inaugural game was played September 11, 2004, between high-school aged boys from Prairie du Chien, coached by Bill Wessling, and from Monona, Iowa, coached by Randy Lamker. Monona eked out a victory in the evenly matched game, 2-1.

Seasonal play began in the spring of 2005. Prairie du Chien High School used the baseball field for some practices and for a scrimmage. The Grant-Crawford little league used fields for their 13-14 year old little league boys and girls teams on Mondays and Wednesdays; there was a Men's Limited Arc Softball League played on Tuesday nights and a CoEd Modified Pitch League played on Thursday nights.

On June 23, 2005, the park hosted The King and His Court® in a performance against the 229th Engineers. Around 400 people were in attendance that evening to enjoy a great show.

August 4 through August 8, the American Legion Class A State Baseball Tournament was played at the park. Eight teams, including the Prairie du Chien Grasshoppers, played for the 2005 State Title. Viroqua won the title with Black River Falls coming in second.

In 2006, Prairie du Chien High School began using the two softball fields as their home field for JV and Varsity softball games. The JV baseball team used Dillman Field as their home field. The softball leagues added a women's fast-pitch softball league.

Also in 2006, the George Family Foundation made a substantial donation which enabled lights to be added to the south field, now named the George Family Field.

On Memorial Day in 2006, approximately 1200 people attended an exhibition game when the La Crosse Loggers visited for a game against a Prairie du Chien group of All-Stars. Scheduled to go seven innings, the Prairie du Chien team forced an eighth inning before losing 3-1.

In 2007, the park hosted the First Annual Cajun Fest, a Cajun food festival, accompanied by semi-pro baseball games on Friday and Saturday. Several improvements were made to the facilities and landscaping.

In 2008, the parking lot has been upgraded, more landscaping is planned, and some playground equipment for children has been added.

"The St. Feriole Island Park is run by the St. Feriole Island Park, Inc., a tax-exempt, non-profit organization formed in 2002. The facility will allow for adult baseball, Home Talent Baseball, boys and girls little leagues when they want, as well as other uses." From the Prairie du Chien Courier Press, Monday, September 13, 2004.

The Umpire

Published: The New York Times (1962)

The umpire is a lonely man
Whose calls are known to every fan
Yet none will call him Dick or Dan
In all the season's games.

They'll never call him Al or Ed
Or Bill or Phil or Frank or Fred
Or Jim or Tim or Tom or Ted
They'll simply call him names.