Anchorage Daily News

Five days before Saturday's Alaska Baseball League opening night, Bob Van Brunt was summoned to Mulcahy Stadium for a quick fix.

The son of Anchorage Glacier Pilots general manager George "Lefty" Van Brunt had just clocked out at the post office and he was tired after a long day's work. But there was a broken head gasket on a tractor at the stadium, and dad needed it fixed.

Bob had no problem getting his hands greasy, or working for free.

That's the way things get done in Anchorage's only baseball stadium, a 43-year-old baseball cathedral that's starting to show its age. But thanks to recent face lifts, Mulcahy looks a bit younger, more fan friendly.

After practically growing up in the stadium alongside Lefty, who's been with the Pilots 23 seasons, Bob knew the drill.

"Looks pretty nice out there, doesn't it?" Bob said, taking a break to compliment the lush green outfield and infield grass.

For folks like the Van Brunts, who log hours of voluntary labor, Mulcahy is home away from home for three summer months. Whether it's an ABL, American Legion, or adult baseball game, there's always something happening at the old ballpark on 16th Avenue.

Hundreds of games unfold every summer in this ramshackle stadium, so it requires some tender loving care, Pilots assistant general manager Jon Dyson said.

"It's the way it's been since the beginning," he said. "It has potential, but it just needs a few things here and there."

"We have bathrooms that don't have doors. It's a situation that's actually embarrassing."

The municipality owns Mulcahy Stadium. But if the place is going to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2014, baseball organizations, the community and the state legislature must chip in, Anchorage Parks and Recreation superintendent Monique Anderson said.

The municipality can't foot Mulcahy's entire maintenance bill, she said. Parks and Rec has 11,000 acres of Anchorage park land to maintain, and Mulcahy is just another stitch on the cowhide.

"We're rich in assets, low in labor," she said. "That's why we're tapping into volunteers."

Cheap labor is the norm. Anchorage Bucs general manager Dennis Mattingly said he pays his players $600 each summer to pick up trash after games, mow and water the field.

The city chips in too.

It has spent $95,000 to tear down the dilapidated walls surrounding Mulcahy, installing see-through fencing, Anderson said. The city also painted the press box and grandstand off-white and refurbished the stairs leading to the press box.

"They did a real nice job," Mattingly said. "We appreciated it."

New fencing will force the Bucs and Pilots to do a thorough job cleaning around the ballpark, Mattingly added.

"When there was a wall, it was nothing to just leave a billboard hanging out," he said. "Or if the garbage can was overflowing, there wasn't anybody who was going to see it.

"Now they're going to see it."

Mulcahy also upgraded to a newer scoreboard, replacing one that stood behind the center field wall more than 30 years.

The state legislature earmarked $50,000 to the Bucs and Pilots to pay for the 36-foot-high scoreboard, surrounded by colorful ads. Mattingly said it could be upgraded to add video screens and display lineups.

The old scoreboard was unreliable, Mattingly said. Built in the 1960s, its components were out of date and sometimes broke.

"It would flicker on and off, or get real dim," he said. "The '2' didn't look like a 2."

The new scoreboard is a lot more attractive, he said.

"There's nothing to say it's going to work every night, but I like my chances."

Mattingly is hoping the scoreboard and the new fencing brings more fans to the ball park. The face lift gives Mulcahy more of a minor league feel, he said.

"We bring people up from Stanford, where people make sure each blade of grass is cut two inches long," Mattingly said. "Kids come in here (Mulcahy) and say, '#$%#! Look at this.' "

"We just tell them, 'Yeah, it's an old field. You're in Alaska. Get used to it. It's always been rough and tough.' "

A few years ago, Mattingly was worried that there would no longer be a Mulcahy for players to enjoy. City officials talked about leveling it to provide more parking for Sullivan Arena.

"There were plans for it (Mulcahy) to be torn down and relocated," Anderson said.

This was part of the Chester Creek Sports Complex master plan, a study done by Parks and Rec to find better ways to use its sports facilities -- which include Sullivan Arena, Ben Boeke Arena, Kosinski Fields, Anchorage Football Stadium and Mulcahy.

The master plan is currently on hiatus, Anderson said. And Mattingly isn't concerned about Mulcahy's future.

Others think Mulcahy should be turned into an artificial turf, multi-use facility so other sports can use the facility. The Bucs and Pilots requested $1.4 million from the state but didn't get the money, said Bucs assistant general manager Zak Basch.

Building a new stadium, Mattingly said, is wishful thinking.

"Start to finish would take $10 million," he said. "To make this a parking lot, $4 million. That ain't happening."

Five days before opening night, Mattingly thanked Bob Van Brunt for fixing the tractor.

"Gasket's done," Bob said. "Checked the oil, it's all yours."

"I appreciate it, buddy," Mattingly said.

"Probably be here one more time," Bob said.

Daily News reporter Kevin Klott can be reached at kklott@adn.com or 257-4335.

Bucs kick off season with victory over Stockton

Matt Lucchesi hit a one-out single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Anchorage Bucs a 5-4 win over the Stockton (Calif.) Bears Saturday night at Mulcahy Stadium to kick off the Alaska Baseball League season.

The Bucs put up a four-spot in the first but then were scoreless until the 11th.

Stockton rallied with a run in the ninth to force extra innings.

Anchorage put the first two runners on base to start the game-winning rally. Owen Reid sacrificed them to second and third, bringing up Lucchesi.

He lifted a fly ball that normally would have been caught but fell in over the drawn-in outfield.

Bucs starter Cheng-Chang Lee was sharp through seven innings. Brian Belli got the win with four innings of relief.

This afternoon, the Anchorage Glacier Pilots kick off their 38th season at Mulcahy Stadium, hosting the Bears. The Pilots' 46-game schedule runs through Aug. 1 and includes 32 games at Mulcahy. Head coach Chris Jones is back for a second season in the dugout. He led the Pilots to a 24-21-1 record last season.

-- Daily News staff