Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Mike Lansing Field 330 Kati Ln Casper, WY 82601
Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 2,500
Welcome to Casper Baseball
Mike Lansing Field in Casper, Wyoming serves as the home for Casper American Legion Baseball and beginning in 2018, the Casper Horseheads. The Horseheads are members of the Expedition League, a new wood bat collegiate league. The team is cleverly titled as the moniker comes from the ‘head’ of an oil pumpjack; the oil industry has been a part of the Wyoming economy since the late 1800’s.
Mike Lansing Field honors the former MLB infielder who played for the Expos, Rockies, and Red Sox. It is a small, intimate place to catch a collegiate baseball game, and watching the Casper Horseheads for nine innings at Mike Lansing Field is an enjoyable evening out.
Food & Beverage 3
Refreshment offerings are exactly what you would expect at a stadium of this size with plenty of traditional stadium fare to satisfy a fan’s thirst and hunger.
One concession area, under the main seating bowl, serves the basics. Meal Deals (hot dog, hamburger or pulled pork) combos include the sandwich, chips, and a drink ($8 – $10). Standard snacks of pretzel, popcorn, seeds, nachos, ice cream, PB&J, pickles, and more are offered for reasonable prices ($2 – $4).
Soft drinks (Pepsi products) range from $3 – $4. A Bud Light beer truck is on the outer concourse and offers your standard domestic brews as well as a few craft selections, one from Black Tooth (a Wyoming brewery).
Nothing noteworthy is on the menu but you won’t go hungry.
Atmosphere 3
The ticket booth and entrance to Mike Lansing Field are down the left field line, unlike other ballparks where the entrances generally deposit fans behind the home plate area. A path down the third base side of the field leads to the team store, concession stand, and seating area. The walkway is paved and easily traversed.
The seating area consists of three sections on the infield. Behind home plate, all chairs are of the green fold down variety with cup holders, the other two sections provide the same for the first three rows, then bleachers with backs (first seven rows), then bleachers with no backs are higher up. A decent amount of handrails is available for climbing the steps to the seating areas to the top – Row T. Leg room is average. The third base side gets the shade first.
The music volume level is acceptable. Walk up songs are played for the Horseheads. Very fortunately, no music is played between pitches allowing fans just to enjoy the game, hear the PA announcer, and not have their senses bombarded.
Games and contests between innings include: Sweetheart of the game (flowers), matrimony game, strikeout batter of the game (if a selected opposing team batter strikes out, fans get ½ price beer for the remainder of that inning), fastest hot dog eating contest, dizzy bat race, and more. All contest sponsors are local Casper businesses which keeps the community feel at the ballpark.
A basic electronic scoreboard is in left field that shows the line score by inning, the balls, strikes, outs, and player number of who is at bat, and total hits, runs, and errors for the game.
Even though Mike Lansing Field is more than 15 years old, it is still very clean and well kept.
As you walk from the entrance to the stands, the souvenir shop is to the left before reaching the seating area. It has a few nice bits of team merchandise, mostly t-shirts, and caps.
Neighborhood 4
Although not a bustling city as cities go across the U.S., there’s plenty to see and do within a few miles of the ballpark in Casper, WY.
The ballpark is adjacent to the North Platte River Trail; one can hike or bike a paved trail along the picturesque river banks. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is worth a visit to learn of the pioneers who traveled through the area on their way West for a better life.
Downtown Casper, a little over a mile from Mike Lansing Field, covers several blocks and provides shopping, a brewery and bars, places to eat, a park, historic buildings, art, and more. Check out Frontier Brewing Company and Taproom for a self-serving craft brew experience or visit The Office Bar and Grill for a bite to eat, happy hour, and plenty of sports on multiple screens.
The Casper Planetarium is across the street from the ball field which provides various educational shows, suitable for both kids and adults. Or catch a live show or concert at the Casper Events Center, a mile from the ballpark.
Other sports in the Casper area include the Casper Racetrack (the roar of the engines can be heard at the ballpark on select nights) or check out T-Birds basketball, volleyball, or rodeo at Casper Community College.
Six hotels are within walking distance of Mike Lansing Field; the Hilton Garden Inn Casper, Ramkota, and La Quinta Inn Casper are good choices.
Fans 3
Attendees are typical for this level of baseball. The mix includes families, a few baseball diehards, and the casual observer. An average of 780 people per game watched the Horseheads this first season (2018). Most applaud at appropriate times and express dismay quite vocally at an umpire’s call when it doesn’t go the Horseheads’ way.
For the most part, fans bring their trash to receptacles when leaving the ballpark, an admirable gesture worth noting.
Access 3
Though Casper is in the heart of Wyoming and not a quick drive or flight for many ballpark chasers, once in the city, the ball field is easy to reach, less than a ¼ mile off I-25.
Delta and United Airlines serve Casper’s small airport, with flights to and from Denver and Salt Lake City. Public transportation is not available for attending a Horseheads game (the bus service ends at 6:30 pm; returning to your destination after a game via the bus is not an option for evening games as most games start at 6:35 pm).
Plenty of free paved parking is available adjacent to the field.
There’s some, but not an overabundance of spaces for wheelchairs.
Return on Investment 3
Attending a Horseheads baseball game is an affordable evening of family entertainment.
Tickets range from $7 – $12 with discounts given for groups, flex books, and season tickets. Children three and under get in for free. Concession prices are reasonable and parking is free.
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Extras 2
Be sure to pick up a roster sheet and program at the souvenir shop.
The offering of a local WY beer at the beer truck is worth an extra mention.
Final Thoughts
Sitting in the stands of Mike Lansing Field on a summer evening watching America’s pastime is a pleasant way to spend a few hours. The level of play at this wood bat league team is comparable to college baseball. If travels take you to Casper, WY in June or July, certainly make the effort to catch a Horseheads game.
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