Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs (Photos by Mike Deak)

SOUTH BEND – The baseball is great. The experience is phenomenal.

From the action on the field, to the vendors, to the ticket takers. Even the mascots say “hello” without making much effort (or sound). Minor league baseball has always offered a little more bang for the buck, but a home game at Four Winds Field in South Bend offers aplenty to baseball fans and lovers of life alike.

Game days at the park have become almost family destinations as opposed to just a few years ago, when the “Cove” offered little more than pure baseball. The addition of amenities just around every corner of the stadium gives visitors more than a scorebook to entertain. Team president Joe Hart, who was with the organization when the Arizona Diamondbacks controlled the Silver Hawks, feels having options can only help.

Another of the old regime held on for many good reasons, Mark Haley, runs the new Performance Center just beyond the right field wall. The indoor facility is not just a place for the pros to take batting practice, but the public can also use it, right along side the big boys. Inside the center is a weight room, six batting cages, a balcony with plenty of group seating and a mini team shop.

“I would love to see the faces of some of the people who worked here in 2005, what this place looks like now,” Haley said, who was with the South Bend White Sox organization in 1991 and returned to coach the Silver Hawks from 2005-14. “The bottom line here, if you have people in place who put commitment to it, you’ll see the changes come. The Cubs are committed to this here. And all the people who are coming out are proving they believe in this team.”

The Chicago Cubs made sure its newest franchise was taken care of. South Bend was given a major upgrade in the clubhouse, with new lockers, seating and minor touches to make the players feel more comfortable off the diamond. On the field, the old turf was removed in favor of grass, like Wrigley Field uses. A walkway was also built connecting left field and right field, and a gate facing downtown South Bend has given fans a chance to enter from the north as opposed to only being able to feed into the stadium from the old south gates.

Around the stadium, the points Hart made are well evident. The giant inflatables beyond left-center tower over the horizon of the wall. The splash pad on the southeast corner has been a huge hit for kids, most of which dress specifically for it entering the stadium.

The Miller Lite tiki bar beyond left field and the Barefoot Wine porch in right are nice havens for adults away from the buzz of children. The food selection is also much more in depth, with the traditional fare of course available, but grilled foods, craft beers and deeper treat menus are tucked all over the concourse.

For the players themselves, they are not oblivious to the luxuries bestowed upon them. Playing for one of the premier organizations in professional sports has its perks, which drives the desire to act the part.

“This is fun, a game I’ve loved since I was a kid,” said pitcher Zach Hedges. “This place is amazing playing here at the facility. It’s the first place I’ve ever played like this, and having all these kids here watching is amazing.”

The South Bend Cubs have seen the fruits of its labor, where word of mouth is apparently paying off in big ways. The Cubs drew 8,004 fans June 19 – the first time in franchise history dating back to 1988 – that over 8,000 fans came through the gates. South Bend has drawn over 231,000 fans already this season, averaging over 4,800 per game and fifth in the Midwest League. Talks recently have surfaced about expanding the stadium.

“Having the Chicago Cubs affiliation has made a huge difference for us,” Hart said. “You have that Cubs curiosity, the fans now feel connected. You can drive up to Wrigley in a couple years and see some of these kids play. You just couldn’t get that connection when we were the Arizona affiliate. At the end of the day, it’s a great fit for us and energized the community. The Cubs are a national brand.”