For decades, girls ranging from U-8 through high school have not played on regulation-size softball fields in Minneapolis. 

The girls’ teams have played their games on adult league softball fields whose dimensions are much larger than a girls’ fastpitch softball diamond.

In May, this issue came to a head when the Minneapolis High School City Championship game was called early so an adult softball league game could be played at Bossen Field.

The game ended after six innings, with Washburn High School trailing Southwest High School by just two runs.

Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner Becka Thompson, who also happens to be the head girls’ varsity softball coach at South High School, introduced a resolution requiring the Park Board to build fastpitch softball fields specifically designed for their sport.

“Six innings complete, Washburn’s down two, they’re rallying, they’re coming from behind, and the ump called the game because the adult league was waiting outside and they said, ‘No, we’re done, you have to get off,’” said Thompson.

Thompson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS creating six new ballfields for girls’ fastpitch softball is simply “the right thing to do.”

“There are games you never forget. You’re like old and you’re like ‘remember that time, like, blah,’” said Thompson. “That’s the thing about this. You want to cherish those moments versus give them away.”

The Park Board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the creation of six new girls’ fastpitch softball fields. Those sites have not yet been chosen and the costs of the project are expected to be known sometime within the next six months.