Ramsey County History – Winter 2020: “Growing Up with the St. Paul Saints: Memories of a Teen Groundskeeper at Lexington Park”      

Growing Up with the St. Paul Saints: Memories of a Teen Groundskeeper at Lexington Park        

Author: Vern Schultz

Anyone stopped at the traffic light at University and Lexington Avenues in St. Paul today might see dozens of small businesses and fast food restaurants and never realize that this busy neighborhood once looked much different. In the 1940s, Vern Schultz worked on that block, where Lexington Park stadium once stood, as a ground crew member for the St. Paul Saints. Schultz tells the story of his first job—a great job for an avid Saints fan—with summers spent chasing errant balls, polishing players’ shoes, and making sure the field was in tip-top shape for the upcoming game. So, enjoy these memories: imagine the whack of the bat against a ball, the smell of fresh-mown grass, the taste of roasted hotdogs and salty stadium peanuts, the warm sun on your back, and the cheers of the crowd echoing across University and Lexington Avenues.
PDF of V. Schultz article