Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Illinois hosted several camping events over the summer for local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and their families. Over 850 Scouts and family members camped out in the outfield of the baseball stadium to watch minor league games, see fireworks, movies, and enjoy snacks. While an unusual location, the Scouts enjoyed the soft ground and unique experience of camping in downtown Joliet, despite frequent train noise. Both the Scouts and baseball team hoped to expand the popular events in future years.

1. Silver Cross Field has been campground for Scouts
The Herald News - Joliet (IL)
August 31, 2003 | Ted Slowik
About 150 Scouts and their families camped out at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, in this
June 13 file photo.
JOLIET -- Silver Cross Field's outfield was a sea of tents
when about 400 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and their
families camped out at the Joliet JackHammers' baseball
stadium. Campouts were something new at the ballpark
this summer. Of the 850 or so Scouts and their family
members who attended the Aug. 22 game against the St.
Paul Saints, about half stayed overnight. Another 150
spent a night on June 13, and the JackHammers hosted a
sleepover for Girl Scouts this summer as well.
"The reaction I heard was that it's an absolutely fantastic experience," said Rick Mickel,
the JackHammers' director of ticketing operations.

2. Scouts could pitch tents in the outfield, provided they didn't use stakes that might have
damaged the grass. In addition to seeing a minor-league game between teams in the
independent Northern League, Scouts were treated to fireworks, a movie, popcorn and
pop in the evenings and doughnuts and juice in the mornings.
Camping out in downtown Joliet is an unforgettable experience, one with pluses and
minuses.
"Scout leaders commented that they've never camped on such soft ground before," said
Steve Miller, Scout executive for the Rainbow Council of Boy Scouts of America. "They
all chuckle about the number of trains. It seemed like a freight train came rumbling by
every 15 minutes."
The Rainbow Council serves more than 10,000 youths in Will, Grundy and Kankakee
counties, and the campouts drew participants from throughout the region.
Youngsters watched baseball- themed movies on the stadium's giant electronic
scoreboard. This month's feature was "Rookie of the Year," and June's movie was
"Angels in the Outfield."
"It reminded me of the old drive- ins ... I think that's something that people don't
experience much anymore," said Sean Denoyer, district executive for the Greater Five
Rivers District, one of three units within the Rainbow Council.
Many of the campers were first- year Scouts known as Tiger Cubs, who are first-
graders.
"That was probably their first campout," Denoyer said.
Scout participation at the Aug. 22 contest -- which the home team lost 5-4 after leading
4-1 in the ninth inning -- helped the JackHammers set a single-game attendance record
of 7,060. However, the record only lasted one day, as 7,064 attended the Saturday
night game.

3. Scouts and the JackHammers hope to build on the success of this year's campouts and
possibly expand the offerings next season. The team is considering scheduling a
daytime contest for the day following the campout, so Scouts could take in a double-
header of sorts. Activities to help Scouts earn patches or merit badges might be
organized for Saturday mornings.
"Since this was the first year (so) I wanted to keep it simple," Mickel said.
Reporter Ted Slowik can be reached at (815) 729-6053 or via e-mail at
tslowik@scn1.com.
Ted Slowik
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