2026-09-29T23:27:50+00:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://rattlersremember.stmupublichistory.org/ Rattlers Remember https://rattlersremember.stmupublichistory.org 2019-05-06T18:42:21+00:00 2019-05-08T01:16:38+00:00 https://rattlersremember.stmupublichistory.org/items/show/13 Jose Diaz The St. Mary’s baseball fields have a storied history. Formerly known as V.J. Keefe Field from 1958-2011, the fields’ history have been forged by numerous events from their construction to attending San Antonio Dodgers games to national championships. Brother Jim Jaeckle returned to St. Mary’s in 1969 after graduating in 1965 and was put in charge of repairs of V.J. Keefe Field. Jaeckle worked on included changing the light fixtures, built the stairwells in the office, built stools for the dugouts, and much more. Jaeckle and his crew were resourceful with the materials used to renovate V.J. Keefe field. All the metal from the fencing around the field and the facade came from an old Volkswagen factory that burned down in east San Antonio. In 1970-71, Brother Jim worked on the batting cages, most of the material used to build it came from the old Mission Stadium in the south side of San Antonio. Student athletes have also shared memories of the fields. As a senior, Leticia Morales-Bisaro was the pitcher of the first national championship for the St. Mary’s softball team in 1986. The softball fields didn’t have many facilities including bathrooms. In fact, Morales-Bisaro recalled that they didn’t even have a permanent fence; they had to use a portable one. Leticia’s jersey, number 24, was retired after she graduated. When her daughter in the played softball here in the 2010s, Leticia’s number came out of retirement for her daughter to use. Her daughter also witnessed the transition from V.J. Keefe Field to Dickson Stadium. While she never played on V.J. Keefe field—she played on the softball fields—she did have good memories of it. Leticia used to work with the San Antonio Missions, which home stadium was V.J. Keefe Field. V.J. Keefe Field was the home of the San Antonio Dodgers--now the Missions--before moving to Nelson Wolff Stadium in 1993. LaRae Sleeter had fond memories of watching SA Dodgers games at V.J. Keefe Field with her father. In fact, the stadium influenced her decision to attend St. Mary’s. As a student from 1988-1993 she attended a few games because she had a friend on the team. Baseball goes back as far as the campus itself. It was one of the first facilities to be built on this campus. In 2011, the Rattlers played their final game on V.J. Keefe Field. The fields have undergone several renovations since then. While in school, LaRae Sleeter recalled talks of renovations coming to the baseball fields; however, they didn’t happen until after she graduated. Even though the stadium experienced a myriad of renovations since its inception in 1958, the actual ground has remained the same. For more (including 4 images and 1 sound clip), view the original article. 2019-04-30T18:46:17+00:00 2019-05-08T01:16:38+00:00 https://rattlersremember.stmupublichistory.org/items/show/5 Kacey Diaz When you drive past St. Mary’s University or walk the campus, what stands out most to you? St. Louis Hall? Chaminade Tower? The water fountain in front of the school? Whatever it may be, nothing stands out more, literally, than the Barrett Memorial Bell Tower. The late Susana Barrett envisioned a striking centerpiece for the campus that would bring together the St. Mary's community. With the help of her son Charles T. Barrett Jr., a St. Mary's alumnus, this vision became a reality. It was primarily through his efforts that this project was funded and in addition, met with President Cotrell and Brother Jim Jakely, to form a committee which traveled around the country examining other school's bell towers in order to get inspiration for our own. The 100-foot memorial tower was dedicated to the Barrett family at a ceremony on February 2, 2007. At this ceremony, the former President of St. Mary's, Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., recognized the Bell Tower as the "centerpiece of the campus landscape" and an area that "[transformed] this space into both the geographical and spiritual center of the St. Mary's campus." Although the Bell Tower is relatively new to campus, it can be hard for those who attended or worked at St. Mary's before the construction of the tower to remember what the school looked like before it was built. LaRae Sleeter, attended St. Mary's from 1988-1993, remembers that part of this area was an accessible parking area, and the other part was a large open field where intramural sports took place. One of her first memories of this area was a story she heard of the naming of the mascot, the Rattlers. According to Sleeter, the area where the Bell Tower is now used to be the football field that would have to be cleared of rattlesnakes before games were played. Even though it may be difficult to imagine what the Bell Tower area used to look like, it’s hard to negate the fact that the Bell Tower is an aesthetically pleasing asset to the school. The Bell Tower captivates everyone's attention at St. Mary’s. Before there was a Bell Tower, when the school song, "The Bells of St. Mary's," was sung, faculty, staff, and students would point in any direction while singing this song. After the tower was built, it's now tradition to point towards the Bell Tower when singing the song. The original placement for the Bell Tower was going to be in Alkek Plaza, but this idea was quickly dismissed by architects, engineers, and St. Mary's community members who were working on the project. They felt the placement of the Bell Tower in its current location was more appropriate because of its centrality to campus. Today, the Bell Tower serves as a central meeting area for groups on campus including the Marianist three o'clock prayer. One of the most shocking facts about the Bell Tower is that the bells inside of the tower aren't real bells, they are made of styrofoam. All the aspects, including the design, the engravings, and the bells, that make up the Bell Tower are what make it unique and special to this campus. The Barrett Memorial Bell Tower of St. Mary’s University will forever, as former President Cotrell describes, “symbolize the strength, heritage and traditions of excellence at St. Mary’s.” For more (including 3 images and 1 sound clip), view the original article.