Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
HUNTINGBURG – If not for one secret meeting, Huntingburg’s League Stadium might never have had a starring role in the hit 1992 movie, “A League of Their Own.”
And if not for Connie Nass, that secret meeting, which included the film’s director Penny Marshall, might never have happened. Nass, who was mayor of Huntingburg during the film’s production, played a critical role in getting the film’s studio to choose League Stadium for the film.
This Saturday, the city of Huntingburg will dedicate a plaque celebrating Nass’ leadership and lasting impact on the city at League Stadium before the start of the Bombers game.
League Stadium wasn’t on anyone’s radar at Columbia Pictures for its movie about a women’s baseball team during World War II. Evansville had already been selected for the film. Nass decided to make a play for her city and attended a meeting between Evansville officials and the Indiana Film Commission.
In a video produced in 2017 on the 25th anniversary of the film, Nass recounted her efforts to get the attention of Marshall.
“It didn’t please the Evansville people very much, but I was glad that I went,” she said.
Her pitch that Huntingburg and the historic League Stadium were just what the movie needed was enough to get Marshall and the production designer to make a trip to Huntingburg for a secret meeting. Although no decision was made at the time, Marshall liked the trees surrounding the stadium and the light towers, which added authenticity to the World War II era of the film.
Jim Rueger, former Huntingburg park director, said, “If not for Connie, it wouldn’t have happened here.”
League Stadium, home of the Dubois County Bombers, has become a popular destination for Huntingburg, hosting promotional nights and creating a family friendly experience.
The Dubois County Visitors Center uses Placer AI to track consumer foot traffic. According to Placer AI, more than 35,000 people visited League Stadium in the past 12 months. In 2024, from June-August, 28,000 people visited League Stadium.
This year, from June through July 11, 18,000 visitors have been to League Stadium, a 21% increase over the same period in 2024.
Honoring Nass
The plaque reads, “In Honor of Mayor Connie Nass for Outstanding Leadership and Vision in Bringing A League of Their Own to Huntingburg, Indiana. With bold determination and unwavering belief in our city, Mayor Connie Nass seized a moment that would define a legacy. After joining a meeting between Evansville officials and the Indiana Film Commission, she captured the attention of Columbia Pictures’ team — ultimately leading to a pivotal meeting beneath the grandstand at League Stadium with director Penny Marshall and production designer Bill Groom. Mayor Nass struck a transformative deal: Columbia Pictures would expand and renovate the aging ballpark — a diamond in the rough — into a custom-made home base for the Rockford Peaches. Her condition was clear: the improvements would be permanent, a parting gift from Hollywood to Huntingburg. Thanks to her vision and tenacity, our town became a beloved chapter in cinematic and baseball history — a place where dreams took the field. “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it,”- Jimmy Dugan
With deep gratitude, we celebrate your enduring legacy.”
The plaque dedication begins at 5:30 p.m.
About League Stadium
League Stadium was built in 1894 and renovated in the 1990s for filming of “A League of Their Own,” which featured the Rockford Peaches women’s baseball team. Usually, when a Hollywood movie builds a set, it is dismantled after the filming. But in the case of League Stadium, nothing was removed, not even the outfield advertisements.