Pueblo’s ice cream and frozen food scene offers plenty of cool desserts
Here’s a little glimpse of some places to get ice cream and frozen treats in Pueblo, Colorado.
Pueblo is home to several historic sports venues.
From The Slab basketball courts to Hobbs Field to historic Dutch Clark Stadium, some of these places have been a staple of Pueblo for decades.
But what makes these places so iconic? Here’s a quick look at the history of Pueblo’s iconic sports venues, including how they came to be and what they look like today.
More: Here are 10 more notable former Pueblo High School athletes. See where they are today
“The plate”
The slab is historic as its origins date back to 1937 when a veterans memorial was built there. Around 1953, the memorial fell into disrepair due to inadequate drainage in the area and was moved to its current location in Mineral Palace Park near the Lake Clara Bridge. The site was revitalized and converted into a recreation area with a large concrete slab.
Originally, two basketball hoops were installed at each end of the “slab,” separated by fences from the concrete benches at either end. In the late 1950s or early 1960s, an additional hoop was installed and the original two were moved to the east side of the SLAB, creating three half courts for more playing options. It was not until the late 70s or early 80s that new hoops were installed along the west edge of the SLAB, creating the four “condensed” full courts that exist today.
Basketball was considered the main activity at the Slab. A recent Chieftain article stated that during the 1950s and 60s, the SLAB became a popular hangout for teenagers and young adults, all of whom were dying to play basketball there.
Mike Sexton, the current assistant director of parks and recreation, recalled the condition of the SLAB court before the resurfacing project. “People played here so much that it was like ice under the baskets,” he said, referring to the concrete’s tendency to get polished smooth by countless basketball shoes.
In 1992, the surface of the courts was renewed again. This was the last time that the SLAB surface was replaced.
With the completion of renovations to the SLAB basketball court, scheduled to be completed by October 1, 2024, this facility has a good chance of once again being the top venue for summer basketball competitions.
“I grew up there and this project is very dear to my heart,” Sexton said. “I hope the next generation can remember the history of this iconic Pueblo sports facility. Generations of Pueblo athletes have shot hoops here at one time or another. It was one of the most used sports facilities in the city.”
Runyon Sports Complex (Hobbs Field and more)
Runyon Field was created when a set of bleachers were moved there from the old Merchants Field. In 1938, the field was officially designated a baseball field and named County Park. That same year, Babe Ruth played an exhibition game at the park.
Runyon has hosted many different teams over the years, from the Pueblo Rollers to the Pueblo Dodgers to the Pueblo Bruins – all teams that were affiliated with Major League Baseball teams. After years of teams coming and going through Runyon, the Western League, which hosted all of these teams, folded in 1958. Runyon was on the verge of closing; however, the community came together and raised $15,000 to keep the historic field open.
In mid-1985, a second full-size field and a youth field were built to expand the complex. Later in 1995, the main field at Runyon was renamed Hobbs Field after Oneal Hobbs, who is known as the father of baseball in Pueblo as he was the general manager of the Pueblo Dodgers/Bruins when they played here and was also a former president of the Western League. A few years later, the second full-size field was renamed Andenucio Field after Tony Andenucio.
Over the years, the complex has hosted many different events, tournaments, and high school and college games. It has endured the rigors of hot summers and cold winters, and eventually needed repairs to modernize the facility.
In 2022, Andenucio, Corsentino and Pusedu fields were given new infield turf. Renovations began later in the year. In early 2024, Hobbs Field reopened to the public with new turf, new dugouts, improved fencing around the infield to provide fans with better visibility, and a new press box.
Dutch Clark Stadium
In the late 1940s, faced with the growing need for a stadium to accommodate the many fans who attended a football game between Centennial and Central, the idea of building a stadium for all of the city’s high schools was born.
In 1950, the Pueblo Public School Stadium was officially built. It originally had a capacity of about 8,000 people, but within five years the number had to be expanded to almost 13,000. That same year, 65,000 fans attended events at the stadium.
About 30 years ago, a young man named Earl Clark began his football career at Pueblo Central. “Dutch,” as he was known, eventually became one of the nation’s greatest football players and had a long career in the NFL. He died in 1978.
Throughout his career, Dutch won countless games and posted incredible numbers during his professional career. After his death, the community lobbied to have the local stadium’s name changed in honor of Earl “Dutch” Clark. Finally, in 1980, the District 60 School Board voted to rename the facility Dutch Clark Stadium.
Since then, the stadium has hosted numerous sporting events, including high school football, soccer, track and field, and even basketball, as well as college games, high school graduations, and more.
But the stadium was most notably the site of the famous Bell Game. The Bell Game is the oldest rivalry game between two high schools west of the Mississippi. Pueblo Central and Pueblo Centennial have been playing for the Bell since Thanksgiving 1892.
In 1950, the rivalry game was officially declared the Bell Game when the railroad bell was introduced as the trophy for the game’s winner. Since then, the rivalry games have expanded to include Pueblo East and Pueblo South, known as the Cannon Game.
Over the years, the stadium has been expanded and renovated. The most recent renovations took place in recent years and included new lighting.
Aaron Bravo, the current athletic director for Pueblo School District 60, has led the renovations and hopes to continue improving the facilities during his tenure.
“It’s truly an iconic sports venue in the state of Colorado and we’re fortunate that the stadium is connected to the D60,” Bravo said. “We’re in the middle of some major renovations right now. The new turf is being laid right now and should be completed this year.”
More: These lesser-known Pueblo athletes have made a splash in their sports
Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and can be reached at [email protected]. You can also follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @chowebacca. Support local news and subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
