Mel Murken still has a deep love for the game of baseball.
Anyone who attended Monday’s season opener for the Ankeny Centennial baseball team could see that passion on full display.
The second-ranked Jaguars posted a 9-0 victory over Webster City at Walt Anderson Field in Rippey, where Murken now lives in retirement.
“It’s an honor to play here,” said Centennial junior Emerson Alberhasky. “Mel takes care of the field every day. It’s a great feeling getting to honor the game of baseball by playing on the field.”
Murken, who started his coaching career at East Greene before later becoming a legendary coach at Ankeny, has returned to his roots.
“I was the head coach here for three years, and I knew Rippey always loved baseball,” said Murken. “And I liked the town. Before I came back here, I drove by the field and I didn’t like it. It kind of made me sick, because it used to be in pretty good shape. So I kind of took it upon myself, and I had a couple people help me a little bit.”
Murken said the historic field was basically reconstructed from scratch.
“It’s just been an ongoing (project),” he said. “When we first started, there were weeds on the baseline and there wasn’t any mound. I love baseball, and I like working on the field. I don’t coach anymore, so this is kind of my baseball fix. It’s been fun.”
The Rippey field is scheduled to host 30 games this summer, including several other high school contests.
“I’ll be here for all of them,” Murken said. “I love it.”
On Monday, Murken watched from the stands as coach Mark Hey guided the Jaguars to an impressive win. Hey eventually took over the Ankeny program following Murken’s retirement, then moved across town when Centennial opened in 2013 to begin the Jaguars’ program.
“I told (the players) the story about Mel and him coming up here,” Hey said. “Mel got to come out and talk to them before the game and share some of his wisdom with them. Mel’s such an iconic figure in Ankeny. That was just great for them to meet him and listen to him.”
Centennial junior Joey Oakie, who started on the mound and recorded 11 strikeouts over the first four innings, soaked up the atmosphere.
“It went all quiet, and we’re not really used to the quiet,” he said. “Every first pitch–it was just quiet. But it was awesome. Mel does a really good job with this field, and it’s amazing.”
Rippey, with a population of 220 according to the 2020 census, now has its own Field of Dreams.
“This is Iowa baseball,” Hey said. “Out in the middle of a cornfield–and quiet. It was a great experience I think being up here.”