On May 17, 1924, the University hosted a baseball game at what was then Fairview Park between Butler University and the University of Chicago. Coming into the game, Chicago was well known for its academics and athletics, along with being a founding member of the Big Ten Conference (1896–1946). The stakes on the field were even higher for bragging rights, as Chicago was the alma mater for Butler’s Athletic Director Pat Page and Coach Tony Hinkle. This important game would take place nearly four years before the opening of Butler Fieldhouse (Hinkle Fieldhouse) and Jordan Hall in 1928.

To drum up more interest for the game and the future campus of Butler, May 17, 1924, was designated Fairview Day and the Indianapolis community was invited to attend. To showcase the future campus to the community, blue and white pennants were placed on the grounds laying out the sites of the future buildings and boulevards. According to reports, over 3,000 individuals from the community attended the event.

The game, which took place on a field located on the mall between what we now know as Jordan Hall and Irwin Library, did not disappoint the local fans. The blue and white squad of Butler played a tight contest against Chicago’s maroon and white squad, outlasting them and scoring an 8–6 victory. Coach Hinkle’s baseball squad would go on to finish the 1924 season with a 13–9 record, defeating well-known teams such as Chicago, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Cincinnati, and Ohio State.

In 1976, the field on campus was dedicated with a historical home plate marker and can still be found resting comfortably on the lawn between Dugan Hall and Jordan Hall.