Ericson, Gill elected to MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame
Dick Ericson, retired from the Minnesota Twins, and the late Harry Gill, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers, are the 2014 inductees to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame. The honors come after a vote by the Association of Major League Baseball (MLB) Groundskeepers. To be considered for induction to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame, […]
Boca Raton site pitched for ‘Stros/Jays spring complex
With Palm Beach Gardens passing on a new Houston Astros/Toronto Blue Jays spring-training complex, Boca Raton may end up being considered for the development. A local developer is pitching Boca Raton as the perfect area for the spring-training complex, which already has $50 million in state money dedicated for its construction. While the Astros may […]
New for 2014 from August Publications
With nine book titles set for release in the beginning of 2014 and a host of new publishing outlets, we have lots of August Publications news for the new year. First, we have NY-Penn League and Southern League histories planned for the spring, as well as second editions of Cradle of the Game, The Baseball Thesaurus […]
New year, new day for new Rays ballpark?
With Rick Kriseman taking over the mayoral reins in St. Petersburg, many are expecting some sort of resolution to the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark situation — whether in St. Pete or Tampa. Outgoing Mayor Bill Foster isn’t leaving behind a very strong legacy, criticized as being indecisive and inflexible on big issues, including the future […]
Final days of Knights Stadium
We’ll have more on the Metrodome today, but tis the season for ballparks to close: today is the last day of operations at Knights Stadium, home of the Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League). Dan Rajkowski, Scott Brown and crew are closing the doors on the tenure of the Knights in suburban Fort Mill, S.C., […]
Wolff expected to meet with Coliseum City developer UPDATE
Another sign that Lew Wolff and John Fisher are warming to a commitment to Oakland: Wolff is expected to meet with Colony Capital officials about the proposed Coliseum City development. Coliseum City has been proposed by Oakland officials as a redevelopment of the current O.Co Coliseum/Oracle Arena site. It would contain new facilities for the […]
Countdown to Candlestick’s final act
Barring an unlikely series of events, tonight marks the final game at Candlestick Park, built for the San Francisco Giants and now home of the NFL’s 49ers. Jesse Goldberg-Strassler looks back at the historic venue. The New York Giants won the World Series in 1954, drawing over one million fans to the Polo Grounds. Two […]
Ten million thanks this holiday season
Sometime late afternoon Saturday Ballpark Digest set a record for annual page views, with 10,265,887 so far for 2013. That’s slightly more than 2012 and 23 percent more than in 2011. When we launched ballparkwatch.com a decade ago, we didn’t dream it would turn into a full-fledged publishing company with multiple websites and books in […]
Time Warner opts out of T-Rattlers naming-right deal
Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Low Class A; Midwest League), will have a new name after Time Warner opted out of its naming-rights deal. The ten-year naming-rights deal with Time Warner allowed the cable firm to opt out of the agreement earlier, and Time Warner chose […]
Football returning to Fenway Park in 2015
Football is returning to Fenway Park in the form of a Shamrock Series game between Boston College and Notre Dame on Nov. 21, 2015. Football was played at Fenway Park frequently over the years; Boston College played games there (as shown in the photo above), as did the NFL’s Boston Redskins (before a move to Washington) […]
Bringing outdoor hockey to Rochester’s Frontier Field
It sounds like a blast: Frontier Field, home of the Rochester Red Wings (Class AAA; International League), is in the midst of the Frozen Frontier, with an ice rink featuring minor-league, college and high-school hockey. We’ve seen several minor- and major-league teams utilize winter down time with ice-rink installations, and we’re always a little surprised […]
Levy lands Saints ballpark concessions deal
When the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) open a new Lowertown ballpark in 2015, they’ll have a new dining and hospitality partner: Levy Restaurants. “Providing a wonderful experience for our fans and sponsors is our number one priority,” said Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Derek Sharrer. “The partnership with Levy Restaurants will enhance the […]
Unified Government sets terms for purchase of CommunityAmerica Ballpark
If the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City is to buy CommunityAmerica Ballpark, the Kansas City T-Bones (independent; American Association) will need to agree to a list of lease demands. The Unified Board of Commissioners voted tonight to move forward with a potential purchase of the ballpark after receiving minimal opposition from the […]