A milestone of sorts last week in Chattanooga, where Engel Stadium, the former home of the Chattanooga Lookouts (Class AA; Southern League), marked its 82nd birthday amid efforts for renovation. One of the great old ballparks of baseball, Engel Stadium was opened by the entrepreneurial Joe Engel in 1930, beginning with a series of exhibition […]
Archive | At the Ballpark
The Week That Was: April 15
Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium anniversaries, naming rights and indy-league comings and goings made news this week in the baseball world. Here are the most popular stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured in page views. Red Sox mark Fenway Park’s 100th anniversary with ballpark events Fielders launch shocker: no 2012 season […]
Drillers cool down ONEOK Field with ballpark improvements
The Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League) are hoping to move past a ONEOK Field sophomore slump with some new ballpark features, including a splash pad, and some clever promotions. The clever promotions begin Sunday (no offense to Myron Noodleman, who was there last night at the season opener) with a grow your own bat […]
One anniversary not marked by MLB this year: Metrodome opening
We’ve been running plenty of anniversary stories this season, but here’s one you won’t see trumpeted by Major League Baseball: the opening of the Metrodome 30 years ago. When the Metrodome opened in 1982, indoor baseball was still a relative novelty: the Astros played in that futuristic amusement park called the Astrodome and the Seattle […]
Nitz returns as Voice of the Explorers
One of our favorite broadcasters returns: Dave Nitz is back as the voice of the Sioux City Explorers (independent; American Association) for the 2012 season. The 2012 season will mark Nitz’s 31st year in baseball broadcasting, his fourth as the Voice of the X’s. A radio broadcast veteran, Nitz has been calling collegiate and professional […]
Mandalay, Braves to pursue private financing for new Wilmington ballpark
Mandalay Baseball Properties and the Atlanta Braves will pursue private financing for a new waterfront Wilmington (N.C.) ballpark, though some public money may end up being part of the deal. At a press conference this morning, Mandalay’s Rich Neumann and the Braves’ Mike Plant announced they’d be working on primarily private financing for the ballpark […]
Heritage Field opens on old Yankee Stadium site
It took a little longer than anticipated, but the promised public park and ballfields at the site of the old Yankee Stadium has opened, mostly to rave reviews from the players on the field. When New York City worked out a deal for the new Yankee Stadium, a provision called for the old ballpark site […]
New ballpark on deck in Savannah?
A new ballpark may be in the works in Savannah, where city officials are looking to divert $22 million raised for a downtown arena to a new ballpark for the Savannah Sand Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League). The preliminary plan calls for money raised via special purpose local option sales tax to be spent […]
Business leaders to push for new Wilmington ballpark
A new group of Wilmington (N.C.) business leaders is pushing for construction of a downtown ballpark for an Atlanta Braves farm team. The business leaders have formed the Wilmington Ballpark Coalition in an It will be headed by Jim Hundley, Jr., CEO of T2 Healthcare, which makes medical devices. “We’ve seen the great things that […]
In Lynchburg, sadness over potential loss of Hillcats
While Wilmington (N.C.) is giddy over the potential arrival of a team, fans of the Lynchburg Hillcats (High Class A; Carolina League) are dreading the team’s potential departure. It’s the flip side to the happy story when a new team arrives in a new market: the market losing the team, creating a loss for local […]
Greensboro’s War Memorial Stadium lives — for now
After several attempts to find a new use for War Memorial Stadium, the Greensboro City Council is looking at tearing down most of the historic 1927 structure, preserving only the facade. The Greensboro City Council took on the issue of the old ballpark this week, debating whether to spend $1.4 million on a partial demolition […]
Mets retooling: closer fences, more hospitality
The New York Mets have had an absolutely horrendous offseason, focused more on financials than fielders. But everything is new on Opening Day, and the Mets start with a clean slate. With budget issues, lawsuits and clawbacks related to team ownership investments with Bernie Madoff, Mets fans spent more time looking for team news on […]
T-Pods, Curve go bottoms-up with new beer system
The Tucson Padres (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the Altoona Curve (Class AA; Eastern League) are the latest teams to implement the flashy Bottoms Up beer system and promote its use — surprise! — on Thirsty Thursday. We’ve written about this unique beer dispenser before, when we first learned about it and then during […]