The former home of the Winnipeg Whips (Class AAA; International League) and the Winnipeg Goldeyes (independent; American Association) is slated to be torn down next year after the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers move to a new stadium. As a baseball venue, Canad Inns Stadium — the former Winnipeg Stadium — was always lacking, with a […]
Archive | At the Ballpark
Cubs courting Sun Devils as ballpark partner
The Chicago Cubs are pitching Arizona State University officials on sharing the team’s new Mesa spring-training facility in a move that could see the Sun Devils leave venerable Packard Stadium. It’s fairly unusual for an MLB team to court a college program to share a spring-training facility, but this isn’t a normal circumstance. The Sun […]
Obstacles to new ballparks in California: not as bleak as expected
When Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law abolishing California’s redevelopment agencies, many in baseball assumed public financing of ballparks was a thing of the past. Turns out the news may not be so terrible — but the circumstances are still troublesome. Tax-increment financing is a tried-and-true economic-development tool, and it’s occasionally used to build ballparks. […]
The Schaumburg Mallers? Not so fast
The new Schaumburg team in independent baseball still doesn’t have a name, even though there’s been a winner in a name-the-team contest: the Schaumburg Mallers. The contest was a a drawing among all entering a name. Besides winner Steve Larek, an additional 65 winners were selected to receive other prizes, such as a pair of […]
Jammers to honor Jamestown native Lucille Ball
The Jamestown Jammers (short season A; NY-Penn League) will be honoring native Lucille Ball in an unusual way: they’ll don commemorative jerseys tomorrow festooned with images of Ball and ex-hubby Desi Arnaz. We’ve seen lots of commemorative jerseys throughout the years, but none with two pictures on the front. (See for yourself here.) Lucy is […]
ValleyCats hit early attendance mark
Nice milestone for the Tri-City ValleyCats (short season A; NY-Penn League): For the first time since their inaugural season in 2002, the ValleyCats have reached the 100,000-attendance mark before the month of August. Following the game on Sunday, the ‘Cats have drawn a total of 103,076 fans to “The Joe” in 2011. Thus far in […]
Last days to submit nominees for Ballpark Digest Awards
We’re coming up on the deadline for submitting nominees for the 2011 Ballpark Digest Awards, with a deadline of end of business Monday, Aug, 1, fast approaching. As always, we’d love to hear from you about who and what should be honored. The awards are open to all levels of baseball: affiliated, independent, summer-collegiate and […]
Green Man hits Duck Pond; bailed out by Yellow Man
Yeah, we’re pretty sure this is staged — but, to be honest, we don’t care, either. Here’s a humorous clip from last night’s Madison Mallards (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) game, where a Green Man charged the field and artfully eluded his captors. You know the meme: the guy in the green Lycra comes from Fox’s […]
Will Legion move to wood bats?
With three statewide American Legion baseball programs mandating wood bats and several others evaluating a switch, we could see a nationwide shift in the country’s major youth baseball program toward traditional baseball. Rhode Island, Connecticut and Florida Legion programs now mandate wood bats, and several other state programs are evaluating a switch. If enough states […]
Vikings stadium debate could help Saints, Huskies — but unlikely to happen
A proposed new St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) ballpark and a renovation of Duluth’s Wade Stadium could be part of any bonding bill for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium — but the Legislature is unlikely to meet in special session to consider the issue. The state of Minnesota made national headlines with a 20-day […]
New NAL ballpark pitched for Bay Area
Another new independent North American League ballpark is in the works, as investor Brian Clark pitches the Dublin City Council on a $8-million facility in that Bay Area city. Clark, whose Centerfield Partnership is also pitching a new ballpark in San Rafael, is looking for city funding for a ballpark that could cost between $5 […]
The Week That Was: July 24
More fireworks from the independent North American League, possible ballpark changes in Tucson and debates over the future of Tropicana Field highlighted the most popular stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured by page views. Fielders’ Zaman quits on the air Tucson revoking Toros lease for Hi Corbett; Wildcats, T-Padres to follow? […]
Introducing the 2011 Ballpark Digest Awards
It’s that time of year when we start preparing for the 2011 Ballpark Digest Awards. Actually, it’s never been that time of year before so early in the season; we’re moving up the awards this year to let honorees bask in the glory of their accomplishments while play is still ongoing. And we’ve made some […]