A proposed independent North American League ballpark at San Rafael’s Albert Field is on hold after a contentious City Council meeting where opposing sides almost came to blows in a rather heated discussion. The proposal from Centerfield Partnership would add 800 temporary seats to the city-owned park and upgrade restrooms and clubhouses while adding temporary […]
Archive | At the Ballpark
Tucson revoking Toros lease for Hi Corbett; Wildcats, T-Padres to follow?
Tucson is in the midst of revoking the Hi Corbett Field lease from the Tucson Toros (independent; North American League), as the city and Pima County look at big changes at where baseball teams play. The Toros played two seasons in the North American League before going on hiatus when the Tucson Padres (Class AAA; […]
San Rafael debates NAL ballpark at Albert Field
The San Rafael City Council will decide tonight whether to approve a plan from Centerfield Partnership to add temporary fielding to Albert Field in hopes of hosting an independent North American League team there next season. The proposal would add 800 temporary seats to the city-owned park and upgrade restrooms and clubhouses. Opponents say adding […]
Work continues on Engel Stadium preservation
A transfer of Engel Stadium management to a nonprofit will help preserve the historic former home of the Chattanooga Lookouts (Class AA; Southern League), which is sorely in need of some TLC. Engel Stadium opened in 1929 and is very much a product of the era, with the classic grandstand and brickwork throughout the grounds. […]
Wrigleyville West delays possibly extended
The Chicago Cubs won’t be building a Wrigleyville West entertainment complex at a new Mesa spring-training complex until 2014 at the earliest, as city and team officials work to come to some sort of game plan in terms of scope and scale. The enormity of the task in creating a retail complex at a spring-training […]
The Week That Was: July 17
Unpaid bills, potential MLB realignment and the unveiling of the world’s most expensive hot dog made headlines this week. We unveil the most popular stories on Ballpark Digest from the past week, as measured by page views. Unpaid players revolt in Lake County: 9 traded, 14 released Astros to AL West: Report Rox to sell […]
Rox to sell world’s most expensive hot dog
Very clever: the Brockton Rox (independent; Can-Am League) will be selling the world’s most expensive hot dog — an $80 frankfurter complete with truffles and caviar — in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record. The Rox hot dog consists of a half-pound all-beef foot-long hot dog, deep fried and rolled in truffle oil, […]
Mets bid for Nassau County ballpark was missing one big component: a team
At the end of the day, the independent Atlantic League — and not a New York Mets group — snared a deal to manage and play at a new Nassau County ballpark because Frank Boulton could unconditionally deliver a team. There were two groups bidding to manage and play in a new $50 million Long […]
Atlantic League lands Long Island ballpark
It’s official: the independent Atlantic League has landed the rights to manage and place a team at a new Long Island ballpark as part of a Nassau County Coliseum development, a project expected to cost $50 million if approved by voters in August, according to an announcement this morning from Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano. Atlantic […]
Decision on Nassau County ballpark due today
The decision on who manages a new Nassau County ballpark is due today, and a local media outlet is hinting that the independent Atlantic League will land the deal over a bid from the New York Mets owners. Nassau County is planning to issue $400 million in bonds to build a new arena and ballpark […]
Volcanoes benefiting from Bevos departure
Baseball fans in Portland, Oregon without a local fix have turned to a local short-season team, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (short season A; Northwest League), for their diamond fix: attendance at Volcanoes Stadium is up some 27 percent this season. “I know we’re seeing a lot more Portland area people this year because I’ve been talking […]
Bandits take second Battle of the Sexes from RiverHawks
There seems to be a pattern emerging: A four-run sixth inning propelled the Chicago Bandits, a women’s pro softball team, to a 4-2 comeback victory over the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) in the second annual Battle of the Sexes fast-pitch exhibition Tuesday night. The RiverHawks were no-hit until the final inning of last season’s […]
Racing OK’d for former Clippers home
The Columbus City Council approved plans to convert Cooper Stadium, the former home of the Columbus Clippers (Class AAA; International League), to a racing facility despite objections from neighborhood residents. The vote was unanimous, but there were some conditions applied: sound barriers must be periodically inspected, and races must end at 10 p.m. A city […]