Comerica Park is never going to be as beloved or as celebrated as Tiger Stadium. It is a ballpark Donald Trump might like because there seems to be an endless font of ways for people to spend money. Owner Mike Ilitch looked at his club’s past and decided it had merit as a first course […]
Author Archive | Kevin Reichard
Security Service Field / Colorado Springs Sky Sox
In a world of baseball marketing glitz and glitter, Security Service Field is something of a throwback. The home of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox might best be described as understated. If you are looking for sideshows and other distractions, you won’t find much to your liking here. If you’re seeking a comfortable place to […]
C.O. Brown Stadium / Battle Creek Bombers
There is a lot to be said about C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Mich., that can be both good and bad. Then again, after a visit to the ballpark, you may leave with a sense of romance or appreciation of a night with friends and family at the ballpark. FAST FACTS Year Opened: Originally […]
Doug Kingsmore Stadium / Clemson University Tigers
Before its thorough makeover and renaming in 2003, “Beautiful Tiger Field” described the home of the Clemson Tigers. Not surprising, and not an overstated moniker. While the ballpark and other athletic facilities are closely connected to the western edge of campus, the grandstand view features an appealing pastoral feel. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 1970; $5 […]
Cheney Stadium / Tacoma Rainiers
Cheney Stadium began as a labor of love for a local businessman, Ben Cheney, who wanted a showcase for baseball in Tacoma. Today Cheney (pronounced chee-ney) Stadium is still a beloved part of the fabric of life in Tacoma, largely unchanged from the original designed laid out by Ben Cheney in the early 1960s. FAST […]
Veterans Memorial Stadium / Cedar Rapids Kernels
It would be easy to get a sense of dread as you approach Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the home of the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low Class A; Midwest League). The outside, a high brown-bricked area topped by aluminum in the upper echelons of the park, is rather unattractive and forbidden looking. It reminded us a bit […]
Campbell’s Field / Camden Riversharks
Sporting perhaps the most dramatic view from any ballpark, Campbell’s Field in downtown Camden is surely one of the most scenic ballparks in minor-league baseball. With the Ben Franklin Bridge outside of right field and the downtown Philadelphia skyline past the left-field corner, a Camden Riversharks or Rutgers University game at Campbell’s Field provides a […]
Busch Stadium / St. Louis Cardinals
We really wanted to like Busch Stadium. It is, without a doubt, an improvement over the previous Busch Stadium. But despite a solid location and some nice amenities, too much value engineering and too little charm make it a nice, but not great, ballpark. FACT FACTS Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 46,861 (includes suites and standing […]
Burlington Athletic Stadium / Burlington Royals
The Carolina League doesn’t compete anymore in classic Carolina League ballparks (for the most part, anyway), but at least some of the great old ballparks are still in play; the Burlington Royals compete in the rookie-level Appalachian League, so you can drop by every summer and see professional ballplayers in action. FAST FACTS Year Opened: […]
Bright House Field / Philadelphia Phillies / Clearwater Threshers
When you replace a classic Florida State League ballpark, your new home had better be damned impressive. Ballparks fans shed a tear when the Phillies decided to replace Jack Russell Stadium with a new ballpark, but the replacement — Bright House Networks Field — is such a great facility, you’ll find yourself rarely yearning for […]
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard / Bridgeport Bluefish
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard is a comfortable enough venue to watch the Bluefish take on the Atlantic League, which often includes a former major leaguer or two. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 1998 Capacity: 5,300 + 200 standing room Original Price: $19 million Dimensions: 325L, 405C, 405R Playing Surface: Grass Website: bridgeportbluefish.com Phone: 203/345-4800 League: […]
Chase Field / Arizona Diamondbacks
There is simply no escaping an air-conditioned existence if you spend any time in Phoenix in the summer: the desert atmosphere so welcome for spring training in March becomes rather tiresome by the beginning of June, when it’s just too damn hot to be outside. At the end of the day, air conditioning is perhaps […]
NYSEG Stadium / Binghamton Mets
NYSEG Stadium may not be the flashiest facility in the minors, but may be the most family-friendly facility we’ve run across in a long time. It’s a ballpark where kids can run the bases in the middle of the fifth — and not after the game, as many teams do on a weekly basis — […]