Age is relative when it comes to baseball stadiums — a point well exemplified by McCoy Stadium, the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox. In theory, McCoy Stadium is one the oldest ballparks in the International League, first opening in 1942. So a visitor unfamiliar with the recent history of McCoy Stadium would expect a […]
The Charlotte Knights have been working for several years toward a new downtown ballpark. After visiting Knights Stadium, it’s easy for me to see why: Although Knights Stadium is a newer ballpark (opening in 1990), it’s not very nice and not very convenient. Located 14 miles south of Charlotte in Fort Mill, S.C., it seems […]
A look back at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium, the former home of the Philadelphia Phillies and Clearwater Phillies. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 1955 Former Capacity: 6,942 Dimensions: 340L, 400C, 340R Surface: Grass Address/Directions: 800 Phillies Drive, Clearwater. Take Hwy. 19 north of St. Petersburg to Drew Street, where you’ll head west approximately four miles until you […]
Fifth Third Field, home of the Toledo Mud Hens / page 2So, when the chance came to build a build with all the bells and whistles downtown, the city (which oversees the non-profit organization that runs the team) jumped in feet first. The result is a slightly larger version of Dayton’s ballpark, the Class A […]
Fifth Third Field is an impressive edifice that seemed to have been carved out of stone. The fact that it has helped turned Toledo’s warehouse district into the place to be during the summer is one of the more impressive feats of the young 21st century. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 8,943 fixed seats; […]
Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, home of the Kannapolis Intimidators, has been a bright spot in a community that’s seen more than its share of setbacks in recent years. Now, with the local economy on the verge of a return thanks to biotech firms moving into the area, the Intimidators can potentially reap the profits of their […]
ll you really need to know about the Dell Diamond is this: it feels like it’s in the middle of a former pasture. Whether the site was a pasture in the past or not is fairly irrelevant; the more important point is that the home of the Round Rock Express benefits from a bucolic setting. […]
Coca-Cola Park is surely one of the best new minor-league ballparks to come down the pike in recent years, a place where every fan — ranging from the big-buck corporate types in the dugout suites to the families setting up camp on the left-field berm — can have a fulfilling game-day experience. FAST FACTS Year […]
If anyone needs a model for a successful urban minor-league stadium, they need look no farther than AutoZone Park, home of the Memphis Redbirds. AutoZone is renowned in minor-league baseball circles as being one of the best ballparks in use, and nothing during a recent visit dissuades us of that notion. FAST FACTS Year Built: […]
Banner Island Ballpark is the centerpiece of Stockton’s urban revitalization, a lovely waterfront ballpark that serves well as home to Single-A baseball. The ballpark design is basic: a single level of seating with a concourse wrapping the entire ballpark. Though the effect comes off a little sparse — the 4,200 fixed seats are between the […]
While it lacks some of the frills found at other International League parks, NBT Bank Stadium does the basics pretty well. The entire park has comfortable chair-style seating with ample leg room. No bleachers anywhere. The concourse divides the lower 100 and 200 levels from the suites and general-admission upper level. The concourse also features […]
Boy, $34 million doesn’t buy a lot anymore when it comes to ballparks. Case in point: the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, the new $34-million home of the Jacksonville Suns. True, there’s nothing really wrong with the Baseball Grounds: when you’re settled in your new seat, the Baseball Grounds is a pleasant enough place to watch […]
Victory Field is one of the most lauded ballparks built in the last 20 years; go to the Indy Indians’ Web site and you’ll see kudos from the likes of Bob Costas, who hails the minor-league ballpark as one of the best ever built. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 1996 Capacity: 14,200 Largest crowd: 16,168 (July 22, […]
