Petco Park / San Diego Padres
Petco Park is large scale in a number of ways. Padres sluggers are not especially enamored with the ballpark’s dimensions, especially when they glance at the extreme power allies. While straightaway center is a reachable 396 feet, the power allies extend to 402 in left and a whopping 411 in right. These are especially challenging […]
Astros begin 10th season at Minute Maid Park
It’s one of the most underrated ballparks in the majors: Minute Maid Park marks the tenth season of hosting Houston Astros baseball.It’s been an eventful nine years for the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. To celebrate the team’s 10th season, Lyle Lovett will sing the National Anthem at tonight’s home opener: he was also […]
Minute Maid Park / Houston Astros
The folks in Houston aren’t afraid to think big. The original home of the Houston Astros, the Astrodome, was hailed a modern wonder of the world. Curiously, Minute Maid Park doesn’t seem to be quite as impressive an undertaking as the Astrodome, at least when you approach it from downtown Houston. True, the plan is […]
Jarry Park / Montreal Expos / 1969-1976
Jarry Park was a small, single-deck ballpark originally constructed as a temporary stadium — one that ended up being used seven seasons as the first home of the Montreal Expos. As such, it was the site of the first MLB regular-season game played outside of the United States on April 14, 1969, in a game […]
The week that was: April 4
The top stories of the week on Ballpark Digest, as measured in page views, centered on happenings in Atlantic City, New York City, and The City.The top stories of the week on Ballpark Digest, as measured in page views, centered on happenings in Atlantic City, New York City, and The City: Atlantic City Surf ceases […]
Colt Stadium / Houston Colt .45s / 1962-1964
This will not go down in the annals of baseball as one of the most beloved stadiums ever constructed. In fact, there are very few folks who seem to have fond memories of Colt Stadium, the three-year home of the expansion Houston Colt .45s. Seating: 32,601 (1962), 33,010 (1964) Original Cost: $2 million MLB didn’t […]
Astrodome / Houston Astros / 1965-1999
Astrodome / Houston Astros / 1965-1999Seating: 42,217 (1965), 46,000 (1966), 44,500 (1968), 45,000 (1975), 47,690 (1982), 54,816 (1990) Original Cost: $35 million Architects: Hermon Lloyd & W.B. Morgan; Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson Though domed stadiums had been proposed several times dating back to the 1950s — domed stadiums were designed for the Brooklyn Dodgers […]
New Bowling Green scoreboard installed
The Bowling Green Hot Rods and Daktronics have finalized installation of the team’s new video board and digital scoreboard.The Bowling Green Hot Rods (Low Class A; Sally League) and Daktronics have finalized installation of the team’s new video board and digital scoreboard. “Any fan that comes into Bowling Green Ballpark is going to be blown away by […]
Levy Restaurants lands Fort Worth concessions deal
Levy Restaurants landed the concessions deal at Historic LaGrave Field, home of the Fort Worth Cats.Levy Restaurants landed the concessions deal at Historic LaGrave Field, home of the Fort Worth Cats (independent; American Association). According to the team, Levy will work closely with the Fort Worth Cats to design a food and beverage program that […]
Parkview Field open house scheduled for Saturday
The Fort Wayne TinCaps are showing off their new digs with a Saturday fete.The Fort Wayne TinCaps will be opening Parkview Field on Saturday, April 4th for the general public to get a look at all that Parkview Field has to offer. The Parkview Field Open House will start at 10:00am and end at 4:00pm. […]
Reds, RiverDogs to mark season openers with parades
A parade on Opening Day used to be common in the baseball world. This year, we can find only two teams — the Cincinnati Reds and the Charleston RiverDogs — holding the traditional event. Has the Opening Day parade died out?A parade on Opening Day used to be common in the baseball world. This year, […]
New ballpark bonanza: Yankees, Mets opening new ballparks today
It’s a historic day in New York City, with both teams opening new ballparks to real fans — with the Cubs and the Red Sox in town, to boot. We run down the coverage of the big events from a variety of news sources.It’s a historic day in New York City, with both teams opening […]
Players, umps rip O’s spring digs
Conditions are bad at Fort Lauderdale Stadium and Sarasota’s Twin Lakes Park, but don’t expect the Orioles to address these issues until a spring-training move is announced before the end of the month.Fort Lauderdale Stadium has certainly seen better days, but things got so bad this spring umpires and visiting teams were filing reports with […]