Duluth: We’ll continue seeking state funds for Wade Stadium renovations
Duluth officials say they’ll continue seeking state funds for a renovation of the WPA-era Wade Stadium, home of the Duluth Huskies (summer collegiate; Northwoods League). Wade Stadium is in need of repairs and upgrades. The Huskies and Duluth officials have put forth a $8.1 million renovation plan, one that keeps the historic nature of the ballpark while upgrading […]
Milwaukie advances, Hillsboro retreats in Portland-area ballpark race
In the effort to bring pro baseball back to Portland, Milwaukie will proceed with planning and Hillsboro put the brakes on its effort — and both expressed displeasure with the short-season Northwest League. As you’ll recall, there are two efforts by Portland suburbs to bring affiliated baseball back to the market. In Milwaukie, the City Council […]
Logos released for NAL’s Sonoma County, Hawaii teams
We have some logo news to report: here are the logos for the independent North American League’s Sonoma County Grapes and Hawaii Stars, set to debut this season. The Grapes will be playing as a road team in the four-team Northern Division of the NAL, while the Stars will be playing at Wong Stadium in […]
Reports: Mets to host 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field
Not exactly a surprise: New York media outlets are reporting Major League Baseball will be announcing that the 2013 All-Star Game will be played at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. It’s been expected for months that the Mets would land the 2013 game. MLB awards the game alternately between the league; the […]
WSJ: Tear down Wrigley Field now!
Though we’re not seeing the logic besides the need to generate flamebait, a writer for the Wall Street Journal is calling for the Chicago Cubs to tear down Wrigley Field so the team can win a World Series. We pass along the article by Rich Cohen not because we agree with its central premise (no, […]
Affiliated ball in St. Paul? Don’t hold your breath
A hot rumor in Twin Cities baseball circles has the St. Paul Saints possibly going affiliated if a new downtown ballpark opens. Forget it: the chances that happens are slim and none. Not that there’s no precedence for a market switching from indy to affiliated in the wake of a new facility: it’s happened in […]
Hagerstown: Let’s begin designing new downtown ballpark
Despite the lack of state funding and a long-term lease from the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League), Hagerstown officials want to see design begin immediately on a new downtown ballpark. Time apparently is of the essence, as the timeline for a new downtown ballpark will be presented to Mayor Robert Bruchey II and […]
Tampa planning Ybor City baseball museum
A museum honoring Tampa baseball history could be installed in Al Lopez’s childhood home under a plan pushed by the Ybor City Museum Society. Al Lopez, for those too young to remember, was the first Tampa native to play in the majors, joining the Brooklyn Robins (later the Dodgers) in 1930 and spending productive seasons with […]
LA Coliseum teetering on edge of insolvency
Iconic Los Angeles Coliseum, former home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is facing insolvency and could be handed over to the University of Southern California. It’s a tough situation for the facility first built to honor World War I veterans. The state doesn’t have the money to maintain the facility, and the cash reserves for […]
Loggers to underwrite UW-La Crosse program, renovate Copeland Park
In an unusual partnership, the La Crosse Loggers (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) will underwrite the UW-La Crosse baseball program and work together on fundraising for Copeland Park improvements. Finances has been an issue for the UW-La Crosse baseball program for years; the program was almost cut in 2009 and the coaches shifted to an unpaid […]
Ballpark services for the truly lazy: Paying someone to wait in line for you
Forget about having food delivered to your seats: at AT&T Park you can pay someone to wait in line for you and fetch items so you don’t miss a pitch. Now, we all know that several MLB and MiLB teams in conjunction with Aramark have implemented or are rolling out ordering service via smartphone, where you […]
Kapco Park approved for play
Despite concerns the final design didn’t match what was promised, Mequon officials gave final approval to Kapco Park, the new home of Concordia U (Wis.) and Lakeshore Chinooks baseball. The ballpark was originally pitched as a $3.5-million, 1,200-seat facility, with a million dollars coming from Kapco President Jim Kacmarcik. Since then Kacmarcik has put together a summer-collegiate […]
Nationals Park: Catalyst for development
Four years after opening, Nationals Park is finally attracting the kind of development envisioned by ballpark proponents, drawing restaurants, retail and residential to a struggling area of D.C. A review of all the development in the area of the home of the Washington Nationals shows some solid progress at work. Gone is a concrete plant on […]