OT: Minor League Parks

[mybuddyinc]

Just bored with the Winter, and I know a lot of members are having cabin fever, with all the snow around. So, I decided to "warm" everyone up with a "hope Springs eternal" OT thread.

How many, and which, minor league parks have you been to ??

I'm at 23, which I'm sure is a drop in the bucket to many, but I enjoy thinking about them (North to South):


Lowell
Norwich
Pawtucket / Old, pre-renovation
New Haven / Yale Field
Staten Island / Old Staten Island University Field
North Jersey / Late 1990's NYP, Augusta, NJ
Lakewood
Trenton / Ticket guy for five years
Reading / Greatest minor league organization, imo
Harrisburg / Island Park, in use sine 1880's
Columbus, OH
Memphis / spent a lifetime there one season
Wilmington, DE
Bowie
Greensboro / Old, old, old stadium
Winston-Salem
Hickory
Kannapolis
Charlotte
Columbia / worst stadium ever
Charleston, SC
Columbus, GA
Savannah / can't wait until season starts, Go Gnats !!!


Fun, Fun, Scott

[tschock]

Cool thread! OK, how many I've been to, or how many I've actually seen games in?

Probably forgetting a few since I forgot Columbia initially (from the OP post) and Denver. Just counting affiliated minor league teams (not independent leagues). In any case:

Seen games at (15)
Burlington NC
Carolina NC (Mudcats)
Columbia SC
Danville VA (Braves)
Denver CO (Bears)
Durham (new)
Durham (old)
Frederick MD
Greensboro NC (new)
Greensboro NC (old)
Hagerstown MD
Norfolk VA
Reading PA
Rochester NY
San Jose CA

Been to in addition to the above (25 more)
Akron
Altoona
Auburn
Batavia
Binghamton
Bluefield
Bowie
Charleston
Charlotte
Delmarva
Harrisburg
Hickory
Indianapolis
Lynchburg
Myrtle Beach
Princeton
Richmond
Savannah
Springfield MO
Syracuse
Toledo
West Virginia (Charleston)
Wilmington DE
Winston-Salem (new)
Winston-Salem (old)

[kmac32]

Rancho Coucamonga quakes
Lake Elsinore Storm
Tucson Electric Park
Inland Empire 66er's San Bernardino

[bwbc917]

Canton
Akron
Chillicothe
Toledo
2 in Columbus, Oh.
Mahoning Valley
Lake County
Dayton
Louisville
Ft. Wayne
Durham
Burlington
Winston-Salem ( Shore)
Knoxville
East Tennessee
Asheville
Peoria, Ill and Az
Baseball City back in the 80's
Sarasota
Bradenton
Dunedin
Mesa
Scottsdale
Phoenix
Tucson
Surprise
Rockford
Williamsport
Pittsfield
Frederick

Used to have a list, but lost it. Bet I forgot some. Pittsfield in the 80's was the worst. Dayton and Columbus, Ohio are closest to me. Gotta go to Florence, Ky and the Frontier League this summer.

[MartyFromCANADA]

Buffalo Bisons - Coca Cola Field

Only one for me.

*Also saw the now defunct Ottawa Lynx AAA - Ottawa Stadium
-early 90's, Hamilton Redbirds Low A (St. Louis affiliate) - Bernie Arbour Stadium

[Tabe]

Exactly one:

Avista Stadium (Spokane, WA) - home of the Spokane Indians

Season ticket holder, though, so I've been there hundreds of times, LOL.

[7nohitter]

Pawtucket (Red Sox AAA)

Hadlock (Red Sox AA)

[sycks22]

Durham Bulls, played at old stadium, watched many games at the new one.
Carolina Mudcats
Winston-Salem Dash (won the air guitar showdown with my buddy between the 5th inning break, I'll do a lot for a free t-shirt)
Greensboro Grasshoppers
Asheville Tourists
Myrtle Beach Tourists
Charlotte Knights (Worst park by far)
Savannah Sand Gnats
Iowa Cubs

I love me some minor league baseball.

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by sycks22

Durham Bulls, played at old stadium, watched many games at the new one.
Carolina Mudcats
Winston-Salem Dash (won the air guitar showdown with my buddy between the 5th inning break, I'll do a lot for a free t-shirt)
Greensboro Grasshoppers
Asheville Tourists
Myrtle Beach Tourists
Charlotte Knights (Worst park by far)
Savannah Sand Gnats
Iowa Cubs

I love me some minor league baseball.

Hi Pete,

What made the Charlotte park the worst?

[sycks22]

Originally Posted by 7nohitter

Hi Pete,

What made the Charlotte park the worst?

It was their old park (3 years ago). There was no personality to the stadium (same dimensions down the line, to the gaps). Team store was the size of my bathroom. Seats weren't comfortable, nobody really seemed into the game. I heard they got a new stadium.

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by sycks22

It was their old park (3 years ago). There was no personality to the stadium (same dimensions down the line, to the gaps). Team store was the size of my bathroom. Seats weren't comfortable, nobody really seemed into the game. I heard they got a new stadium.

Roger that. Thanks for the explanation-I hate those 'Kingdome-esque' stadiums.

[Shoebox]

Rosenblatt Stadium. Former home of the Omaha Royals and College World Series.

[LKeeler]

Billings Mustangs at historic Cobb Field, Salt Lake Buzz, and the Casper Ghosts.

[z28jd]

I definitely haven't been to enough parks. In order of how often I went.

Lakewood, been to 100+ games
Trenton, close to 50
Wilmington 4 times, 5 games
Jacksonville(Wolfson Park) 1991
Utica, during the last season they played there in 2001
Oneonta in 1991 as a Yankees affiliate
Staten Island

*Bradenton for a Spring Training game, but it's still the same stadium they use for minor league ball

[EGreenwood]

Sam Lynn Ballpark (Bakersfield Outlaws) and LoanMart Field (Quakes) for me.

Erik Greenwood

[CurtisFlood]

Daytona Beach Class A
Springfield, MO Class AA

Daytona is a bare bones park.

Springfield very nice.

[Sean]

Pawtucket (old stadium)
New Britain
Norwich
New Haven
Tidewater
Raley Field (Sacramento)
San Jose Giant's Class A. I went with my father to see SJ play the Modesto A's in 1998. Joe Nathan beat Tim Hudson 2-1 that day. Thanks for reminding me.

[blackandgold]

Altoona
Harrisburg
State College
Reading (mid 1970's)
Toledo (with a pre-game stop at Tony Packo's)
Columbus
Williamsport

[tschock]

Originally Posted by blackandgold

Reading (mid 1970's)

Ah, yes. Back in the day when you could be 1 of about 200 people at the game.

[blackandgold]

Originally Posted by tschock

Ah, yes. Back in the day when you could be 1 of about 200 people at the game.

The only thing I remember about the game was, the Reading Phillies had a player called "T-Bone" Jones.

[t206blogcom]

Richmond Braves
Tidewater Tides (when they were part of the Mets)

[Jayworld]

Only two:

Dr. Pepper Park (Frisco Roughriders, AA of Texas Rangers)
LaGrave Field (Ft. Worth Cats, independent)

LaGrave is pretty cool in that it was rebuilt on the same site as the old, historic LaGrave field, and the excavated dugouts were incorporated as field "suites," so essentially new LaGrave Field has four dugouts. It is also laid out exactly as the old stadium, with home plate at the exact same location.

I have also been to Majors Stadium, the site of a minor league baseball stadium in Greenville, Texas many years ago. Only the front gate (with ticket window) and adjacent tool/work building are all that's left. The gate is really cool, though: http://www.ballparkreviews.com/templ...in_state=Texas

[BicycleSpokes]

Only one: Boise Hawks


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[z28jd]

Nobody has been to Quad City? Love the view at their ballpark(pictured below). Plan to go someday during a trip I have mapped out.

I also like Bluefield, old school stands and a great view in the outfield

[mybuddyinc]

Originally Posted by 7nohitter

Roger that. Thanks for the explanation-I hate those 'Kingdome-esque' stadiums.

The old Charlotte park was in Fort Mill, SC, south of Charlotte. The story I got from the old GM: The owners at the time thought Charlotte suburbs were going to expand South, and hoped for enough support to someday be considered for major league team. So they started with a frame work for possible expansion to a major league park. Charlotte however, expanded more East/West, not South, so they gave up on stadium. What was left was a "half-assed 'Kingdome-esque' stadium." As Pete said no personality, and imo, quite confusing, glad they got a new one.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by sycks22

Durham Bulls, played at old stadium, watched many games at the new one.

Were you with the Bulls or with somebody else?

Riverside Ca Red Wave 1990s
San Bernardino Spirits and Mustangs 90's and 2000
Las Vegas Stars 1980' s Cashmen Field
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Buffalo
Reading Phillies
Trenton Thunder Boston when it was good
Franklin Lakes Cardinals
Lake Wood Blue Claws
Carolina Mudcats Five County Sta Zebulon NC
Scranton WilkesBoro Yankees
Port St Lucie Mets
Vero Beach Dodgers before moving to west
Norfolk Tides
Summer College
Edenton NC Steamers
Wilson NC Tobs

[sycks22]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Were you with the Bulls or with somebody else?

Not with the Bulls, amateur ball. It was fun being in the dugout and thinking Crash and meat were there.

[Jobu]

Embarrassingly I have only been to one so far, though I went many times, and surprisingly I am the first to post it: Zephyrs Field in New Orleans (AAA). That right there is a steamy baseball game.

Tacoma Tigers / Cheney Stadium
Everett Aquasox / Everett Memorial Stadium
Wenatchee AppleSox / Paul Thomas Sr. Field (WVC)
Tri Cities Dust Devils / Gesa Stadium
Yakima Bears / Parker Field, Yakima County Stadium
Fairbanks Goldpanners / I think it's called Gruden Park or something.

I'd like to see a Spokane Indians home game someday.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by sycks22

Not with the Bulls, amateur ball. It was fun being in the dugout and thinking Crash and meat were there.

Dang. Was hoping you were a player with them (no offense).

My brother-in-law (Dan Snover) actually spent a few weeks with the Bulls when he was in the Braves' farm system. He was there in 1990. Long enough to get a card made during his time there and to generate game-worn jerseys, one of which I came across on Ebay and was able to purchase.

When I asked him about the Bull Durham movie, his answer was "That movie was basically a documentary except the groupies aren't as hot as in the movie"

[BrettHoneycutt]

I've been to the following:

--- Durham, NC (old park)
--- Charlotte, NC (3 different parks, one where Ripken played, one where Sam Horn played and the new one that opened in 2014)
--- Asheville, NC (1980s)
--- Gastonia, NC (1980s)
--- Zebulon (Five County Stadium), NC (1990s)
--- Winston-Salem, NC (old park, 1980s)
--- Kannapolis, NC (2000s)
--- Greenville, SC (old park, 1980s)
--- Spartanburg, SC (1980s)
--- Myrtle Beach, SC (old park, 1980s/1990s, and new park, 2000s)
--- Florence, S.C. (1980s)
--- Columbia, SC (1980s where the Columbia Mets played)
--- Memphis, TN (newest one, 2000s)
--- Lynchburg, VA (1980s old park, and new version when they refurbished it in the 2000s)
--- Richmond, VA (the Diamond, 1980)
--- Hagerstown, MD (1980s)
--- Vero Beach, FL (1980s)
--- Osceola, FL (1980s)
--- Bradenton, FL (1980s)
--- Fort Myers, FL (1980s)
--- Lakeland, FL (1980s)
--- Oneonta, NY (1985)
--- Utica, NY (1985)

***There may be a few more, but those are all of the ones I can think of right now.

[drmondobueno]

San Bernardino Spirit
Reno Aces
Salt Lake City


I like the minor league parks much more than the new corporate major league stadiums. MLB won't be seeing any of my money, mainly because the closest parks are 260 miles away buried in the middle of hellacious traffic. Guess I've turned into an I hate L A curmudgeon but I like more intimate settings.

[edjs]

If parks no longer hosting a minor league team count, then:

Jay Littleton Ball Park, Ontario, California

This is such a nice ball park, it was built in 1935, and was used for spring training games by the Pacific Coast League Angels. It is the ball park you see in many films, including Eight Men Out, The Babe, A League of Their Own, and The X-Files. If you are ever in Ontario, California, and want to see what a ballpark felt like back in the 30s, this is the place to go. I used to play Pony League games here, it felt like you were really part of something playing in this park. Center field wall is 402 feet, so it really is a tough field.

[triwak]

Only two:

Springfield, MO Cardinals (Hammon's Field)
Portland, OR Beavers - their final year there.

[Tripredacus]

Only 3! but I'd like to visit more.

War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo, NY)
The current Bisons Stadium (Buffalo, NY)
whatever the one the Jamestown Jammers play at (Jamestown, NY)

[vansaad]

I have been to four: three different stadiums hosting the Birmingham Barons, and the Memphis Redbirds current home.

My favorite, and the oldest in America, is Rickwood Field in Birmingham. Built in 1910, over 100 hall of famers have played there! Wagner, Cobb, Ruth, Robinson, Aaron, Mays and on and on. The list is staggering (https://www.rickwood.com/national-ba...e-members.html). And 105 years later they are still playing games there, albeit only one Barons game a year nowadays.

[BleedinBlue]

Let's see...

Lancaster Jethawks
New Britain Rock Cats
Connecticut Tigers
New Hampshire Fischer Cats
South Bend Silver Hawks
Breward County Manatees
Frederick Keys
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
AZL Dodgers
Adirondack Iron Birds

Looks like 10 for me. I won't count the VenturaCounty Gulls since they just played one season at the local JuCo. I've been to the park but never watched them play.

[glynparson]

to catch a game at the reading municipal stadium. It is truly a great park and one of the few bright spots the city of reading has to offer. Not a phillies phan but love catching a few games each year and the quality of the ball park food is usually very good. it is ballpark food though so I am talking hot dogs, burgers,etc. Great fan interaction and my daughter and wife both love going and niether are baseball fans. PS Yes I know they are technically named the Reading Fightin' Phils, They will always be The Reading Phillies to me.

[dougscats]

Brooklyn Cyclones,
Staten Island Yankees,

These are both spectacular venues for watching a game.
Both are relatively new and state of the art in design for the intimacy of a minor league park.
Staten Island is on the Hudson and offers an awesome view of the River with the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan in the background.
The Cyclones are right off the boardwalk in Coney Island, with all the lights and screaming of a roller-coaster and amusement park in the background, with the aroma of Nathan's in the air.
Both offer reasonable ticket prices [at least for New York], but are expensive on food/concessions.

I've been to a few others [Trenton, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach], but it was a long time ago.

[cool-vintage]

Nashville Sounds-Greer Stadium (AAA)
Kansas City T-Bones (American Association)

I have visited (wasn't able to see a game but would like to) Clemens Field which opened in 1939. It is home to the Hannibal Cavemen, a summer development league for college players.

[Section103]

Not that many for me:

Zephyr Field - New Orleans
Lamar University / Beaumont Golden Gators (now defunct)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Rosenblatt - Omaha

[bwbc917]

Saw the stadiums in Havana: Estadios Latinamericano
Holguin: Calixto Garcia
Matanzas: Victoria de Girone
Artemesia: ??? But great artwork outside, see below


Sculpture outside Estadio 26 de Julio at Artemisa, Cuba.jpg

[BearBailey]

Delamrva shorebirds. Salisbury, Md
Hagerstown Suns, Hagerstown, Md
Frederick Keys, Frederick, md
Bowie Baysox, Bowie, Md
Wilmington blue rocks, Wilmington, de
Charlotte Knights, somewhere in South Carolina

Been to far more major league stadiums than minor league, but it is very interesting how nice and how bad some minor league stadiums are.

[esd10]

Columbus Huntington park and cooper stadium

[Buckeye]

Not sure if all of these parks/leagues exist anymore but here goes...

American League(southern)
New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA)

Texas League
San Antonio Missions (AA)
Wichita Wranglers (AA)
Tulsa Drillers (AA)
Memphis Redbirds (AA)

Pacific Coast League
Oklahoma Redhawks (AAA)
Omaha Royals (AAA)
Iowa Cubs (AAA)
Nashville Sounds (AAA)
Round Rock Express (AAA)

Midwest League
Cedar Rapids Kernals (A)
Swing of the Quad Cities (A)
Kane County Cougars (A)
Dayton Dragons (A)
South Bend Silver Hawks (A)
Clinton Lumberkings (A)

South Atlantic League
Rome Braves (A)
Asheville Tourists (A)
Winston-Salem Warthogs (A)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A)
Charleston River Dogs (A)
Greenville Bombers (A)
Kanapolis Intimidators (A)
Augusta Green Jacksets (A)
Savannah Sand Gnats (A)

International League
Charlotte Knights (AAA)
Durham Bulls (AAA)

Southern League
Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (AA)

Independents
Fargo (I)
Calgary Stampeders (AAA)
Edmonton (AA)

Florida League
Brevard County Manatees (A)
Daytona Cubs (A)
Dunedin Bluejays (A)
Ft. Myers Miracle (A)
Sarasota Reds (A)
Clearwater Threshers (A)
Tampa Yankees (A)

New York-Penn League
Mahoning Valley Scrappers (A)

Northeast League
Lowell Spinners (A)
Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA)
Connecticut Defenders (AA)
New Britain Rock Cats (AA)

[begsu1013]

hello fellow savannhian!

sucks we lost/are losing the gnats and that the current mayor/city council didn't vote to build a new stadium, even though they spent a cold hard mill on an economic survey, which concluded it'd be a "home run".

maybe the new mayor and city council will do something to salvage baseball in savannah. grayson stadium is extremely historic and if I recall correctly babe ruth did play there and hit a homer?!?!

few other fun facts:

grayson stadium has a long history of baseball being played In Savannah. Legends such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, and Jackie Robinson all played on this field in their early days in the Minor Leagues during exhibitions.

originally built in 1926 and named Municipal Stadium, it saw major renovations and reconstruction in 1941 following a hurricane that destroyed the stadium.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt once spoke at Municipal Stadium in 1933

In 1959, the Yankees and Reds played an exhibition game at Grayson Stadium. Among the Yankees players was future Hall of Famer, Mickey Mantle.




also, not sure if you know or not but they also used to play games inside fort fulaski way back when...





welp, that's my contribution!

[Writehooks]

My minor league experience has all been outside the US:
1) John Ducey Park (now Telus Field) in Edmonton, Alberta (Edmonton Trappers in the PCL, Edmonton Cracker Cats in the indy Northern League).
2) Foothills Stadium, Calgary, Alberta (saw an 18-year-old A-Rod in his short stint with the PCL Calgary Cannons).
3) Goldeye Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba (indy Winnipeg Goldeyes).
4) Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver, BC (PCL Vancouver Canadians).
5) Fengtai Stadium, Beijing, China (Beijing Tigers, China Baseball League).
6) Tianjin Stadium, Tianjin, China (Tianjin Dragons, China Baseball League).

[tachyonbb]

Nebraska:
Omaha Municipal/Rosenblatt Stadium Omaha Cardinals, Omaha Dodgers, Omaha Royals/GoldenSpikes/Spikes/Royals
Werner Park Omaha Storm Chasers
Lincoln Sherman Field, Lincoln Chiefs (Pirates)
Haymarket Park, Lincoln Salt Dogs (I)
Class D Nebraska State League 1956-1959
Grand Island Municipal Field/Ryder Park GI A's
Kearney Memorial Park, Kearney Yankees
McCook Eastside Park (now Felling Field) McCook Braves
Superior Brodstone Field, Superior Senators
Holdrege Fairground Park, White Sox
North Platte Cody Park, Indians
Hastings Duncan Field, Giants
Lexington Fairgrounds Red Sox
Earlier incarnations of the NSL
York East Hill Park, York Dukes
Fairbury Quinn Field Fairbury Jeffersons

Also been to Wahoo's Sam Crawford Field, Tilden's Richie Ashburn Field and Aurora's Clarence Mitchell Field.

The Braves held an open tryout at Rushville NE in 1954. The town recently redid the old wooden grandstand and brought it up to snuff.

Iowa:
Burlington Bees, Community Field
Cedar Rapids Kernals, Veterans Memorial
Clinton Lumber Kings
Des Moines Oaks Sec Taylor Stadium
Quad Cities Only thing I remember is the amazing view

Other
Peoria Ill Chiefs at Dozier Park
Fargo Red Hawks (I)
Phoenix Firebirds Scottsdale Stadium
Savannah Sand Gnats Grayson Stadium (main grandstand is amazing but needs a lot of maintenance)
New Orleans Zephyrs (both Privateer and Zephyr field)

[Joshchisox08]

Well holy crap. I'm well behind.

New Britain Red Sox (behive)
New Britain Rock Cats (was most recent/new)
New Haven Ravens

Saw plenty of players grow through the Twinkies minors.

Mauer
Milton
Ortiz
Jacque Jones
Personal Favorite Torii Hunter (he ran up to me when I was hanging over the railing at a Ravens game and signed my program)
Doug Mientkiewicz
Lew Ford
Terry Tiffe
Radke
Cuddyer

And probably forgetting a shit ton of players.

Ravens I remember seeing

Alex Rios who was playing under the name Alexeis Rios back then that was a playoff game vs the Rock Cats in New Haven Mauer played Milton made a rehab start. Rios hit a bomb off Milton.