Minor League Baseball stadiums you've been to

[Discrim]

i've only been to one, if you consider the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League a minor league and it was to watch (and later play) football-Racine's own Horlick Field, the home of the Belles. Nowadays it's sorta been divided in two: the football field's teh main attraction and is used by the semipro Raiders, and also by most of the high schools, and the baseball field is basically in back and is used by the semipro Kiwanis, the high schools who don't have baseball fields on campus, and beer league softball...i've only ventured around hte football half, though the old press box is on the baseball side (I watched a couple varsity games while a sophomore, and played two JV games there-pretty good field)

basically, the closest true minor league teams are Kane County and Beloit (and if they count, the Chicago-area indie league teams)

[CubsFanBudMan]

Off the top of my head, I've been to Cashman in Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale Stadium (although no minor league team plays there, just Orioles spring training) and Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. I also played at Alexian Field in Clinton, Iowa, home of the LumberKings (Midwest League, Class A) and saw a wedding at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

But my favorite has to be the one across the river from my hometown -- John O'Donnell Stadium in Davenport, Iowa, home of the Class A Quad-City Cubs, Angels, River Bandits and now Swing. Its setting along the Mississippi River under the Centennial Bridge seemed unique at the time I made my first trip there 20-plus years ago, but now it seems to be a popular theme -- Reds, Pirates. Jersey team listed above. Still a great park to watch a game, and I haven't even seen the remodeling job they finished before last season. I've heard it's wonderful.

Having trouble finding a pic that does it justice, but here's a couple:

This site has an IPIX tour, if you have the plug-in:

http://www.qctimes.com/ipix/bandits/

[Sharky99MB]

They ain't Minor League, but the Goldeyes play in a mighty fine facility in the heart of Winnipeg... CanWest-Global Park.

Image is a bit large, but it shows the place off pretty well.

Not many better place to go on a summer evening.

Mmmmm... mini donuts.

I have been to CanWest Global Park...and I gotta tell ya...beautiful place.....ohh fabalous baselines and etc....the view behind home plate (3 rows back to the left of the ump's back......dang cool sight....that was in July last year...I remmy back in 1999 I did sit in Sectoin B way out there near the walls....nice view as well....might go back there later this year if I get lucky and get a ticket!! GO GOLDEYES GO!!!

[sportsfan331]

Teh Phone Booth

[winters in buffalo]

I've only been to three:

Durham Athletic Park (still there, kinda; where Bull Durham was filmed),

Durham Bulls Athletic Park (its replacement), and

Five County Stadium, home of the Carolina Mudcats.

Durham Athletic Park had a homespun feel to it. Five County Stadium was a more modern place, but also with a bit of a homespun feel, though I haven't been there since a huge expansion they undertook a few years ago.

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park (or "D-BAP") is what I'd like to think a new Fenway Park would be - modern on the outside with lots of shops, places to grab something to eat, etc., but a mix of modern and old school on the inside (short outfield fences complete with a "blue monster" in left, a scoreboard here and there, but not tricked out to look like you're watching a video game.

I went to Five County last summer. I'm not sure what it was like before, but it's pretty nice for a AA park. Decent amenities, good sightlines and a nice small town feel. It's the only minor league park I've been to other than Buffalo's DTP and the old War Memorial Stadium (set of The Natural).

I'm ashamed to say I still haven't been to game at DBAP yet, although I plan to this season.

I think I'll take a drive to Greensboro to check out the new First Horizon Park when it opens.

[lost_limey]

I've only been to the Richmond Diamond, and it's a dump.

[appleclock]

Applebee's Park here in Lexington is pretty nice and fairly new. I'd like to see them get a team higher than single A. No offence South Atlantic League!

[biohazard69]

myself ive only been to one Newman Outdoor Field for the northern leagues Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks...which also has "hometown" boy Roger Maris's number 9 retired

Newman Outdoor

[FiddySicks]

there used to be a minor league field in Reno NV, biggets piece of crap ever. ive also been to Autozone park in memphis, kind of like a mini Pac Bell Park

[NJTank]

Ive been to Bears and Eagles Stadium in Newark home of the Newark Bears several times.

[newsenterprise]

Living in Kentucky, we've got three (soon to be four with Bowling Green) minor league stadiums and all three are really nice.

I thought I read somewhere that Slugger Field (home of the AAA Louisville Bats) won some kind of "Best of the Minors" award, but I could be wrong.

Applebee's Park in Lexington is great, too, I just think Slugger is a wee bit nicer.

[mjrbaseball]

A few years back, I made a point to go to a different ballpark each weekend for a couple of summers. (I know, people have done more than that, but I had to keep my job!)

Anyway, by far the best I've seen is GPU Ballpark (formerly Reading Municipal), home of the AA Reading Phillies. Beautiful park, great sight lines, teriffic ambiance, and the food is excellent.

Williamsport's Bowman Field is a little gem. The oldest active park in professional baseball. It's tiny, but well maintained. Go Crosscutters!

Nobody plays there anymore, but the place where the Albany (NY) Yankees once played is gorgeous. It's in the middle of an apple orchard.

Then there is Skylands Park in New Jersey, home of the NJ Cardinals of the NY-Penn League. (Why is it still the NY-Penn League if they have a team in New Jersey?) Skylands Park is in the middle of ... well, nothing. Really. It's not in any town, it's not even near any town. It's out in the middle of cornfields, a mile off what passes for a main road. And the exterior is designed to look like a barn, so you might drive right by and not notice it.

Dunn Field in Elmira NY - home of the independent league Elmira Pioneers. The Pioneers have been in every classification, and affiliated with at least a dozen teams plus being independent, and for over 100 years, they have kept the same name. The town loves their Pioneers. Unfortunately, the ballpark appears to be almost as old, and it shows. It's quaint, but could use some work.

And there is my hometown park, Lackawanna County Stadium, just outside of Scranton PA. I can see the park every day from my office window. Personally, I think it's too big and too opulent. Instead of building a minor-league ballpark, they built a miniature major league stadium. It has artificial turf - yuk! It used to be somewhat scenic, because beyond the outfield wall was a huge cliff with lots of trees and wild animals. But they are developing like crazy, and now the cliff has a movie theater on top of it. Not that you can see much of the cliff anymore because of the huge scoreboard they installed last year.

I'll have more later.

[Pharos04]

The only minor league ballpark i've been to is Frasier Field in Lynn, MA where the Massachusetts Mad Dogs used to play. It's now home of the North Shore Spirit and they've completely overhauled the park from what i've heard. Supposed to be a whole lot better than the original park built during Roosevelt's New Deal.

[See Red]

Harbor Yard Stadium in Bridgeport, CT. Real nice stadium.

Here's the view out looking towards Right Field of a factory -- makes for a cool view.

And Harbor Yard Arena sits just past the left field wall.

[mjrbaseball]

At NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton NY (home of the AA Mets), there is a railroad yard just beyond the left field wall. It is very possible to hit a home run into a boxcar and have it go for hundreds of miles.

[HatCityEnforcer]

Harbor Yard Stadium in Bridgeport, CT. Real nice stadium.

Here's the view out looking towards Right Field of a factory -- makes for a cool view.

And Harbor Yard Arena sits just past the left field wall.

Actually, it's a United Illuminating power plant...

Harbor Yard is a nice little sports plaza...the arena's nice (don't really care for the tenants too much though) and the ballpark is excellent...

Too bad the rest of Bridgeport makes Fallujah look safe by comparison

[Cartabago]

Durham Bulls Athletic Park (Bulls)

Lynchburg Hutchinson City Stadium (Hillcats)

Salem Memorial Stadium (Avalanche)

Nashua Pride's ballpark

Not much but whatever.

[Brian in Boston]

Williamsport's Bowman Field is a little gem. The oldest active park in professional baseball. It's tiny, but well maintained. Go Crosscutters!

I love this ballpark! I used to date a girl who was originally from the Williamsport area and we took in a couple of ballgames there. Terrific little stadium.

[See Red]

Harbor Yard Stadium in Bridgeport, CT.  Real nice stadium.

Here's the view out looking towards Right Field of a factory -- makes for a cool view.

And Harbor Yard Arena sits just past the left field wall.

Actually, it's a United Illuminating power plant...

Harbor Yard is a nice little sports plaza...the arena's nice (don't really care for the tenants too much though) and the ballpark is excellent...

Too bad the rest of Bridgeport makes Fallujah look safe by comparison

Yeah -- I was born there. I only get to go back every couple of years, though. Next time I go back, I'm gonna check out another Blue Fish game -- or if it's during hockey season, maybe a Sound Tigers game.

[DarthMan]

Anyone been to Frawley Stadium, home of the Blue Rocks? Great views.

also been to McCoy in Pawtucket.