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"Ballparks should be happy places." -- Bill Veeck

Recent Visits

LaGrave Field, Fort Worth Cats
It is one of the most unique facilities in pro ball: LaGrave Field, the home of the Fort Worth Cats (independent; American Association), sits where the original LaGrave Field sat from 1926 through 1967. The dimensions are the same as in the original facility, home plate sits in the same place, and the dugouts of the old ballpark have been converted to dugout suites. And, being Texas, there's a hitching rail beyond the outfield for folks riding to the games on horseback.

Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson Tigers
Before its thorough makeover and renaming in 2003, “Beautiful Tiger Field” described the home of the Clemson Tigers. Not surprising, and not an overstated moniker. While the ballpark and other athletic facilities are closely connected to the western edge of campus, the grandstand view features an appealing pastoral feel, and although the ballpark is now named for Tigers alum and contributor Doug Kingsmore, it's still a beautiful field.

QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie AirHogs
The aviation theme is strong at QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie, the new home of the Grand Prairie AirHogs (independent; American Association), but it's not overwhelming and gimmicky. We were there opening night: it's an impressive facility that raises the bar for indy facilities and should allow the team to be competitive in the increasingly crowded Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Features

2009 Ballparks
Avon, Ohio
Bowling Green
Charlotte County, Fla.
Columbus, Ohio
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Glendale, Az.
Goodyear, Az.
Gwinnett County
Hannibal, Mo.
(renovations)
James Madison University
Kansas City
(renovations)
LSU (new Alex Box)
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Ole Miss (renovations)
Reno
University of North
Carolina
University of Oregon
University of South
Carolina
Waukesha
Winston-Salem

2010 Ballparks
Charlotte, N.C.
Madison, Wis.
(renovations)
Minnesota Twins
Normal, Ill.
Oakland County, Mich.
Topeka
Tulsa
Pensacola, Fla.

2011 Ballparks
Florida Marlins
Omaha (CWS)

2012 Ballparks
Dodger Stadium
(renovations)
Oakland Athletics
Tampa Bay Rays

Ballparks of the Past
Colt Stadium
Crosley Field
Durham Athletic
Park
Ebbets Field
Griffith Stadium
Huntington Avenue
Grounds
Jack Russell
Jarry Park
L.A. Coliseum
Metropolitan
Stadium
Muehlebach Field
Municipal Stadium
(Kansas City)
Sicks' Stadium
Tinker Field
War Memorial
(Greensboro)

Book Excerpts
The Last Good Season

2008 Attendance
By average
By team
Affiliated - average
Affiliated - league
Affiliated - total
Indy - average
Indy - total
Summer collegiate - average
Summer collegiate - total

2007 Attendance
By average
By team
Affiliated - average
Affiliated - league
Affiliated - total
Indy - average
Indy - total
MLB - total
MLB - average

2006 Attendance
By average
By team
Affiliated - average
Affiliated - league
Affiliated - total
Indy - average
Indy - total

2005 Attendance
By average
By team

2004 Attendance
By average
By team
Indy by team
Indy by league
Combined overall

2003 Attendance
MLB attendance
By league
League overview
By average
By team
Indy by team
Indy by league
Combined overall

2002 Attendance
By league
By average
By team
Indy by team
Indy by league
Combined overall

The Fine Print

Obligatory legal information: This site is copyright 1998-2008 Kevin Reichard/August Publications. All rights reserved. My wife is a lawyer, so she will come and chop off your hand in a legal fashion if you rip off this site in any form. All logos are the property of their respective owners.

Broadcasts

Virtually every MiLB team now streams broadcasts over the Internet, which makes it easy to follow your favorite team when you're on the road. In addition, you can catch MLB game broadcasts at MLB.com or via XM Radio. More on Internet radio and TV broadcasts here!

Archives

2008
Sept. 9-15
Sept. 2-8
August 25-Sept. 1
August 18-24
August 11-17
August 4-10
July 28-Aug. 3
July 21-27
July 14-20
July 7-13
June 30-July 6
June 16-22
June 9-15
June 2-8
May 26-June 1
May 19-25
May 12-18
May 5-11
April 28-May 4
April 21-27
April 14-20
April 7-13
March 31-April 6
March 24-30
March 17-23
March 10-16
March 3-9
Feb. 25-March 2
Feb. 18-24
Feb. 11-17
Feb. 4-10
Jan. 22-28
Jan. 15-21
Jan. 8-14
Jan. 1-7

2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002

Ballparks Sorted by Ranking

Al Lang Field / Tampa Bay Rays
AT&T Park / San Francisco Giants
AutoZone Park / Memphis Redbirds
Bright House Networks Field / Clearwater Threshers
Burlington Athletic Stadium / Burlington Indians
Cheney Stadium / Tacoma Rainiers
Citizens Bank Park / Philadelphia Phillies
Cooper Stadium / Columbus Clippers
Coors Field / Colorado Rockies
Dickey-Stephens Park / Arkansas Travelers
Dow Diamond / Great Lakes Loons
Dodger Stadium / Los Angeles Dodgers
Durham Bulls Athletic Park / Durham Bulls
Fenway Park / Boston Red Sox
Fifth Third Field / Dayton Dragons
Fifth Third Field / Toledo Mud Hens
Finch Field / Thomasville HiToms
GCS Ballpark / Gateway Grizzlies
Isotopes Park / Albuquerque Isotopes
Jackie Robinson Ballpark / Daytona Cubs
Jacobs Field / Cleveland Indians
Kauffman Stadium / Kansas City Royals
Keyspan Park / Brooklyn Cyclones
McCoy Stadium / Pawtucket Red Sox
McCormick Field / Asheville Tourists
Melaleuca Field / Idaho Falls Chukars
Modern Woodmen Park / Quad Cities River Bandits
O'Brien Field / Peoria Chiefs
Oriole Park at Camden Yards / Baltimore Orioles
Petco Park / San Diego Padres
PGE Park / Portland Beavers
PNC Park / Pittsburgh Pirates
Raley Field / Sacramento River Cats
Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George / Staten Island Yankees
Rickwood Field / Birmingham Barons (Annual Rickwood Classic)
Safeco Field / Seattle Mariners
Victory Field / Indianapolis Indians
Wade Stadium / Duluth Huskies
West End Field / Greenville Drive
Wrigley Field / Chicago Cubs
Wuerfel Park / Traverse City Beach Bums

Dell Diamond / Round Rock Express
Minute Maid Park / Houston Astros
Silver Cross Field / Joliet JackHammers
Rent One Park / Southern Illinois Miners
Roger Dean Stadium / Jupiter Hammerheads and Palm Beach Cardinals

Alexian Field / Schaumburg Flyers
Athletic Park / Wisconsin Woodchucks
Banner Island Ballpark / Stockton Ports
Busch Stadium / St. Louis Cardinals
Campbell's Field / Camden Riversharks
CanWest Global Park / Winnipeg Goldeyes
Champion Stadium / Atlanta Braves
Chase Field/ Arizona Diamondbacks
Chukchansi Park / Fresno Grizzlies
Ernie Shore Field / Winston-Salem Warthogs
Fox Cities Stadium / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Fraser Field / North Shore Spirit
Great American Ball Park / Cincinnati Reds
Joe Faber Field / St. Cloud River Bats
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium / Wichita Wranglers
League Stadium / DuBois County Bombers
Lewis and Clark Park / Sioux City Explorers
Midway Stadium / St. Paul Saints
Miller Park / Milwaukee Brewers
Nat Bailey Stadium / Vancouver Canadians
New Britain Stadium / New Britain Rock Cats
Oldsmobile Park / Lansing Lugnuts
Packard Stadium / Arizona Sun Devils
Principal Park / Iowa Cubs
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington / Texas Rangers
Scottsdale Stadium / San Francisco Giants
Security Service Field / Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Sioux Falls Stadium / Sioux Falls Canaries
Rosenblatt Stadium / Omaha Royals
Tempe Diablo Stadium / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Tucson Electric Park / Tucson Sidewinders
Veterans Memorial Stadium / Cedar Rapids Kernels
Warner Park / Madison Mallards
Yankee Stadium / New York Yankees

Angel Stadium / Los Angels Angels of Anaheim
Comerica Park / Detroit Tigers
Copeland Park / La Crosse Loggers
Franklin Rogers Park / Mankato MoonDogs
Legends Field / Tampa Yankees
Legion Park / Great Falls White Sox
McCrary Park / Asheboro Copperheads
Newman Outdoor Stadium / Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
Joker Marchant Stadium / Lakeland Tigers
Riverfront Stadium / Waterloo Bucks
Rogers Centre / Toronto Blue Jays
U.S. Cellular Field / Chicago White Sox

Alliance Bank Stadium / Syracuse Chiefs
Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville / Jacksonville Suns
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard / Bridgeport Bluefish
Carson Park / Eau Claire Express
Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium / Kannapolis Intimidators
Hammond Stadium / Fort Myers Miracle
Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park / USC Upstate
Holman Stadium / Vero Beach Devil Rays
Joannes Stadium / Green Bay Bullfrogs
Kindrick Field / Helena Brewers
Pohlman Field / Beloit Snappers
RFK Stadium / Washington Nationals
Russell C. King Field / Wofford Terriers
Shea Stadium / New York Mets
Space Coast Stadium / Brevard County Manatees
Turner Field / Atlanta Braves
Tropicana Field / Tampa Bay Rays
Trustmark Park / Mississippi Braves

C.O. Brown Stadium / Battle Creek Bombers
Damaschke Field / Oneonta Tigers
Elfstrom Stadium / Kane County Cougars
Knute Nelson Memorial Field / Alexandria Beetles
Memorial Stadium / Fort Wayne Wizards

Cashman Field / Las Vegas 51s
Ed Smith Stadium / Sarasota Reds
Greer Stadium / Nashville Sounds
Knights Stadium / Charlotte Knights
Metrodome / Minnesota Twins
Pat Thomas Stadium / Leesburg Lightning
Siebert Field / Minnesota Gophers

Ratings Explained:

Always worth a special trip; represents the best in ballparks.

Worth a special trip, even if you're not in the area.

A cut above the ordinary.

A better-than-average ballpark.

Nothing really great; nothing really bad.

Has some redeeming qualities.

You must be a huge fan of the team playing in this ballpark.

Have some news you want to pass along to Ballpark Digest readers? Drop us a line!

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Big News of the Week

Here are the biggest ballpark stories of the last seven days.

Baldwin: Current ballpark proposal won't work in Richmond

MECA approves ballpark deal; O-Royals lease not a sure thing

Ballpark Visit: NYSEG Stadium, Binghamton Mets

Knights shopping naming rights to new ballpark

It's official: Nationals Park is LEED certified

Thunder mark 15th anniversary of Waterfront Park

Curses, foiled again! Attempt to hex Bombers fails when jersey is uncovered

Public: We want new Rays ballpark

Ballpark Visit: Arvest Ballpark, Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Do Marlins have enough votes to finalize ballpark deal?