The Batavia Muckdogs at Dwyer Stadium

Official Review by Andrew Kulyk, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Opened in 1939, Dwyer Stadium is home of the Batavia Muckdogs, the short season Class-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Batavia's baseball history actually goes back to the late 1800's, and the city has been a mainstay of the New York-Penn League for decades. The old Dwyer was actually largely demolished in the mid 90s, and a new $3-million facility was built in its place.

Food & Beverage    5

For a spartan facility with limited food preparation infrastructure, the Muckdogs actually offer a pretty decent and varied concession menu. In addition to the red hots, they offer white hots, a light bratwurst which is a Rochester area staple. Burgers with toppings, cheesesteaks, pizza and Italian sausage are on the menu, fries and loaded fries with cheese and bacon, along with ice cream and baked goods.

The signature food item here is called "Muckdog Chow", served in a dog food bowl it is a hamburger patty topped over fries, macaroni salad and a special sauce. It is a pretty big portion so plan to share. A beer garden near the front entrance of the ballpark offers domestic microbrews, imports and the local swill Genny Light.

Atmosphere    2

The ballpark only seats 2600, with most of it bleacher grandstand type seating, so even with a full house it almost seems more like a neighborhood VFW holiday picnic than a baseball game. The scoreboard is a basic balls/strikes/score simple thingy, and even the audio system, with speakers mounted on the infield grandstand canopy, does not offer much in terms of music bumps or between inning contests, entertainment or presentations.

Neighborhood    3

It is a true neighborhood. The ballpark is easily accessed from Exit 48 of the New York State Thruway, and to get here one has to navigate down stately residential homes and to the stadium, which is nestled amidst homes and pretty much nothing else. There are a few surface lots that are located adjacent to the ballpark, and on street parking is ample. As far as pre or post game dining options, Settlers Restaurant, the Center Street Smokehouse, or Best Margaritas Grill, all a 5 minute ride from the stadium, are good options. The Red Osier in Stafford, a bit of ride east of Batavia, is still the marker for this part of the world.

Fans    3

This franchise has been under siege and has been losing money, but the community has rallied to save the team and keep it in Batavia. The ownership of the AAA Rochester Red Wings, located 30 miles to the east of Batavia, has stepped in to take over the management and operations of the team, and that has shored things up here for now. The response from the community has been just so-so, and there is a real fear here that an out of town owner will swoop in and take the team to a different locale offering a better venue and larger customer base.

Access    4

The stadium is easy to find off the I-90, with well marked signage taking fans right to the front door of the stadium. From downtown Batavia, is a straight half mile shot right up Bank St. There are no public transportation options.

Return on Investment    5

Single tickets are priced at a ridiculously cheap $5.50-$7.50, parking is free, and concession prices are way below what one would expect to pay at a AAA or MLB venue. What's not to like? The team offers season tickets for all 38 games for $190, and coupon books that can be used for any single game purchases at a discounted rate.

Extras    3

What makes Batavia so special is that this is one of the last honky tonk old school ballparks remaining in the New York Penn League, which has seen the construction of glitzy venues in such places as Brooklyn and Aberdeen in recent years. Sadly, Batavia is realizing that it is becoming that much harder to compete with the big boys in the league, even this league which is at the bottom of the developmental chain. For now, it is worth the trip, a step back in time to when this league had outposts in such places as Geneva, Pittsfield, Utica and Elmira, and what baseball was like during that time.