Keys To Visiting Harry Grove Stadium

Official Review by Geoff Crawley, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Harry Grove Stadium is the home of the Frederick Keys, Single A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Opened in 1990, it has hosted an All Star game, concerts and professional wrestling.

As far as minor league baseball goes, it's kind of average.

Food & Beverage    3

All of your regular ballpark fare can be had here, your peanuts, popcorn, burgers, dogs and pizza. You've got a crab cake sandwich, but it's Maryland, that's to be expected. There is nothing special, but if you're dying for ballpark nachos or Dippin' Dots, you won't be disappointed. Beer selection is small and average priced.

Atmosphere    3

One of the great things about minor league baseball is how hard they go out of their way to entertain you. While the Keys make a great effort at this, the effort was marred by the sound system. It was difficult (near impossible, actually) to hear anything from the outfield speakers, which seemed to be the only ones working.

They do have a kids area with a merry-go-round, moon bounce and tee ball. They invited some fans on to the field between innings for various activities, including the "Albert Haynesworth Challenge," where two fans tried to do the conditioning test so famously (and repeatedly) failed by the Redskins defensive tackle. One of the fans passed it.

Neighborhood    1

You can hang out in the parking lot before or after the game. Oh, and there's a graveyard across the street, if that's your bag. Short of that, it's the game. I mean, there's lots of stuff to do in the town of Frederick, but not without driving to it.

Fans    3

Good fans are into the game, yell at the players and the umpires, and are generally well involved in the game. All true here in Frederick, but there were just not enough of them to warrant a higher score.

Access    5

There is plenty of free parking available at the stadium, which is easily found just off of Interstate 70 west of Baltimore. The bathrooms sparkle and are a good size, no waiting.

Return on Investment    1

Everything, from food to tickets is well priced. You can see baseball in a decent park with decent ballpark food at a decent price. Overall though there isn't a good return on your investment, only because there is nothing special or exciting about this venue.

Extras    1

There is a good-sized family section here where there is no beer allowed. It's a great place to teach your kid about the game being played the right way.

Final Thoughts

If you are in the Frederick area and want to see a minor league ballgame, rent a car and drive to Hagerstown or Bowie. If you can't rent a car, well, you can't go see the Keys anyway, because you can't walk there from anywhere. It was ok, I guess. But you can do better around here.


Geoff Crawley is the Mid Atlantic Regional Correspondent and Voice of the Fan and is the host of a weekly podcast.