Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Constellation Field 1 Stadium Drive Sugar Land, TX 77498 Sugar Land Space Cowboys website Constellation Field website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 7,500 Sugar Land Space Cowboys – Constellation Field In 2008 the city of Sugar Land, Texas (which was founded to be a company town for the Imperial Sugar Company in the early 1900s) approved of a plan to build a new ballpark in the hopes of luring a minor league franchise to the city. After several years of negotiations, the route to bring an independent league squad was born, in the form of the then Sugar Land Skeeters, in 2012. As members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, the Skeeters made headlines by bringing in baseball greats like Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro, as well as NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady, to serve as members of their ever-rotating roster. The team would win league championships in 2016 and 2018. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the Skeeters reached an agreement with the Houston Astros  to become their Triple-A affiliate, rebranding as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys  in 2021. As members of the Pacific Coast League, they would add another championship to their trophy case in 2024. From the beginning the team has called Constellation Field their home – the venerable park has become a key feature in the city of Sugar Land and is one of the main draws in the Pacific Coast League. Read on to learn more about it.   Food & Beverage   4 I am always pleasantly surprised when Minor League Baseball facilities go the extra mile in terms of concessions. While I am always a fan of hot dogs, popcorn, and peanuts, sometimes you crave just a little bit extra at a ballgame. Constellation Field scratches that itch in a lot of ways. You can, of course, find the aforementioned ballpark staples at numerous kiosks on the main concourse. However, if you want that something different, it can be found in abundance. Chain favorites such as Bojangles, Double Dave’s Pizzaworks, Dippin’ Dots, and HTea0 all have pared-down menus of their wares (i.e. chicken sandwiches, pizza slices, ice cream, and artisanal iced tea) for fans to sample. At other stands you can find burgers, chicken fingers, barbecue, nachos, sausages, funnel cake, and cotton candy. There are also multiple spots in the ballpark where one can find beer, hard seltzer, and cocktails. Also the costs are relatively reasonable, considering what you’re getting – you’re getting a pretty good deal, food and drink-wise, at Constellation Field.   Atmosphere   3 Despite being in use for over a decade, Constellation Field still looks and feels like a brand-new ballpark. The team has done a lot to make the overall game day experience something fun for fans of all ages. One of the signature features of Constellation Field is – what must be – one of the largest scoreboards I have ever seen. As a Texan I love any and all things shaped like our great state; at Constellation Field they have applied this principle to their giant scoreboard in center field. It is eye-catching and an attention grabber right off the metaphorical bat. Beyond the outfield walls, Constellation Field offers up an area called HEB Picnic Plaza – this full-scale playground and splashpad area for the kids is sure to keep young fans occupied and engaged during Space Cowboys games. There are also stands that serve adult beverages – a.k.a. bars – in both areas, for folks of age who are not interested in swing sets and climbing walls. Also of note is the Moonshot Alley area on the main concourse behind home plate. This is a batting cage for fans to test their mettle just like the players on the field. There are also two team stores in the stadium, each chockful of Space Cowboys gear for fans. Beyond the right field wall is The Grassland, where fans can watch the game on a grassy berm. Attendees can bring in lawn chairs and/or blankets to catch a Space Cowboys game truly out in the elements. Lastly, and conversely, the Regions Bank Club offers up a premium seating experience for fans. There is a climate-controlled area with a full bar and food options, along with balcony seats. It’s a great place for fans to cool off during those warm summer evenings in southeast Texas.   Neighborhood   3 As mentioned, Sugar Land has become a de facto suburb of the fourth-largest city in the country, Houston. Space City, with all that it has to do and see, including major sports franchises such as the Houston Texans , Houston Rockets , Houston Astros , and Houston Dynamo FC , is less than an hour north of Sugar Land. However, if you’re looking to stay in Sugar Land proper, there are plenty of options to keep you occupied. In terms of things to do, the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land should be right at the top of your to-do list, either before or after a game at Constellation Field. The vast collection of artifacts at the museum allows visitors a chance to explore the multiple floors, with a variety of hands-on science exhibits. Also, no trip to Sugar Land is complete without a visit to Sugar Land Town Square. Like a lot of great towns in Texas (and across the country), Sugar Land was originally built outward from its now historic town square. Home to historical sites, public spaces, dining, and shopping options, the square offers visitors a chance to park, stroll, and explore. Speaking of dining options, I recommend State Fare Bar & Kitchen and Live Oak Grill; State Fare offers up a fun take on a lot of classic dishes, such as Frito pie, burgers, and street corn, while Live Oak Grill serves up classic Texas favorites like chicken fried steak, fried catfish, and tacos. For lodging, there are plenty of options very close to the ballpark (though I wouldn’t recommend walking to and from them), including Residency Suites Sugar Land and Hilton Garden Inn Houston/Sugar Land.   Fans   3 The Space Cowboys have consistently averaged around 3,800 fans a game over the past few seasons. This puts them near the top of the Pacific Coast League and makes them one of the premier destinations in the league. Fans that attend can generally be found rocking Space Cowboys gear – I even spotted a few Clemens Skeeters jerseys at the last game I attended. There is also quite a bit of Astros  gear to be seen, but that is to be expected. With Sugar Land being basically a suburb of Houston, the club is competing with everything that Space City has to offer. The fact that the Space Cowboys get the support they do is a testament to the organization and to what the staff does at Constellation Field.   Access   3 As mentioned, Sugar Land is just under an hour (depending on the time of day and the traffic) from Houston. Both George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport in Houston offer flights into and out of Space City to spots all over the world, if you’re flying in. Once in Sugar Land, Constellation Field is easy to find and has plenty of signs marking the way. Parking is abundant at the ballpark as well. The only thing keeping this section’s score from being higher is there are no real public transportation options to get you to Space Cowboys games; ridesharing is going to be your best bet if you don’t want to drive.   Return on Investment   4 Single game tickets at Constellation Field can be had for as little as $9 for general admission seating. This is truly a unique bargain, even for a lot of clubs at the minor league level. Parking is also quite the bargain at $10 at the gate, or $5 if purchased ahead of time. The concession costs here are pretty much on par with what you’d expect to find in the minor leagues. Not overly cheap, but there are options that won’t bust your budget or empty your wallet. This is triple-A baseball and a spot where a lot of Astros  do their rehab work. To get the chance to see the future (and sometimes the present) of the big-league club at these kinds of prices is really a bargain that more fans should take advantage of.   Extras   4 Like pretty much all the teams in the minor leagues, the Space Cowboys do a ton of promotional nights for fans. These include Star Wars night, Harry Potter night, and Barbie night, just to name a few – the game I most recently attended had a Taylor Swift theme. Sugar Land also takes part in baseball’s Copa de la Diversion (“Fun Cup”) that reaches out to Hispanic communities across the country. Teams that take part don new uniforms and swap names that are both area appropriate and culturally fitting; when it’s Sugar Land’s turn they become the Payasos del Rodeo de Sugar Land (aka the Sugar Land Rodeo Clowns). Lastly the Space Cowboys have their own unique costumed mascot, Orion . This blue-furred alien space dog can be found throughout games dancing on the dugouts, riding around in the bed of a pickup shooting his t-shirt cannon, and interacting with fans. He’s a great addition to the team and a real hit with young fans.   Final Thoughts I had not been back to Sugar Land since the team rebranded itself and became affiliates of the Astros . I wasn’t sure how much had actually changed in the ensuing seasons, but I was optimistic. Having now gone back, I can say my optimism was rewarded. Constellation Field takes its place among the great minor league parks in Texas, right up there near the top. It’s a great venue for fans, with a ton of options to make sure everyone has a good time. It also doesn’t hurt that the team has ridden the wave of success that’s carried their parent club. Sugar Land is also a sneaky good place to have a weekend getaway – it’s far enough removed from the hustle and bustle of Houston, but has enough amenities to ensure a good time. If you’re a baseball fan, Sugar Land, the Space Cowboys, and Constellation Field need to be added to your bucket list. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on X at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) Community Park 75 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, NY 10301 Staten Island FerryHawks website Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) Community Park website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 7,171 Welcome to Hawk City Following Major League Baseball’s contraction of the minor leagues after the 2019 season, Staten Island was left without affiliated baseball for the first time in two decades. The New York–Penn League’s Staten Island Yankees had come to the borough in 1999, first playing on the campus of the College of Staten Island, before moving into their permanent home at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, then known as Richmond County Bank Stadium. That absence did not last long – in 2022 the independent Atlantic League introduced a new team, the Staten Island FerryHawks, with a name honoring one of the borough’s most recognizable symbols, the Staten Island Ferry. The stadium is also the home of both Wagner College  and New York University baseball. Baseball has long had a home on Staten Island’s waterfront, from the Metropolitans of 1880 to the Yankees  and now the FerryHawks. Today, Staten Island University Hospital Community Park continues that presence, offering fans a ballpark experience highlighted by its waterfront setting, skyline views, and community atmosphere.   Food & Beverage   3 At SIUH Community Park fans can find something to suit both traditional ballpark tastes and local flavors; concessions here are typical for minor league stadiums, with a touch of local flavor. Frankie’s Tenders and Tots focuses on classic ballpark favorites, including chicken tenders, crispy chicken sandwiches, and wings, each accompanied by a side of fries, while Hawk City Burgers serves up traditional burgers with optional cheese or bacon, alongside grilled chicken sandwiches and veggie burgers for non-beef eaters, all also served with fries. The standout concession, Flour & Oak by Angelina’s, offers authentic New York pizza slices, mozzarella sticks, and Italian-style fried dough, zeppole. The Kills Boro beer tent on the third base side provides a selection of craft beers, including the Ferry Hawk-branded Hawk Eye Lager and six additional brews from the Staten Island-based brewery; non-alcohol options are limited to Pepsi products.   Atmosphere   3 The main point of entry is directly behind home plate at street level. The entry plaza features orange and light blue bollards, giving the entrance a personalized touch, while the canopy over the gates resembles the sails of boats in the harbor. Once inside the concourse fans are greeted with a breathtaking view of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Jersey City, with the Statue of Liberty standing proudly in the distance. The stadium’s sea of light blue seats complements the harbor just beyond the outfield fence, and the playing surface is artificial turf, including the baselines, with a large orange interlocking “SI” woven into centerfield. The main scoreboard, located in left center, is topped with a silhouette of the Verrazano Bridge. While this board provides a detailed rundown of batter statistics, information on pitchers is limited, leaving fans without details about who is on the mound. The game presentation features several mid-inning contests to fill downtime. The contests are not especially unique, but they provide a lighthearted break and a touch of entertainment between innings. Sound effects are used regularly throughout the game, while remaining subtle enough not to be distracting, helping maintain the stadium’s lively atmosphere. Common wisdom might say seats closer to the field provide the best game experience, but this comes with some drawbacks. The closer the seats are to the action, the less a view of the skyline and harbor can be enjoyed. The Atlantic League often features rosters with a handful of former major leaguers – during the most recent game I attended, former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval played for the FerryHawks. While most former major leaguers may not have the same notoriety as Sandoval, the league has seen stints from legends such as Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, and Roger Clemens.   Neighborhood   4 SIUH Community Park sits on New York Bay, adjacent to Empire Outlet mall. The surrounding area is largely urban,  where apartment buildings have transitioned from the borough’s single-family houses. While the Staten Island Ferry offers easy access to Manhattan’s endless food and entertainment, there are plenty of options closer to the ballpark as well. Just across the ferry terminal viaduct, the National Lighthouse Museum highlights the borough’s maritime heritage, while Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens houses both the Staten Island Children’s Museum and the Staten Island Museum. For dining, Empire Outlets next to the stadium features several national chains, and the nearby St. George ferry terminal has additional casual options. Those looking for something more local might try Mavi Cafe, a highly regarded Mediterranean restaurant. Other acclaimed restaurants in the neighborhood lean a bit more formal for a pregame stop, but fans will find no shortage of choices within a short walk of SIUH Community Park. Fans 2 Staten Island has long struggled with attendance; neither the Staten Island Yankees nor the FerryHawks have topped 2,000 fans a night since 2017, when the Yankees, then a New York-Penn League affiliate, averaged 2,040 per game. Even in their 2006 title season, the Yankees ranked just 8th out of 14 teams in attendance. Today, the FerryHawks sit last in the Atlantic League, drawing around 1,100 fans per game. The fans who do show up can spark some excitement, but the small numbers make it hard to sustain a true home-field atmosphere.   Access   3 If you’re visiting just for a game, getting in and out of Staten Island brings the usual challenges of driving in America’s largest city. Traffic along I-278 generally moves reasonably well,  but it can be a lot to contend with. In addition, one of the problems with traversing Staten Island is that it is not served by the New York City subway system, creating additional logistical hurdles to contend with. For most visitors the easiest way to reach the ballpark is to stay in Manhattan or Brooklyn, take the subway to the Whitehall Street-South Ferry station, and then ride the Staten Island Ferry across. Both the subway and ferry run 24 hours, making this route dependable no matter when the game ends. For those driving, the Empire Outlets parking deck next to the stadium is the most practical option. Limited street parking is available within a short walk of SIUH Community Park, but be sure to watch for posted parking restrictions. The stadium has three entrances, two in the outfield and one behind home plate, but only the gates along Richmond Terrace are open. The concourse circles the top of the seating bowl from behind home plate down the third base line, and on the first base side, stairs descend to a lower concourse that stretches toward right field. The walkway ends at the outfield wall on both sides, as there is no seating beyond the fences. One benefit of the ballpark’s urban setting is how quickly the area clears after games – fans seem to disperse fairly quickly afterward, simply blending into the regular commotion of New York City.   Return on Investment   3 With general admission tickets starting at $18, prices are on the high side for independent league baseball, especially compared to other Atlantic League teams where entry often begins at $12. Concessions also carry the usual stadium markups, with several main items running a few dollars more than typical restaurant prices. The stadium does not have its own designated parking, so the costs there depend on personal choice; either paying $10 to park in the neighboring Empire Outlets garage, which is reasonable by city standards, or searching for a free street spot within walking distance.   Extras   4 In a moving tribute, Staten Island native and former Major Leaguer Anthony Varvaro is honored with his # 24 displayed on the suite level and scoreboard. Varvaro, who pitched for the Mariners , Braves , and Red Sox , retired to serve as a Port Authority police officer before tragically losing his life in a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver. FerryHawks mascot Frankie is everywhere, seemingly having his feathers in everything from leading the pre-game festivities to keeping fans entertained between innings. Behind the first-base seating area, the Professional Baseball Scouts Wall of Fame, established in 2008 by the Topps Company, recognizes the accomplishments of the game’s top scouts. If possible, plan your visit for a fireworks night – the display against the Manhattan skyline is nothing short of spectacular.   Final Thoughts SIUH Community Park’s location has a rich history of hosting baseball, rooted in the borough’s love for the game and its waterfront setting. With intimate sight lines, breathtaking skyline, and harbor views, the park offers a unique and memorable outing for fans. Today, the borough’s baseball tradition continues at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, where the FerryHawks provide a modern, family-friendly experience while celebrating waterfront baseball.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Toyota Field 5106 David Edwards Dr San Antonio, TX 78233 San Antonio FC website Toyota Field website Year Opened: 2013 Capacity: 8,000 San Antonio FC – Toyota Field In 2016 the United Soccer League (USL) awarded its newest franchise to the Alamo City, and San Antonio FC  was born. For the entirety of their existence the club – which is owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment – has called Toyota Field home. The facility was constructed to be a soccer-specific stadium, opened in 2013 as home of the now defunct San Antonio Scorpions of the North American Soccer League. The ultimate goal was to bring a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise to San Antonio, but that no longer appears to be in the cards. Regardless, futbol-mad fans have flocked to Toyota Field in droves since its opening, and have supported San Antonio FC with rabid passion. By and large the club has rewarded this loyalty with success on the field; this culminated in winning the USL Championship in 2022. The club and the stadium are now entering their second decade of existence, but both still feel brand new.   Food & Beverage   4 The centerpiece of the food and drink scene at Toyota Field are the stands operated by local celebrity chef Johnny Hernandez , who has opened outposts of two of his celebrated restaurants, La Gloria  and Burgerteca , on the second concourse at the south end of the stadium. Offering Mexican-style burgers, nachos, tacos, and churros, the stands (which are built out of old shipping containers) are some of the more popular spots in the stadium. The staff also added a Kickin’ Chicken chicken strips stand in one of those shipping containers, which offers up chicken strip and French fry combo baskets – the smell coming off this stand is quite frankly intoxicating. On the lower level you will find more traditional food stands, including a few self-serve options that sell soda, water, hot dogs, and popcorn. These are always a welcome feature, and have greatly reduced the wait time in the concessions area. In a nice touch that is a nod to the city’s Latino-centric roots, there are also two fruit cup stands in the stadium, one each on the first and second levels. These stands offer fresh fruit seasoned liberally with chile, as well as other traditional favorites like aguas frescas, shaved ice (i.e. sno cones), and corn cups. You can also find barbecue sandwiches, pizza by the slice, and other game day favorites like soft pretzels at stands on the first and second levels. It really is a great scene considering this is ostensibly a minor league facility.   Atmosphere   3 Like many soccer stadiums, the main draw in terms of atmosphere at Toyota Field is the energy and excitement that the crowd brings. The fan groups dominate the northeast corner of the stadium, with banners flying and drums banging the entirety of each match – these groups let off red smoke at the start of each game and after each goal scored. They are as much of a part of the game as the players on the pitch. Additional items to be on the lookout for are the team store on the second level, below the Sky Court, and the multiple enlarged San Antonio FC shield logos placed throughout the stadium, which are perfect for photo ops. Lastly there are some newer innovations at Toyota Field, two of which I frankly have not seen at other stadiums. The first is a lactation pod for women with infants who are breastfeeding; this climate-controlled pod offers a private and comfortable space for mothers to take care of their children. The second is the Nook pod, which is a private, recessed area that is noise controlled and allows fans to take a break from the energy and noise of the stadium – it features benches and a table, as well as a charging area.   Neighborhood   3 Toyota Field is in the middle of a mix of residential and industrial areas, on the northeast side of the Alamo City. It is about a 20 to 25-minute drive from the city’s tourist-centric downtown area, which is probably what most people think of when they think of San Antonio (i.e. the Alamo, Tower of the Americas, Alamodome , River Walk, etc.). However, the area around Toyota Stadium is not without its own attractions. For example, the facility is adjacent to one of the city’s most unique attractions in Morgan’s Wonderland . This one-of-a-kind theme park was created with the goal of making it completely accessible to people of all abilities. There are roller coasters, a water park, giant Ferris wheel, games, and more, with each designed to be as inclusive as possible. Also within walking distance of the venue are Ricos S.T.A. R. Soccer Complex and Heroes Stadium . These top-notch facilities were designed for amateur athletics (the S.T.A.R. is also the practice facility for San Antonio FC) and can be counted to on be hopping during the spring and fall, during the local high school soccer and football seasons. With the soccer field located where it is, there aren’t many options in terms of dining or lodging nearby. However, Interstate 35 is less than five minutes away, and heading north or south will put you within reach of dozens of restaurants and hotels. However, I will make one recommendation here for dining. Thousand Oaks Cafe  is only a few short minutes away from the field along the eponymous Thousand Oaks Drive – this place is one of my all-time favorite spots for Tex-Mex; it is only open for breakfast and lunch, so keep that in mind if you want to grab a bite.   Fans   4 San Antonio FC has averaged between 6,000 and 7,000 fans per season, with most nights being virtual sellouts at Toyota Field. As mentioned the energy and engagement from the fans really adds to the overall atmosphere. There are regular tailgates in the parking lot before games, and the fan groups themselves are a real draw. As an example of how engaged the fans are, the most recent game I attended was a “Red Out.” The club was handing out t-shirts that night, but by and large from what I could see, most fans were already decked out in red. To me, that’s a sign of a good fanbase.   Access   4 Toyota Field is conveniently located off Interstate 35, which runs north and south through San Antonio. It is a major thoroughfare, and you can get to anywhere in the city in 15-30 minutes by traveling it. The stadium is visible from the highway, and there is signage leading the way. If you’re traveling into the city for a game, the stadium is about a 12-minute drive from San Antonio International Airport . If you choose not to drive, the city’s public transportation option, VIA Metropolitan Transit , has bus routes that drop fans off near the facility. Once on site, parking is plentiful. I must also add that this is one of the easiest sports venues to get both in and out of that I have ever experienced – if only all of them could be this simple.   Return on Investment   3 Single-game tickets for San Antonio FC games start at around $21. This seems to be pretty commensurate with how things are going in the sports world. Parking, if you wait until you get to the stadium, can be had for around $10 depending on how much you’re willing to walk. When it comes to concessions there are plenty of bargains to be had; fountain drinks, for example, if you buy the souvenir cup, have unlimited refills. Considering how successful the club has been in recent years, attending a match at Toyota Field continues to be one of the best bargains in the city in terms of sports.   Extras   2 In terms of extras, there continues to be a lack in this category for San Antonio FC and Toyota Field. The one thing that keeps this score from being lower is the theme nights that the club utilizes throughout the season. This season, for example, there was a Harry Potter night and a loteria night. The team also hosts a Hispanic heritage night and a cancer awareness night. During certain summer games they also show movies on the jumbotron; things like that are a step in the right direction, in terms of adding more for fans to enhance their gameday experience.   Final Thoughts I will freely admit that I am not that big of a soccer fan. However, even someone like me can recognize when something good is happening. The team and the city have done a lot to get behind San Antonio FC, and Toyota Field looks and feels like a first-class facility. It feels like the days of getting a larger team to come into the venue have passed, but right now, it’s great for what we have. If you’re a fan of the sport, I would highly recommend catching a game at Toyota Field. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 CARSTAR Field @ Bernie Arbour Stadium 1100 Mohawk Rd E Hamilton, ON L8T 2S4 Hamilton Cardinals website Bernie Arbour Stadium website Year Opened: 1970 Capacity: 3,000 A Fresh Coat of Red Paint With the 2023 Intercounty Baseball League season, the Hamilton Cardinals began a new era.  The purchase of the team by Eric Spearin and his group brought forth a ton of changes.  First and foremost, the identity of the team saw a punch of the reset button with a new, modern logo, which strayed from the traditional St. Louis Cardinals type logo and embraced some of the local lore.  The new hammer-wielding cardinal was not the only change.  A new focus on the fan experience and promotions thrust the team out of the traditional “1919” era (the year that the league was formed).  In 2025, the Cardinals also made a splash, signing 48-year-old, former Major League closer, Fernando Rodney.  The Cardinals have come a long way since their original Hamilton Beaver days.  The team was also known as the Red Wings, Marlins, Real McCoy's, and Thunderbirds. Home for the Cardinals is CARSTAR Field @ Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.  Bernie Arbour Stadium, the common reference for the home of the Cardinals, opened in 1970 and was a former home to Minor League Baseball with the Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals calling Hamilton home from 1988 to 1992.  The team was known as the Hamilton Redbirds and played in the New York-Penn League.  Hamilton also housed the Hamilton Red Wings, a charter member of the PONY League, a precursor to the NYPL, from 1939 to 1956.  The stadium is named after the late Bernie Arbour, who was a former Hamilton police sergeant and had a number of roles in youth sports in the city.  Food & Beverage 3 The concession options available at Bernie Arbour Stadium are found at The Bird Feeder Concession Stand and have improved over the years.  Hot Dogs, sausage, fries, poutine, pretzels, popcorn, freezies, and ice cream are all available.  Adding chili or pulled pork is also an option.  Cans of Coca-Cola products are the crux of the soft drink options, which also include water, coffee, and tea.  Alcoholic beverages are available from local Shawn & Ed Brewing as well as Flat Rock Cellars, and Vodka Friday.  A number of unique options are available.  The Cardinals employ a unique system where purchases are made at a desk, and customers are given tokens to redeem at the concession window.  Some vendors also come through the grandstands periodically, which is definitely unique to this league. Atmosphere 3 Bernie Arbour Stadium is located at Mohawk Park and is part of a massive sporting complex complete with other baseball fields, football and soccer fields, and a track facility.  Being a former MiLB affiliate, it does feature a permanent structure that is a decent size.  With the new branding, Bernie Arbour Stadium has received a facelift, complete with new logos and more use of the colour red overall.  The exterior of the stadium is unassuming and welcoming.  The permanent structure houses the main grandstand, concessions, washrooms, and press box.  In the concourse, a renewed focus on merchandise is found at “The Perch” pop-up team store.  Along the chain link fence, behind the third base line, the Cardinals have some nods to their history with banners showing the variety of logos they have employed over the years, including the brief Hamilton Thunderbirds period.  A banner celebrating Tyler Duncan and his 2023 IBL MVP award and the retired number 13 for Dean Dicenzo is also found here. The main grandstand is raised from field level and is an inverted octagon with 11 rows of plastic-covered aluminum benches.  The sightlines are terrific from this vantage point, which is probably the highest compared to any other IBL stadium.  At the top of the grandstand is the press box, and on the front is another nod to the retired number 13 and an acknowledgement of the Cardinals lone IBL Championship in 1978.  On both the first and third base sides, there are sets of “permanently temporary” bleachers to handle the overflow.  The natural surface field boasts massive amounts of foul territory, which is great for the pitcher but not so great for the batters. The gameday atmosphere at Cardinal games appears to have been a point of focus.  The improvement is significant with a renewed focus on the fan experience.  Regular promotions include the “beer batter,” where it becomes “happy hour” for an inning, and there are specials on alcoholic beverages if the specific opposing batter strikes out.  As opposed to posting “Ks”, as seen in many ballparks, Little Caesars sponsors the Cardinal strikeouts, with a young intern running across the grandstand with a spear impaling pizza-designed pillows equal to the number of strikeouts.  The in-game host is full of energy and does what she can to engage the crowd.  The staple 50/50 draw is also found at Cardinals games. A variety of other promotions take up the season calendar.  For the game that was reviewed, it was “Murder Mystery Night,” and the team gave away little notebooks at the door.  The in-game host led the crowd through a murder mystery involving various Cardinals personnel, encouraging fans to try to figure out “who-done-it.”  A very unique and well-done promotion. Neighbourhood 2 Bernie Arbour Stadium is found in Mohawk Park, which is located on “The Mountain” in Hamilton, in the southern half of the city, near the Lisgar, Huntington, and King’s Forest neighbourhoods.  A nice area of the city, Mohawk Park is huge, with numerous sports facilities; however, there are not a huge number of pre- and post-game options for food or drink.  Lime Ridge Mall can be found to the west of Mohawk Sports Park, but for the most part, chain restaurants are what will be found there. There are a few other sporting options that can be found in Hamilton.  First and foremost, would be the Hamilton Tiger-Cats  of the CFL and Forge FC  of the CPL, who play at Hamilton Stadium.  The Canadian Football Hall of Fame can be found on the second level of Hamilton Stadium. The newly renovated TD Coliseum can be found downtown and is the home of the NLL’s Toronto Rock.  As of this writing, the City of Hamilton is hoping to attract an AHL franchise to town.  The Hamilton Kilty B’s  can be found on the Mountain as well.  On the northwest side of the city is McMaster University, and the Marauders play football  at Ron Joyce Stadium and basketball  at Burridge Gymnasium.  The south end of Hamilton is where the airport can be found, and a top-notch tourist attraction near the airport is the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. For fans looking for a place to stay close to Bernie Arbour Stadium, the Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton near South Hamilton Square is available. Fans 3 Assessing fans in the Intercounty Baseball League is difficult, as nearly all teams do not publish and compile attendance figures.  That being said, the IBL has boasted improved attendance figures, league-wide, over the last few years.  Anecdotally, the crowd at the game that was reviewed was solid, spreading out to one of the sideline bleachers.  The fans were definitely into the promotions as well as the action on the field.   Access 4 Getting to Mohawk Sports Park is not difficult at all.  The park is north of both the Lincoln Alexander Parkway and Red Hill Valley Parkway and is significantly easier to get to than the downtown venues from out of town.  There is plenty of parking available in the park for the number of fans that attend Cardinals games.  There are HSR bus stops along Upper Kenilworth on the west side of the park for those who wish to take public transportation.  Fans should consult the Hamilton Street Railway  website for schedules, fares, and maps. Moving around the ballpark is not difficult at all; however, there are plenty of stairs in the grandstand and bleachers, which could be limiting for those with mobility issues. The washrooms are part of the permanent structure and spacious enough to accommodate Cardinals patrons. Return on Investment 5 Intercounty Baseball offers one of the lowest-cost sporting experiences around.  Tickets can be purchased online or at the door for $12.  Parking at Mohawk Park is free, and concession prices are decent.  The experience that the fan receives for the very small investment is great, and fans will want to make a return trip, especially with the renewed focus on the fan experience. Extras 4 An extra mark for the Hamilton Cardinals Alumni Association, which connects former players and the teams to the community and fanbase.  An extra mark for kids running the bases … at the top of the 3rd Inning! An extra mark for the improvement in the gameday experience and focus on fan engagement. An extra mark for the “Murder Mystery Night” promotion, which was unique and engaging, and something that should be an annual part of the Cardinals calendar. Final Thoughts Taking in a Hamilton Cardinals game is a great way to spend a summer evening or afternoon.  Bernie Arbour Stadium is one of the best venues in the province, too.  It may not be a tourist destination, and Intercounty Baseball may be lower than the affiliated ball; however, it is the top league in Ontario, and for a hardcore ballpark traveler, a trip to Bernie Arbour Stadium will be worth it.  The new paint at Bernie Arbour, along with the renewed focus on the fan experience, enhances the trip to the ballpark and will have fans wanting to make return trips. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads, and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Turtle Creek Stadium 333 Stadium Drive Traverse City, MI 49684 Traverse City Pit Spitters website Turtle Creek Stadium website Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 4,660 Pit Spitters The Traverse City Pit Spitters are a summer collegiate wooden bat baseball team, a member of the Northwoods League.  The unique name gives a nod to a quirky contest held at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, MI – cherry pit spitting. The team entered the Northwoods League in 2019 and made an immediate impact, capturing the championship that same year and again in 2021. Their home games are held at the visually-striking Turtle Creek Stadium, located in Chums Corner, MI—a suburb of Traverse City. Originally opened in 2006 as Wuerfel Park, the venue was home to the Traverse City Beach Bums of the independent Frontier League. Food & Beverage 4 The Pit Spitters have an above-average selection of food and excellent beer choices.  The concession stands sell hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, etc. ($5.50 - $9).  Pizza, chicken tenders, and bratwurst run $6 - $10.  Plenty of snacks are offered including fries, corn dogs, nachos, candy, pretzels, peanuts, cookies, and even yummy fried pickles on a stickle.  Carts include Dippin’ Dots, regular ice cream, pretzels, tacos, elephant ears, and more. Stands grilling burgers and encased meats on the spot are at either end of the concourse, and we recommend getting a meal there as it’s fresher and tastier.  Concessions serve Pepsi brand sodas, water, coffee, hot chocolate, and Gatorade.  The concourse boasts several portable beer stands and three bar areas.   The Traverse City Whiskey Co sells a solid variety of cocktails and draft brews (craft beers are $10.50/pint). The Shorts Brewing Company, on the third base concourse, offers an excellent selection of beers.  You can purchase a variety of fruit-flavored vodka drinks, slushies, and cocktails at Gypsy Spirits. Turtle Creek Stadium - Traverse City Whiskey Co., Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Atmosphere 4 Turtle Creek Stadium boasts a distinctive yet inviting architectural style, reminiscent of beachside cottages.  The inner concourse’s ceiling is adorned with string lighting creating a coastal boardwalk ambiance, while tables paired with beach chairs and umbrellas line the upper seating area.  Sea-blue and white premium suites and offices - some with balconies - grace the second level. Below the concourse, the main seating structure features comfortably wide (21”) blue fold-down stadium chairs with plenty of leg room.  Traverse City Pit Spitters National Anthem, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey It’s all quite pleasing to the eye.  The noise, however, is another story.  The music operator plays at a volume that makes normal conversation difficult. Short sound clips are triggered after every single pitch, making it hard to focus on the game and diminishing the overall enjoyment. Even noise-canceling headsets struggle to block out the constant barrage of sound. Fans can walk the entire concourse and can watch net-free baseball in sections beyond both the first and third bases.  The far end of the first baseline houses a kids play area with bounce houses.  Fans participate in the traditional between-inning contests with a very excited emcee, and other fun activities like a beer batter are often played. The team celebrates numerous promotional nights throughout the season, such as Star Wars Night, Pickle Night, Christmas in July, Super Heroes Night, and many more. The merchandise shop sells a good choice of shirts, mementos, and trinkets.  The shop representative told me that sweatshirts are the best-selling item.  Check the weather before attending an evening game, as that extra layer may be needed. Neighborhood 3 While Traverse City is a charming, vacation-destination lakeshore community and town, the ballpark was built seven miles south of town in Chums Corner, MI, with little to nothing surrounding the stadium for pre or post-game activities, except fast food places. That said, the Traverse City area is an absolutely, fantastic summer vacation destination. There is an assortment of food restaurants, from Blue Tractor BBQ, The Flying Noodle (Italian Pasta House), The Red Spire Brunch House, Sleder’s Family Tavern, and so much more.  Traverse City has a host of spots for beer, wine, or spirits.  Right Brain Brewery (plenty of pinball machines), North Peak Brewing Co, 7 Monks Taproom (Gastropub), and Traverse City Whiskey Co, are just some samples.  Wineries abound just five miles north on the peninsula off Traverse City (Old Mission Peninsula), for tastings and water view s. Visitors can also enjoy a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the bay (Clinch Park), kayak, rent a boat, ride a bike, or take a stroll along the scenic waterways. Kids might enjoy the Great Lakes Children’s Museum or Pirates Cove Adventure Park (amusement park).  When in the area, be sure to visit the World’s Largest Cherry Pie Pan and Moomers (ice cream farm). The most exciting time to visit is early July when the National Cherry Festival is celebrated in Traverse City.  A few hotels (Baymont by Wyndham Traverse City, Courtyard Traverse City, Spark by Hilton) are between the ballpark and downtown, and an Econo Lodge is a mile south of the stadium.  While all this is marvelous, most of the activities are more than five miles from the ballpark. Fans 3 The Pit Spitters draw many families, vacationers, and those wanting a social night out.  The fans cheer standout plays and player and team-branded apparel is common amount the fanbase.   With an average attendance nearing 2,500 per game, the team consistently ranks among the top two or three in Northwoods League fan turnout. Access 3 While Traverse City has bus service, it does not go to the stadium.  Fans can get within 1.3 miles with multiple transfers, but reaching the venue still requires a lengthy walk. Evening service also ends before the final pitch, making personal vehicles the most reliable option. Paved parking is available for $6. Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) is located approximately 7 to 8 miles northeast of the stadium, making it a convenient arrival point for out-of-town visitors. The stadium’s exterior has a few benches in front of the entrance.  Security checks bags.  Clear bags do not appear to be mandatory. One notable drawback for visitors unsteady on their feet is the absence of handrails along the seating area steps, which can make navigation challenging. Return on Investment 4 Attending a Pit Spitters game is an affordable afternoon/evening out.  Take advantage of some of the team’s weekly promotions, many offering some kind of discount. Sunday:   First 250 kids 12 and under eat free and family day Monday:   Deal Days (a new offer every Monday) Tuesday:   Bring your pup and half off craft brews Wednesday:   Half price box tickets to veterans, first responders, health care workers, teachers, and snowplow drivers Thursday:   $2 hot dogs and Pepsi, $3 beers, and $1 Great Lakes chips Friday:   Fireworks Saturday:   Half price box seats for Silver Sluggers (fans over age 50) Single game day tickets cost $16/box, $10/lawn.  The patio tables run $120 (up to four fans), and hospitality areas offer deals for large groups.  Parking is $6. Extras 2 Be sure to pick up a roster at guest services and note the starting lineups posted on the wall nearby. The stadium’s design is refreshingly unique, offering a pleasant backdrop adding charm to the facility. Final Thoughts Traverse City is a fantastic vacation destination, offering scenic charm and a vibrant downtown energy. Removed from the city’s downtown, Turtle Creek Stadium features a visually striking architectural style and offers a steady lineup of game-day promotions.  While the venue delivers a pleasant experience overall, dialing down the music volume and reducing the between-pitch noise would make it even more enjoyable for fans.

Dave and Paul head south to visit a train station? Or is it a ballpark? Only one way to find out is to grab a beer and check out the latest episode of Stadium Journey's Obstructed Views and take in Minor League Baseball's Arkansas Travelers. __________________________________________________________________________________ You can read Stadium Journey's review of Dickey-Stevens Park and the Arkansas Travelers game day experience here.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Sleeman Centre 50 Woolwich St Guelph, ON N1H 3V1 Guelph Storm website Sleeman Centre website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 4,715 Storm City Hat Tricks The Hat Trick was born in Guelph, Ontario.  In the 1940s, the Guelph entry in the OHA was sponsored by the Biltmore Hat Company of Guelph.  The team was known as the Guelph Biltmores, and eventually the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters.  The Biltmore Hat Company rewarded any player scoring three or more goals in one game with their choice of hat from their factory and the term “Hat Trick” was born. Guelph was a hotbed for hockey with teams at the Junior A level, and eventually Major Junior, from the 1930s right through to 1989 when the Guelph Platers moved to Owen Sound.  The current Guelph Storm franchise was originally the Toronto Marlboros who were founded in 1904.  In 1989, the original Marlies moved to Hamilton for two horrible seasons as the Dukes before heading to Guelph to become the Storm in 1991.  Home for the Storm is the Sleeman Centre.  Opened in 2000 as the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre, the arena was deemed necessary after the departure of the Platers.  The former Guelph Eaton’s Centre was chosen as the location after the closuring of the anchor tennant Eaton’s department store.  The arena was built right where the store was located and remnants of the mall remain surrounding the arena.  In 2007, local purveyor of fine beer, Sleeman Breweries purchased the naming rights for the arena and are contracted to remain the title sponsor of the arena until 2030. Food & Beverage 4 There are a number of concession options in the Sleeman Centre.  Pretzels, popcorn, hot dogs and pizza are all on the menu.  Candy and ice cream can be found at a few of the stands also.  Some more unique choices include the authentic Roman Pizza at the Penalty Box or some of the huge selection of confections at the Candy Counter.  Coca-cola products are the soda of the Sleeman Centre and water, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are among the soft drinks available.  Sleeman products are available at the beer stands.  Draught Picks Tap House and Grill is a full service bar at the south side of the arena and is also an option for fans. Atmosphere 4 The Sleeman Centre is a unique facility as it is built inside a shopping mall.  As a result, the majority of fans will not enter through the main doors on Woolwich Street.   Parking entrances off of Macdonell Street having fans enter through the south side or through the Old Quebec Shoppes, the remnants of the mall, is far more popular.  That being said, the front exterior of the Sleeman Centre is attractive with light siding and tinted windows.  It is not a hulking structure, and is almost inconspicuous from the front.  Entering the front or through the mall will take fans to the main staircase, which is essentially under the arena.  Fans will pass by the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame  which offers a number of interesting entrants including George McPhee, Todd Hlushko, and John Cullen.  Guelph also has a history of providing officials to the NHL including Bill McCreary, Ray Scapinello, Terry Gregson and Ron Asselstine. Patrons will ascend the stairs to the second level, which is the main entry to the arena.  The concourse around the seating bowl is not very wide, so getting there early for some exploring is the best idea.  The ice at the Sleeman Centre is oriented from west to east with entry to the concourse coming from the south side.  The north side is going to provide the perfect centre-ice logo picture.  The concourses offer a few interesting tidbits worth checking out.  Each of the section numbers offers a list of players who wore that number for the Storm over the years.  For example, the sign for Section 105 offers a list of all Storm players who donned the number 5.  There are pillars in the concourse listing Storm players who have played for Canada or other countries in the World Junior Hockey Championships and the debut date and team for all former Storm players who played in the NHL.  These items were formerly listed on the second level, at the east end, which has been replaced by huge ads.  Also of note in the concourse are Storm team pictures over the years and the retired jersey of Paul Fendley, who died in 1972 and was a member of the Guelph CMC’s, a Junior A precursor to the Storm in Guelph.  Above the ice is a four-sided videoboard with top and bottom ribbon rings and a simple scoreclock.  The fascia of the second level, which is home to the club seats and luxury boxes, has a full, 360 degree ribbon board.  The rafters are littered with banners.  The retired numbers of Jeff O’Neill, Todd Bertuzzi and Ryan Callahan hang with that of Paul Fendley.  Among the many Division and Conference banners fans will find banners for the 1998, 2004, 2014 and 2019 J. Ross Robertson Cups as OHL Champions and the 1952 Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters Memorial Cup Championship and 1986 Guelph Platers Memorial Cup Championship. The gameday production is not uncommon for an OHL franchise.  DJ KToss runs the music selection from the Storm Stage, at the east end on the second level and he also participates in promotions.  Mascots Spyke and Stormy aid in promotions and interact with the crowd.  Neighbourhood 4 The Sleeman Centre is located in Downtown Guelph.  There are a number of spots for pre and post game food and drink in the area.  Some choices include 1881 Steakhouse, McCabes, NV Kitchen, Royal Electric, La Cucina, Baker Street Station and The Wooly Pub.  Fans looking for more sports in the area may want to consider heading to the University of Guelph where the Gryphons play football at Alumni Stadium , hockey at Gryphon Centre Arena  and basketball at the Guelph Gryphons Athletic Centre .  During the summer, the Guelph Royals  compete in the IBL.  Non sporting options may include seeing something at the River Run Centre, on the opposite side of Woolwich Street, or taking a tour at the Sleeman Brewery in Guelph. For fans wishing to stay in Downtown Guelph, the Royal Inn and Suites and Western Hotel, may be of interest. Fans 4 The Guelph Storm have a very strong following.  At the time of writing, in the 2024-2025 season, the Storm are averaging over 4,500 fans per game.  The previous season they averaged over 4,700 fans per game, which is near capacity.  They normally rank 4th or 5th in the OHL in attendance.  Fans are knowledgeable and supportive of the team, although not overly boisterous, common for Southern Ontario sports fans.   Access 4 Getting to the Sleeman Centre is not terribly difficult.  The Sleeman Centre is located in Downtown Guelph between Woolwich Street and MaDonnell Street.  The confluence of Highways 6 and 7 is less than four kilometers from the arena, and getting there should not be too difficult.  Most fans are heading to the parking garages off of McDonnell Street, so the intersection of Woolwich and MacDonnell can be a challenge closer to puck drop.  There are a few parking garages downtown, so finding a spot should not be an issue.  For fans wishing to take public transit, the Guelph Transit Station is less than a block away.  Fans should check out the Guelph Transit  website for fares, maps and schedules.  Security and Covid restrictions are constantly changing in Ontario.  Stadium Journey encourages all fans to check with the Guelph Storm and Sleeman Centre websites for up to date security information. Getting around the Sleeman Centre can be a bit of a challenge as the concourses are not huge.  Intermission times are particularly bad and lines for the washrooms then can be long.  The stairs from the Old Quebec Street Mall may present issues for those with mobility issues. Stadium Journey acknowledges that security protocols are constantly changing.  Stadium Journey encourages fans to consult the Guelph Storm and Sleeman Centre  websites before heading out for the most up-to-date security protocols including prohibited items. Return on Investment 4 Tickets for the Guelph Storm are $30 for a regular seat, with discounts for students, seniors and children.  Club seats are $37 and come with seat service.  Tickets are a little expensive compared to other teams in the OHL.  Parking in the garages on site will cost $5 and concession prices are what one would expect. The product on the ice is very high quality and fans will definitely enjoy their trip to the Sleeman Centre Extras 4 An extra mark for the Storm Chasers Booster Club. An extra mark for the City of Guelph and their excellent use of a downtown structure to incorporate OHL hockey.  An extra mark for the Guelph tradition of honouring players who score a hat trick with a Biltmore hat. An extra mark for the intense rivalry with the Kitchener Rangers. Final Thoughts The Guelph Storm are probably not the first team thought of when regaling others with tales of the Ontario Hockey League, however, the Storm have been a solid franchise throughout their duration and their home, the Sleeman Centre, is a solid hockey venue.  Storm City is worth checking out and fans should definitely consider a trip to Guelph for some OHL hockey and maybe even a hat trick. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Journey FANFARE Score: 3.14 J.D. McArthur Arena @ Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre 1900 3rd Ave. E. Owen Sound, ON N4K 2M6 Owen Sound Attack website Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre website Year Opened: 1983 Capacity: 3,500 The Little Bear that Could On the banks of Georgian Bay sits the smallest market in the Ontario Hockey League. In 1989, the Guelph Platers, who had been in Guelph since 1968, made the move north to the Grey-Bruce area of Ontario. The Owen Sound Platers were to be sold to a businessman out of town which would require relocation. The “Super Six,” would come together to purchase the team and keep them in Owen Sound. Brian Johnson, Dr. Robert Severs, Fay Harshman, Frank Coulter, and Peter and Paul MacDermid, a group of local business owners, would keep that can-do attitude alive in Owen Sound and the Attack have remained viable and competitive in the Ontario Hockey League. The hard work culminated in the Attack’s 2011 J.Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions and a berth in the Memorial Cup. Home for the Attack is the J.D. McArthur Arena at Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. Located right on Georgian Bay, the Bayshore is named after Owen Sound favourite son and Hockey Hall of Fame member Harry Lumley, who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs and won the 1954 Vezina Trophy. The arena portion is named after J.D. McArthur, a former Owen Sound hockey player who also coached and sponsored sports teams in Owen Sound as well as serving as the arena commissioner and having a vital role in the construction of the Bayshore Community Centre. Food & Beverage 2 Concessions at J.D. McArthur Arena are fairly simple. Hot dogs, burgers, pretzels, nachos popcorn, cotton candy, chocolate bars, and chips make up the entirety of the food menu. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, and Coca-Cola products are the soft drinks available at one of the four concession stands. As far as beer selection goes, Molson Canadian, Coors Light, Creemore, and Miller Lite are all available. The menu is very simple in Owen Sound and fans will find something to tide them over, however, for something more complex or interesting, stopping somewhere before or after the game is probably the best idea. Atmosphere 3 The Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre is in a picturesque location right on the bay. An older building that has been renovated, the Bayshore has an added atrium in the front. The exterior is an attractive light brick with huge banners of Harry Lumley and advertisements for the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame. The main entry at the south leads into the atrium where the main ticket office is found along with a small merchandise store. Heading to the left and around the corner fans may head down the hall to take in the Hall of Fame which includes a set of Harry Linley’s old goalie pads. After ascending the stairs to the J.D. McArthur Arena, fans enter the main concourse behind the seating bowl. Immediately the McArthur Arena gives vibes of a time gone by as well as the feeling that this venue, like the Owen Sound market itself, is of small size. The concourse is outlined with dark-colored, aluminum siding on the exterior walls, giving the area a dark and serious look to it. The Attack use every piece of space for murals of teams gone by or advertisements. A large mural dedicated to the 2011 championship team dominates the concourse and is worth checking out. The Captain’s Wall also features several familiar names who have served as captains of either the Attack or Platers including Kirk Maltby, Dan Snyder, and Bobby Ryan. Space is not a luxury afforded the J.D. McArthur Arena. Above the north-south running ice surface, several massive iron beams cross over the ice, holding the structure of the building up. The ceiling is the lowest in the league and gives the arena a bunker-like atmosphere. The video board above center ice, which seems precariously low-hung, is very narrow and has four sides of a video screen and four sides of a traditional scoreboard with a very narrow LED ribbon circle at the bottom. To the north side of the ice surface, the banners hang for the 2011 J.Ross Robertson Cup team which includes conference and division banners. Honoured members of Owen Sound hockey Dan Snyder, Kirk Maltby, Scott Walker and Andrew Brunette also hang at the north end. Fans wanting the perfect photo of the centre ice logo should sit on the west side of the area. The seating bowl has ten rows of surprisingly comfortable, red, plastic arena seats. Luxury boxes have been squeezed into the east and south concourses and a large party box can be found in the southeast corner. The gameday production at an Attack game is very simple. Music is played during the downtimes and simple promotions happen throughout the game. The mascot, Cubby, makes appearances at various times during the game. Neighbourhood 3 The Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre is located in one of the most picturesque locations in the entire OHL, right on the inlet of Georgian Bay. There are a few spots for pre and post-game food and drink that are not too far. Bishop’s Landing Lake View Patio is right across the parking lot, in the Best Western. Other options not too far include The Yard, Mudtown Station Brewery, and Boot and Blade. Fans heading to 16th Street will find several chain restaurants and fast food spots. The Owen Sound Attack is the only game in town, so it is the draw in the Sound. The Grey-Bruce area is very much an outdoor area with fishing and parks on the water in the area. Other tourist attractions include the Billy Bishop Museum, the Marine & Rail Museum, and the Grey Roots Museum and Archives. For fans wishing to stay right by the arena, the Best Western is right there. Fans 3 With the smallest market in the OHL at just 22,000, Owen Sound needs to maximize its fan support to make ends meet in Owen Sound. Usually topping out around 3,000 fans per game, the Attack does not have the inelastic demand for tickets that one might expect. In the 2022-23 season, the Attack was 17th in the 20-team OHL in attendance, averaging just over 2,500 fans per game. Attack fans view their team like a family and do not get overly riled one way or another. Fans are loud when the Attack score but not overly rambunctious. More fan support and a little more passion in the small J.D. McArthur Arena would make that venue rock! The Attack probably needs to attract even more fans to ensure the long-term health of the team and galvanize their place on Georgian Bay. Access 3 The Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre is located northwest of the main highways that enter Owen Sound, Highways 26 and 6. Getting to the arena will require a bit of traversing of the city of Owen Sound, but not too much. There is plenty of free parking in the front and behind the Bayshore. With a small population of just 22,000, there is not too much in the way of public transportation. There is a bus route that stops on the 3rd and 18th. Fans should check out the Owen Sound Transit website for routes, fares, and maps. Getting around the Bayshore is what one would expect when getting around an older arena. The concourse behind the seating bowl can get tight, especially during intermission when the lines are forming for concessions. The seats are comfortable, but kind of low to the ground. There are also plenty of stairs from the main atrium level to the concourse level. Washrooms are adequate for the fans in attendance. Return on Investment 4 OHL hockey provides tremendous value for the sporting dollar and the Owen Sound Attack is no exception. Tickets for Attack games go for $26 for preferred seats. Regular seats are $24 and there are discounts for students, seniors, and kids. Although the venue is not the most spectacular in the league, being close to the ice with the low ceiling makes the experience feel cozy but more importantly, makes the play on the ice seem that much faster. The gameday production is simple and prices for concessions are decent and parking is free. Overall, the Owen Sound Attack is a great way to spend a Saturday evening. Extras 4 An extra mark for the memory of longtime Owen Sound Attack business manager Ray McElvie who played an integral part in the development of the Attack and who passed away in 2022 at the age of 87. An extra mark for the “Super Six” local business owners who saved the Owen Sound Platers who would rebrand to become the Attack. An extra mark for Owen Sound still going strong in the smallest market in the Ontario Hockey League. An extra mark for the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame, which will give fans some great things to explore. Final Thoughts The J.D. McArthur Arena may not be flashy like some of the newer venues, but it has character and it is a great place to watch an Owen Sound Attack game. The Attack continues to defy the odds in such a small market, but that can-do attitude has done the organization well and their continued success in the OHL is expected. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and Instagram .

Photos by Kirsten Richards, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium 375 Daejong-ro, Jung-gu Daejeon, South Korea Hanwha Eagles website Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium website Year Opened: 1964 Capacity: 14,133 Eagles and Robots The Hanwha Eagles joined the KBO in 1985 as the first expansion team, bringing the number of clubs in the league to seven at the time. They have won the KBO Championship once (1999) and have had five second place finishes, four of which were between 1988-1992. The Hanwha Eagles were originally called the Binggrae Eagles – Binggrae being the confectionary branch of Hanwha. LA Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu was secured from the Hanwha Eagles for a posting fee when he reached restricted free-agency. Not only are Ryu jerseys and t-shirts still widely seen, they are also still for sale from the team shop and it is common to see fans at Hanwha games wearing Dodger blue. Despite Hanwha’s poor performance over the last few years, their fans are still passionate, loud and friendly. The introduction of robot cheerleaders in the outfield during the 2014 season was widely reported in sports media all over the world. The robots themselves are virtually invisible to fans in the outfield area, but are more visible to fans in the infield stands. Hanbat stadium was first opened in 1964 and has been the home of the Hanwha Eagles since they first joined the league in 1985. Food & Beverage 4 The vendors outside Hanbat stadium sell a variety of fried chicken that you are welcome to take into the venue with you. Inside the stadium are pizza and hot dog vendors, along with freshly made potato chips, a number of G&S; corner-store style shops and traditional Korean snacks. All prices are in line with prices outside the park – approximately 2,000 Won for a can of beer and 1,200 Won for ice cream in a chocolate-lined wafer-cone. Most days, the lines for food and drinks move very quickly. Food and drink can be purchased on the first base side at Hanbat without leaving the interior concourse, which is very pleasant. If you do need to head to the outside concourse to acquire pizza or hot dogs, there are small TV screens showing the broadcast of the game at strategic points around the concourse. Atmosphere 4 The Hanbat Stadium skyline is blessed by the large and distinctive hills of Bomunsan Park. The KBO season takes in spring, summer and autumn and the hills change colour with the seasons. From the second tier of the first base side, there is also a view into the soccer stadium next door. The Hanbat Sports complex has gardens, a sculpted gateway and a statue of Yun Bong-gil (a famous Korean freedom-fighter) as part of the complex. Hanwha take the first base dugout and Hanwha fans take the first base grandstand and the right outfield. The third base grandstand gets the sun. Over summer, games start late enough that this is not too problematic, but it can still be very cool for day games in spring and early autumn. Make sure to bring something warm to wear at this time of year. On game days, especially game days with big crowds, the forecourt area in front of the stadium fills up with fans wearing Hanwha orange, or lining up outside the team store to have experts finalise their new jerseys with iron-on stickers. Another huge line also forms for access to the compressed air to inflate their cheering sticks. Hanwha have not been the most successful team in the league over the past few years, but there are usually plenty of supporters at weekend home games and plenty of enthusiastic fans cheering in the right hand side of the outfield. Hanbat has a few different kinds of seating areas, with the priciest and most comfortable seating directly behind home plate. Skyboxes, table seating in both the infield and the outfield, regular plastic stadium seating in the infield and outfield, a ‘glamping’ zone, and grassed family picnic areas round out the other seating options. The upper tier of seating at Hanbat Stadium is even more cramped than Jamsil Stadium (home of the Doosan Bears and LG Twins), but not as steep. The cramped conditions can make moving around with food and drink at this level an exercise in agility and balance. Bringing everything you need to your seats in one trip is highly recommended if sitting in the upper tiers, as is keeping an eye out for people carrying beverages in the row above you. The lower levels carry nowhere near the same risks of falling food and drink. The upside of sitting here on the first base side are the lovely views of Bomunsan behind right field. The cheering section at Hanbat is in the right hand side of the outfield in the general seating area. Hanwha has the usual cheerleaders, big drums and music arrangement. The cheerleaders themselves are extremely entertaining. It is a good idea to get to the stadium reasonably early to secure your seats in this section. Given that the pitch is so gentle in this part of the stadium, it is better to either sit right at the back of this section or between the concourse and the stage. The view from this section only includes one of the big scoreboards, which shows the pitch count and batter stats. To track each individual at bat and the game progress, scoreboards directly behind home plate and on the far end of the third base grandstand must also be consulted. Hanbat is an old stadium that has had a lot of work done to it. The two big scoreboards are both clear and visible from most parts of the stadium. The results of previous at-bats are not shown, but there is plenty of information about both batter and pitcher available. The animations for each out are also a lot of fun. The bullpens at Hanbat are behind the left field wall. Relieving pitchers are driven to the infield. One of the most unusual parts of the Hanbat experience is the robot cheerleaders near the middle of the outfield. The robots were installed in 2014 and are connected to the internet, letting people not attending the game send messages through the scoreboards. The robots are pretty much invisible from the outfield, but their signs are very clear from the grandstand seating. Hanwha fans, both local and expat are super friendly and always happy to carry on celebrating after a win. The atmosphere at a winning Hanwha game is joyous and infectious. Even at a losing game, fans will keep chanting and cheering until the bitter end. Neighborhood 3 Hanbat Stadium is about a mile from the main Daejeon train station. Walking from the train station is easy and straightforward. There is both an underground mall connected to the train station and the city’s subway line. Above ground is a traditional market. The Daejeon River is between the train station and the main shopping district in this part off Daejeon. The park and the river walkway/cycleway are often full of people enjoying the sunshine. On summer weekends there are often performers slightly upstream of the road to the train station. Near the stadium itself is the aforementioned Bomunsan Park, which has a number of cultural attractions – including several temples and a museum – many hiking trails and a water park. The entrance to the park is an easy 5-10 minute walk from the stadium and a nice way to spend an afternoon before an evening game. The stadium is also right next to a very large collection of love motels, so there is no difficulty in finding nearby accommodation. Better value for money can be found in the downtown area, with the Good Morning Residence particularly standing out. Apartment style rooms can be had for about $70/night. The main downtown area of Daejeon is well to the north of the stadium area and includes a very lively club and pub scene. Walking from the new downtown area is a little far, but from the main train station is both easy and interesting. Daejeon is yet another very safe Korean city in which to travel on your own. Fans 5 Fans at Hanbat are very loyal to their team. The first chant of each game is the batting order. Like all Korean teams, each player has their own crowd song and movements dedicated to them. Korean fans travel to games, so it is not unusual to see the visiting team very well and very vocally supported. Hanwha fans can be out-cheered in their own stadium when Hanwha are not doing so well, but generally the fans are very engaged in both the game and the effort of cheering for the team. There are many Hyun-jin Ryu jerseys around and Ryu’s career and the Dodgers are followed with great interest and a sense of pride. Access 3 Hanbat Stadium is a little out of the way, being a solid 20 minute walk from the nearest subway stations (Jungangno or Jung-gu Office), or a good half hour walk from the Daejeon train station. A KTX train from Seoul to Daejeon takes less than 90 minutes and they run every 15 minutes, so this is very easy. Tickets from Seoul to Daejeon cost just over 20,000 won one-way. From the Daejeon train station it is a reasonably comfortable walk to the stadium. If you decide to catch a taxi, you’ll need about 5,000 won. It is best to ignore the main taxi stand at the station and cross the main road to reach the smaller taxi stand a little to the right on the other side of the road. Taxis can only turn right out of the train station and must go several hundred metres before they can do a U-turn back in the direction of the stadium. Bus number 2 runs directly from the station to the stadium. There is a parking lot associated with Hanbat Stadium, but it is much simpler to walk, bus or taxi to the stadium. Traffic can be extremely slow down Daejeon-ro on game day and it can take several changes to make it through each set of traffic lights. Concourses are narrow, but are usually not uncomfortably crowded. The Hanbat Stadium main entrance is not at all welcoming, with a wide staircase leading to a narrow and fairly dark concourse. There is no glimpse of the field until you have travelled a substantial distance further. This initial glimpse is through a gate to the infield which is watched over by ushers. There is still quite a bit further to go, passing a strange jog in the concourse, pay-lockers and a team shop before you reach the light of the first base side infield concourse. From this point on, Hanbat Stadium is very open and you can see the game most of the time. Don’t let that first impression of the stadium put you off – a game here is an excellent experience. Restrooms here are a little tight, but are clean. As with all stadiums in the KBO, I recommend bringing your own toilet paper as it may well run-out before the end of the game. Return on Investment 5 A general admission ticket to the outfield cheering section can be purchased for well under 10,000 won.Prices for food and drink are no more than they are outside the stadium, so a fantastic day out can be had for well under 20,000 won per person. . Extras 3 The fans at Hanwha are truly a delight and very, very friendly. The staff at the team shop are incredibly helpful and have a rack of clothes specifically to assist people in finding the correct size of t-shirt and jersey. The freshly-made potato chips are really, really good!

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 TVA Credit Union Ballpark 111 Legion St Johnson City, TN 37601 Johnson City Doughboys website TVA Credit Union Ballpark website Year Opened: 1950 Capacity: 3,800 Having Fun with the Doughboys When Major League Baseball reorganized and contracted the minor leagues following the 2019 season, Johnson City, Tennessee, lost its short-season affiliate. The Johnson City Cardinals, a long-standing member of the Appalachian League, were one of the teams eliminated in the reorganization. Professional baseball has been part of Johnson City’s identity since 1911, with teams affiliated over the years with the Yankees and Phillies . But it was the city’s long-standing relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals that left the deepest mark – for 61 seasons, Johnson City served as a Cardinals affiliate, becoming a key stepping stone for future big leaguers  like Vince Coleman, Ron Guidry, LaMarr Hoyt, Yadier Molina, and Terry Pendleton on their path to the majors. Baseball in Johnson City has been played at the same site since 1937, when the city built a wooden grandstand at Keystone Park and nicknamed it Cardinal Park when the team became affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938. In 1950, a new steel structure replaced the wooden grandstand. It carried the Cardinal Park name until the Phillies placed a farm team in town in 1957. It reverted to Cardinal Park with the return of the Redbird affiliate in 1975, later renamed Howard Johnson Field at Cardinal Park in honor of the director of Johnson City’s Park and Recreation Department in 1977. Eventually, after the naming rights were sold, it was renamed TVA Credit Union Ballpark. Johnson City was one of 30 cities to lose its MLB affiliation after the 2020 reorganization, but the baseball void did not last long. The Appalachian League reemerged in 2021 as a collegiate summer league, with teams rebranding to better reflect their communities. Johnson City’s long-running Cardinals identity gave way to the Doughboys, a name inspired by the nearby World War I infantry statue in Veterans Plaza.   Food & Beverage   4 Two separate concession stands feature slightly different menus, but together offer a well-rounded mix of traditional ballpark fare and locally inspired options. Fans will find staples like hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pizza, and nachos with cheese sauce, alongside heartier choices like cheeseburgers and boneless wing baskets with fries. Regional choices are available as well, with items like the Bojangles Cajun Filet Sandwich and Southern Craft BBQ Nachos. A few specialty offerings go beyond typical ballpark fare, including the Junkyard Dog (topped with chili, cheese, fries, and mustard), Firecracker Fries (drizzled with buffalo sauce and ranch), and funnel cake fries for a sweet finish. Snack options include pretzels with cheese, chips, peanuts, and candy. Beverage choices are straightforward: bottled water, Coke products, Powerade,  and local favorite Dr. Enuf, a citrusy Mountain Dew-like soda. In addition to standard domestic and imported beers, the ballpark also offers a selection of local craft brews – options from Yee-Haw Brewing, Johnson City Brewing Company, Iron Forge, and Tennessee Hills include lagers, tart ales, and hefeweizens. For non-beer drinkers, hard seltzers and ciders like Truly and Angry Orchard are available as well.   Atmosphere   3 TVA Credit Union Ballpark is a charming throwback to small-town baseball. The covered grandstand, overhead fans, and towering outfield walls lined with local advertisements evoke a classic, nostalgic feel. A modern scoreboard also sits in left center field, though it’s mostly used for basic player information and the game’s line score. The Doughboys lean into their military-themed branding with touches like Reveille played during big moments, adding energy to key parts of the game. In-game promotions are lighthearted and engaging, nothing groundbreaking, but also a welcome break from the tired gimmicks seen at some lower levels of baseball. The relaxed pace of summer collegiate ball contributes to a festive, easygoing atmosphere. The stadium includes several social spaces: a VIP bar down the left-field line, yard games and high-top tables along the right-field line, and a long drink rail beside the grandstand. These areas are popular and tend to stay crowded throughout the game. One downside of this historic stadium is that more attention was paid to functionality than convenience. For example, several roof support beams create rather significant obstructions when viewing the field.   Neighborhood   4 Johnson City is a stealthy, hip town with a vibrant arts scene, several breweries, and restaurants in its downtown area, just over a mile from TVA  Credit Union Ballpark . King Commons Park is a popular gathering area where adults can grab a pint, while kids play on the nearby playground or explore the stream that runs through the green space. W. State of Franklin Road is home to several renovated historic buildings, now housing popular stops like Burger & Barrel, Yee-Haw Brewing, and White Duck Taco, which backs up to scenic Founders Park. The downtown area has no less than a half-dozen breweries in the few city blocks that make up the area. The city has also done a wonderful job moving into the 21st century. while keeping its 19th-century charm.   Fans   4 Johnson City is a passionate sports town, with strong support for ETSU athletics and deep roots in baseball. Before the minor league contraction, the city consistently ranked among the top draws in the Appalachian League, and that energy has not faded. Since joining the collegiate summer circuit, the Doughboys have led the league in attendance, averaging over 3,500 fans per game, more than 1,000 ahead of the next closest team. The fans are not just enthusiastic; they understand the game. Fans cheer for savvy base running, situational hitting, and productive outs. Others are a bit more festive in their support, leaning into the Doughboys’ military identity – some even show up in replica World War I infantry helmets.   Access   4 TVA Credit Union Ballpark is easily accessible, located less than a mile off I-26, the main connector between Asheville, North Carolina, and Kingsport, Tennessee. The interstate also links up with I-81 about 15 miles north, making the stadium a convenient stop for travelers coming from eastern Tennessee or many of the eastern states. Parking is plentiful and located just beyond the first base side of the ballpark. VIP ticket holders can use a dedicated entrance off Legion Street, providing a more direct path into the stadium. Once inside, a wide walkway runs along the first baseline and narrows slightly as it approaches third. A low field-level concourse also wraps in front of the grandstand, stretching from first to third and offering fans a close view of the action as they walk around.   Return on Investment   5 With general admission tickets starting at $8, reserved seating at $10, and free parking, Doughboys games deliver excellent bang for your buck. Concession prices are in line with similar stadiums, and the overall experience, from the lively atmosphere to the quality of play, makes attending a game feel like money well spent.   Extras   3 A variety of inflatables are set up behind the grandstand, directly behind home plate, giving younger fans a chance to burn off some energy if they get restless during the game. Among the biggest stars at the ballpark is Rocky, the Doughboys beloved bat dog – the black lab draws some of the loudest cheers of the night as he dashes from the dugout to retrieve bats, then sprints back, all to the roaring approval of the fans. The team’s mascot, Private, also adds to the fun, roaming the stands throughout the game, interacting with fans, and posing for photos with anyone who asks.   Final Thoughts Small-town baseball fosters a sense of connection and civic pride that is hard to replicate in larger markets. In Johnson City, that bond was built over decades, watching future big leaguers take their first professional steps, and rooting for the hometown team as if it were their own. That pride did not vanish when affiliated baseball left. Though the Appalachian League now focuses on college-level talent instead of rising pros, the passion in the stands has not faded. Even though professional baseball is no longer played in Johnson City, the excitement of the game and the surrounding atmosphere have not disappeared. While the reorganization of minor league baseball may have been a bit of a step back in the developmental chain of baseball, it has not dampened the spirit of the baseball community in Johnson City, Tennessee. Johnson City may no longer be a stop on the road to the majors, but its love of baseball is as strong as ever.

Photos by Richard Smith and Jennifer Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Oriole Park at Camden Yards West Camden St Baltimore, MD 21230 Baltimore Orioles website Oriole Park at Camden Yards website Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 44,487 “O” Say Can You See When Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened in 1992, it quickly became known as one of Major League Baseball’s premier stadiums. Before its debut, many professional baseball venues were uninspired, multipurpose arenas. Oriole Park helped usher in a new era of baseball-only stadiums designed with the fan experience in mind. Its success set a new standard, and now, nearly every team has a distinctive ballpark. Had Baltimore chosen to build a conventional, uninspired facility, the landscape of modern baseball might look entirely different. The current Baltimore Orioles franchise was established in 1954 when the St. Louis Browns relocated to the city. For decades, the team played at the beloved Memorial Stadium. As Memorial Stadium neared the end of its lifespan, plans for a new, state-of-the-art ballpark began to take shape, leading to the creation of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Over their history, the Orioles have won three World Series championships (1966, 1970, and 1983) and seven American League pennants. The team has been home to many legendary players, including Roberto Alomar, Luis Aparicio, Reggie Jackson, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken, Jr., Brooks Robinson, and Frank Robinson. Manager Earl Weaver is often considered one of the most beloved figures in franchise history. Food & Beverage 4 While Oriole Park offers a diverse range of food options, some fans have noticed a change since the park switched food service providers in 2023. While certain offerings may have been altered, we haven't personally observed a drop in quality, but it's a topic that has generated some discussion. Concession prices are not cheap, but they are generally on par with other major league stadiums. For example, a standard hot dog costs around $6, while a beer-soaked bratwurst is only slightly more expensive. One of the park's biggest draws is Boog’s BBQ, located on the famous Eutaw Street. Overseen by Orioles legend Boog Powell, the stand offers generous portions for the price. Atmosphere 4 The one significant issue with Oriole Park is that its concourse is not open to the field, a common feature in newer ballparks. Instead, it has a traditional concourse located behind the seating. While this design choice feels a bit dated compared to more modern stadiums, it doesn't detract from the overall experience. The concourse remains a great area for exploring, and you never feel disconnected from the game, thanks to numerous television monitors and constant play-by-play announcements that keep you informed. The Star-Spangled Banner was written very close to where the stadium is located. The Orioles fans commemorate this and their love of the home team by shouting a loud “O!!!!!!” during the appropriate spot during the anthem. In other places, this would seem to be disrespectful, but in Baltimore, it shows the love of the country and the team. If you hear that yell at other parks throughout the country, rest assured that there is a Baltimore fan in the house. A very unique Baltimore tradition is the playing of John Denver’s 1974 classic song, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” during the seventh-inning stretch. It all started a couple of years after it was released when the Orioles were trying to add pop music into the lineup. For some reason, the song stuck. Even when then-owner Eli Jacobs tried to change songs during the late 1980s, the fans demanded it back. The traditional “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is played as a warm-up to ‘Country Boy.’ Many a local fan still talks about Denver’s surprise September 1997 visit when he appeared on top of the dugout mouthing the song’s lyrics. He was in town for a concert at the nearby Baltimore Arena and decided to pop over. Sadly, he died in a plane crash less than a month later. The Kids Zone is a nice, popular feature. The sound system and the scoreboard are both going to be replaced in the near future, which will help as both are aging poorly. Neighborhood 3 While Oriole Park itself is exceptional, the surrounding urban environment of Baltimore requires visitors to be mindful of their surroundings. Using common sense and staying aware will ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Across the street from the stadium, you'll find a lively, party-like atmosphere. For a more relaxed option, consider exploring the restaurants in the nearby Harbor East neighborhood. The Inner Harbor is a popular tourist area and is just a short walk from Camden Yards. While it offers countless choices for dining and entertainment, these options can be expensive and tend to cater to a tourist crowd. The long-standing Harborplace buildings are going away and are only lightly used at this point. The new development of the area is just at the starting point. Another good option is the nearby Federal Hill neighborhood, which features several enjoyable restaurants and bars. For those interested in gambling, the Horseshoe Casino is located just south of the ballpark and offers a variety of dining and drinking establishments. The casino also has a large parking garage that often provides game-day deals. Baltimore is also home to many other popular attractions, including Harborplace, Fells Point, and Fort McHenry. The American Visionary Art Museum on Key Highway is a uniquely curated museum that's worth a visit, though its collection may not appeal to everyone. Additionally, sports fans should consider visiting the Babe Ruth Birthplace to experience a piece of the city's rich athletic history. Fans 3 The team's performance has led to a much more vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere at the ballpark. While fan support has always been strong, a period of inconsistent management has affected morale. The current ownership situation is much better than in the past, and the positive response from the fans is likely to continue. Orioles games draw a very knowledgeable fan base, and it's common to see families making it a day out. These fans are actively engaged in the game. It’s a place where you'll often see parents teaching their children about the nuances of baseball and the history of Orioles legends like Robinson, Robinson, Palmer, and Ripken. The fans are supportive and cheer at the right moments; booing is rare, though anything can happen when the Yankees are in town. Access 5 Oriole Park is extremely close to I-95, with only a couple of turns putting you on the highway home. Parking garages can be found in all directions from the stadium. Street parking is not a great option. Parking near the Inner Harbor is a good option. Check parking websites and apps to find bargains that are a pretty close walk away. If you’re not driving to the game, the other primary mode of access is the MTA Light Rail. From points north and south of downtown Baltimore, you can take the train to the ballpark. Return on Investment 5 Prices are generally pretty reasonable, although they do vary by opponent. The ticket aftermarket is always a good bet here. Prices can be found at a very reasonable rate for almost all games, except for maybe the Red Sox and Yankees. Extras 5 Babe Ruth's connection to Baltimore is profound; his childhood home is located just a few blocks from the ballpark. He also attended the old St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys nearby and is said to have spent time on the very grounds where Oriole Park at Camden Yards now stands. The B&O Warehouse is not a modern stadium addition but a true historic structure. Built in 1899, it was used as a storage and distribution center for the adjacent railroad. Camden Station, also next to the park, is one of the longest-running train terminals in the United States. In recent years, the Orioles have improved the center field area by adding a statue garden dedicated to team legends, which also makes it easier for fans to walk a full circle around the stadium. Eutaw Street provides a vibrant fan experience. Besides offering great food, it’s an excellent place for people-watching and shopping. Fans can also get great views of the field from the flag court, located above the right-field scoreboard. A unique feature of the park can be found on the walls of some open stairwells, which display the lyrics to classic Orioles songs like “Orioles Magic” and “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.” Final Thoughts Despite opening more than three decades ago, Oriole Park at Camden Yards remains one of Major League Baseball's most beautiful and beloved stadiums. Its timeless design, which was revolutionary in 1992, has aged gracefully and continues to be a benchmark for modern ballparks. The stadium's architecture seamlessly blends classic baseball aesthetics with a contemporary, fan-friendly layout.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43 Dow Diamond 825 E Main St Midland, MI 48640 Great Lakes Loons website Dow Diamond website Year Opened: 2007 Capacity: 5,200 A Perfect Diamond The Great Lakes Loons provide a perfect minor league baseball game experience.   The Loons, a member of the Midwest League, are the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.   They've reac hed the championship round twice since moving to Midland, MI, in 2007 - clinching the title in 2016 and finishing as runners-up in 2023. They play their home games at the beautiful and outstanding Dow Diamond on land donated by Dow Chemical, a major employer in the city.   The stadium sits on a well-manicured plot of landscaped area, featuring lush greenery, colorful flowers, inviting benches, and a train. The stadium and game day experience rank among the best in minor league baseball, thanks to exceptional accessibility, a courteous and welcoming staff, affordable pricing, and enjoyable (not forced) entertainment. Food & Beverage 5 The Great Lakes Loons offer an incredible assortment of concessions. The inner concourse features permanent concession stands, and even better, a variety of kiosks offering a wide range of choices, from loaded baked potatoes to shawarma, sausages, and more.  The variety is impressive. The permanent stands sell hot dogs, burgers (including bean burgers), chicken, and pizza at decent stadium prices ($3.50 - $12).  Snacks include chips, nachos, fries, ice cream, pretzels, and more ($2 - $7.50).  Pepsi brand sodas run $4.25 - $6.  Beer (draft and can), cocktails, and seltzer cost $7 - $12.50 with beer c hoices such as Killian’s, Coors Light, and Miller Lite. Our recommendation is to peruse the specialty carts that line the promenade and marvel at its astounding choices:  Ice Cream, Potatoes, Sausages, Wraps, Greek, Nachos, BBQ, Philly Cheesesteak, and everything in between. The best place for craft beer is a stand called The Cove, located just after the end of the third base concourse structure, which sells several Michigan brews and other mixed drinks.  Across the aisle is a Simply S piked Lemonade stand. Atmosphere 5 The Great Lakes Loons provide one of the best minor league game day experiences.  Dow Diamond has one level of green fold-down seats with cupholders and a second level housing luxury boxes.  The main seats descend from the walkway around home plate from short left field to short right field.   Plush green berm s beyond the outfield fence await fans wanting to spread out on their blankets.  A wide promenade circles the entire stadium with drink rails and firepits scattered along the path.  Various gathering spots specialize in reserved group outings for friends, family, and work compadres. The stadium boasts an easily readable scoreboard in right-center field that highlights the lineup, the player at bat’s photo and stats, and the line score; perfect for keeping score!  The batter’s eye features attractive pine trees.  Bullpens sit beyond the baseline on the field, allowing fans to easily spot when a relief pitcher is preparing to enter the game. Dow Diamond Scoreboard, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey The music person plays the tunes at a perfect volume.  Fans can still speak with their neighbors during the game without having to yell.  Even better, he/she plays minimal ‘noise’ between pitches.  More baseball venues should mimic this aspect of baseball entertainment as the Loons have aced it. Staff hands out hard copy game programs.  Between-inning activities include a t-shirt toss, singing for your pie, and other contests.  Lou E. Loon is the mascot, a green character resembling a loon (a duck-like fowl), who entertains the crowd.    Lou E’s Lookout, a playground down the first baseline, beckons little ones to burn off their excess energy. Fans can purchase a slew of gear at Loon Loft, a two-story merchandise shop.  An excellent variety of shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, mementos, trinkets, etc., are priced reasonably.  A cotton t-sh irt with the team logo is $16. Check the weather before attending an evening game, as a sweatshirt may be needed.  Neighborhood 3 When in Midland, MI, explore the vibrant downtown area, with its boutiques, eateries, bars, other businesses, and live entertainment.  From early June until the end of September, Main Street is closed to all vehicular traffic,  and Dow Diamond sits just a few blocks from this vibrant area. Places for a bite to eat or drink includ e:  WhichCraft Taproom, Crepes Et Amis (breakfast and lunch), Amazing Deli (for picking up a sandwich), and Three Bridges Distillery and Taproom (a handcrafted distillery, brewery, and winery).  The city boasts a wider array of venues for enjoying a drink and a bite to eat. Visit The Tridge , a three-legged wooden footbridge or the picturesque Dow Gardens (botanical gardens) about 1 ½ miles from the ballpark.  If traveling, a Fairfield Inn and Suites is 1/3 mile from the park.  Several other hotels (Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Baymont, etc.) are four miles north at the intersection of US 10 and Business US 10. Fans 4 While many families and friends attend minor league games for what happens off the field and in the stands, Midland fans are quite engaged with the game itself and follow the action on the field. The crowd is supportive and applauds all good plays, regardless of team.  The staff includes welcoming, friendly, helpful ushers and guest services. Access 4 Getting to Dow Diamond is easy by vehicle.   Midland lacks public transportation but Uber and Lyft are available.  The ballpark is a few miles off US 10.  The stadium has two parking areas.  One behind home plate and the other behind center field, both costing $7.   A few free spots (after 5pm) are in front of the stadium on State St, but they fill up quickly.  The two entrances are near the parking lots.    Security may search bags upon entry, so we recommend bringing belongings in a clear 12” x 6” x 12” sports bag. After clearing security, fans climb a flight of stairs to reach the concourse before descending to their seats. Elevators are readily available for those who prefer to avoid stairs. What stands out about Dow Diamond is its exceptional accessibility for guests using strollers, wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or those with mobility concerns. The stadium features extra-wide concourses, gently sloped ramps, elevators, and powered outlets at designated wheelchair seating areas. Nicely done! Clean, spacious restrooms are conveniently located both on the inner and outer concourses. Family restrooms are behind sections 104 and 111, and baby changing tables are provided in all restrooms. Return on Investment 5 Attending a Loons game is a superb v alue for your sports entertainment dollar. Single-game tickets range from just $12 to $21, with family 4-packs and group packages available for even more savings. Nearly every game features a promotion—from Hometown Heroes and Thirsty Thursday (half-off beer) to Foodie Friday ($2 hot dogs, $1 snacks), jersey auctions, Peanuts Christmas, Fireworks Night, Kids Eat Free Sundays, and more. Merchandise is also more affordable than at most ot her minor league parks. With such a fantastic game day atmosphere and wallet-friendly pricing, catching a Loons game is an easy win for fans of all ages. Extras 5 The Great Lake Loons offer plenty of other items that make game days special. Honoring their history, retired numbers 2 - Tommy Lasorda, 42 - Jackie Robinson, and 47 - the Dow Chemical Building, which construction crews razed to build the park, are proudly displayed on the stadium banner façade behind home plate.  One of the group areas is called Pier 47.  Bricks from the building were crushed and used in the warning track whe n the stadium first opened. The top of the home plate entrance prominently displays The Midland County Sports Hall of Fame .  It showcases and honors athletes, coache s, administrators, and others from Midland County sports programs with plaques, newspaper articles, and artifacts. The team thoughtfull y highlights former Loons who have made it to the major leagues on the outfield fencing.  The most well-known are probably Clayton Kershaw and Carlos Santana. While not conventionally scenic, the Dow Chemical Plant beyond the outfield certainly adds a unique touch. Dow Diamond - Dow Chemical Plant in Distance, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey If you’re not able to attend a game, be sure to listen live on 100.9 The Mitt . Final Thoughts The Dow Diamond is simply a stand-out, not just in the Midwest League, but in the entire minors. It is above average in nearly every category while really shining with a great commitment to value, history, and an excellent food selection.

The Ontario Junior Lacrosse League, or OJLL, is the top junior lacrosse league in Ontario, and some would argue, Canada.  The “Junior A” league acts as a feeder system for NCAA lacrosse programs and the professional National Lacrosse League.  Filling the void left by the absence of hockey in Ontario in the summer months, the OJLL offers some of the most affordable experiences anywhere and provides fans with an up close and personal look at indoor lacrosse.  The 2025 OJLL season saw the Orangeville Northmen complete the regular season with the best record in the league with 16 wins in 20 games.  Lucas Littlejohn of the Whitby Warriors lead the league with 118 points, while Justin Tavares of the Mimico Mountaineers tallied 52 goals for tops in the league.  Sakaronhiotane Thompson of the Six Nations Arrows had the best goals against average in the league at 6.76 goals per game.  In a hard fought series, the Orangeville Northmen defeated the Whitby Warriors in six games to claim their 11th Iroquois Cup and earn a berth in the Minto Cup, being held in St. Catharines, Ontario.   In 2025, Stadium Journey published the review for the Peterborough Jr. Lakers, which completed the OJLL reviews.  The OJLL rankings at Stadium Journey are based on the FANFARE metric used on the website, where writers assess the lacrosse experience based on the categories of Food, Atmosphere, Neighbourhood, Fans, Access, Return on Investment and any extras that the writers experienced.  The stakes are high, with an average grading of 3.11 being earned out of a possible perfect 5.0. This list is an opinion, and may not be in agreement for all.  Please let Stadium Journey know your opinions on our various Social Media outlets.  How is your list different from ours?  What do we have right?  What do we have wrong? Without further ado, Stadium Journey is proud to present the 2025 Rankings of the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League Experiences. 1. Mimico Arena - Mimico Mountaineers - 4.14 Dave Cottenie - The Mimico Lacrosse Club was established in 1890.  The name “Mimico” translates from Ojibwa to “Home of the Wild Pigeon.” Lacrosse was so significant in Mimico that they built the Drummond Street Bowl in 1931, an outdoor, box lacrosse facility, which would eventually become the Mimico Arena.  Mimico competed in lacrosse at various levels over more than a century and continues today. The lacrosse achievements would culminate in Mann Cup Championships in 1932 and 1942 as Senior Lacrosse National Champions and Minto Cup Championships in 1938 and 1951 as Junior National Champions.  The Lakeshore Maple Leafs, which would be folded into the Mimico Mountaineers program, claim a 1970 Minto Cup also.  Mimico even boasts the legendary Conn Smythe as part of their history as a resident and lacrosse player.  In 1978, Junior lacrosse would cease to exist in Mimico, only to be resurrected as a Junior B program in 1993.  The Mountaineers would move up to the current Ontario Junior Lacrosse League, a Junior A league, in 2013, and is still going strong today. 2. Iroquois Lacrosse Arena - Six Nations Arrows - 3.86 Dave Cottenie - South of Brantford, through the farmland of Southern Ontario, lives one of many hearts of lacrosse.  Six Nations Indian Reserve No. 40, more commonly known as Six Nations contains the town of Ohsweken and is just north of Hagersville.  At the southern corner stands an inconspicuous, warehouse-looking building that houses the hopes and dreams of countless Indigenous children.  The Iroquois Lacrosse Arena was built in 2004 by lacrosse legends Curt Styres and Delby Powless and is a lacrosse-only facility, one of the only ones built in Canada specifically for lacrosse.  Several lacrosse teams call Iroquois Lacrosse Arena home and possibly the most popular is the Six Nations Arrows of the Junior A, Ontario Junior Lacrosse League.  The Arrows have been around since 1974 and began as a Junior C team.  Originally known as the Six Nations Braves, the Arrows moniker was adopted in 1979.  The Arrows would bring home the Iroquois Cup as Ontario Champions nine times and ultimate prize, the Minto Cup as National Champions in 1992, 2007, 2014, 2015, and 2017.  The list players who have gone from the Arrows to the National Lacrosse League is a who’s who of lacrosse royalty including Cody Jamieson, Doug Jamieson, Craig Point, Shawn Evans, Cam Bomberry, Johnny Powless, Delby Powless, Randy Staats, Leo Stouros, Brett Bucktooth and Warren Hill. 3. Algoma Central Arena @ Canada Games Park - St. Catharines Athletics - 3.71 Dave Cottenie - The deep history of lacrosse in Ontario stretches into the Niagara Region with the St. Catharines Athletics.  Playing at the “Junior A” level in the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League, the Athletics were founded as a lacrosse organization in 1877.  and played under different monikers over time.  They have been known as the Athletics intermittently throughout and in the latest iteration which began in 1982.  The Athletics have enjoyed tremendous success earning six Minto Cups as Junior A lacrosse National Champions.  The Athletics have also earned the Iroquois Trophy as Ontario Champions 10 times.  With the Niagara Region hosting the Canada Games in 2022, the Athletics took advantage of a significant investment in the community and found a new home at Canada Games Park. 4. Ted Reeve Community Arena - Toronto Beaches - 3.57 Dave Cottenie - East of Downtown Toronto, the historic neighbourhood of The Beaches can be found.  In the Beaches community, lacrosse has a deep and storied history.  It is possible that the Toronto Beaches Lacrosse Club dates back to one of the first field lacrosse games in Toronto in 1867.  The formal history of the club dates back to 1915.  The Beaches played a Junior B box lacrosse circuit from 1979 to 1983.  The modern Toronto Beaches joined the Junior A loop in 1991, folded in 1997 and restarted in 1998.  The home for the Toronto Beaches is definitely a community experience in The Beaches.  The Ted Reeve Community Arena is a hub for the community.  Built in 1954, Ted Reeve Arena has a long, illustrious hockey history.  It is named in honour of Ted Reeve, who lived his entire life in The Beaches.  Ted Reeve served in World War I and won two Grey Cups as a football player, and a Mann Cup as a lacrosse player.  He also won three Yates Cups at Queen’s University as a coach.  He is a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and was well established as a writer. 5. Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre - Orangeville Northmen - 3.57 Dave Cottenie - Orangeville is essentially a lacrosse town. Orangeville offers among the most in-depth lacrosse programs in Ontario and fields three teams at the junior level with the Orangeville Northmen of the OJLL at the top of the chain.  Those who play Junior A lacrosse for the Northmen hope to translate their success on the floor to opportunities in the NCAA or the professional National Lacrosse League.  Orangeville Northmen alumni include Pat Coyle, Josh and Phil Sanderson, Brodie Merrill, Mike Poulin, and current General Manager Nick Rose.  All have or are currently playing in the NLL.  Home for the Northmen is the Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre.  Named after the father of GM and Toronto Rock goaltender Nick Rose, the Tony Rose offers seating for 1,050 in the main arena and a classic lacrosse environment.  Tony Rose was a member of the Northmen in the eighties and was a member of Senior B championship teams.  He was a promoter of local lacrosse and died in a car accident in 1990. 6. Peterborough Memorial Centre - Peterborough Jr. Lakers - 3.43 Dave Cottenie - It is a little known fact that Peterborough is a hotbed of lacrosse.  The Senior ‘A’ Peterborough Lakers are both wildly popular and have been wildly successful.  Peterborough also puts a Junior C team on the floor.  However, the focus of this review is the Peterborough Jr Lakers that play in the Junior A level, Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. Founded in 1950, the Lakers have found themselves under a vast number of monikers, most of them sponsor driven, including the Filter Queens, Pat’s, Pete’s, UEWs, Hastings Legionnaires, Petes, Tee-Pees, Gray-Munros, Century 21, James Gang, Maulers, Traders, Javelins and finally in 1999, the Lakers.  Earning a staggering 12 Minto Cups as junior lacrosse National Champions, the Lakers have also been wildly successful.  The home for the Jr Lakers is the Peterborough Memorial Centre.  It is most known as a hockey rink and the home of the Peterborough Petes in the winter, but in the summer months it is home for lacrosse, both at the Senior A and Junior A levels.  The PMC opened its doors in 1956 and is one of the most unique venues.  It gives the Jr Lakers a bit of a boost as they are the only team in the OJLL that plays in such a large, professional-type venue.   7. Toronto Rock Athletic Centre - Oakville Buzz - 3.29 Dave Cottenie - Under the ownership of Jamie Dawick, in 2012, the Toronto Rock opened a training centre for the team to house its offices and provide space for the Rock to practice. Going beyond the practicality of providing for the team, the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, in the nearby city of Oakville has become a hub for lacrosse activity in the area. With two indoor box lacrosse fields and an outdoor turf field, the TRAC has become a centre for lacrosse at all levels.  The Toronto Rock Athletic Centre is the home for the Oakville Buzz of the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. The top junior lacrosse league is viewed as one of the top providers of lacrosse talent to the pro National Lacrosse League. The Buzz moved up to the OJLL, which is Junior A level, from Junior B in 2019, after winning a Junior B, Founders Cup National Championship in 2006. Taking advantage of one of the top lacrosse facilities in the province, the Buzz provides a good lacrosse experience for Ontario fans. 8. Scotiabank Rink @ Iroquois Park Sports Centre - Whitby Warriors - 3.14 Dave Cottenie - One of the lacrosse hotbeds in Canada can be found in Whitby, Ontario.  Colloquially known as the ‘Town’ of Whitby, with a population of over 135,000 and located along Highway 401, Whitby lives in the shadow of the giant metropolis of Toronto to the west and the automotive hub of Oshawa to the east.  Organized lacrosse dates back to the sixties and Whitby currently fields teams at the Junior A (OJLL), Junior C and Senior A (MSL) levels.  The Junior A Whitby Warriors were established in 1968 as the Whitby B&R Transporters at the Junior B level.  In 1975, they advanced to the Junior A level as the Whitby Consolidated Builders and were renamed the Whitby Warriors in 1984.  The Warriors boast the third most Minto Cup Championships as Junior A lacrosse National Champions with eight and ten Iroquois Trophy Championships as Ontario Champions.  Some of the Warrior alumni include NLL players Mark Matthews, Chris Corbeil, Zach Greer, Dan Ladoceur and Gavin Prout.  Former NHL players Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk also suited up for the Warriors. 9. Brampton Memorial Arena - Brampton Excelsiors - 3.00 Dave Cottenie - The Excelsiors have enjoyed some success earning the Iroquois Trophy as league champions eight times, and the Minto Cup as the National Champions four times.  The Excelsiors played as the Brampton ABCs from 1962 to 1967, the Bramalea Excelsiors from 1968 to 1976, and returned to the Brampton Excelsiors from 1977 to the present.  Home for the Excelsiors is the Brampton Memorial Arena.  Built in 1950, the Memorial Arena has been retired as a hockey arena and serves the various levels of the Excelsiors as their home base.  It has been converted to a true lacrosse venue and is definitely from a time gone by.  It was named in honour of the soldiers of World War II who paid the ultimate sacrifice.  Due to the age and importance of the arena, it is in the process of attaining a Heritage Designation. 10. Kinsmen Arena @ Kitchener Memorial Auditorium - Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club - 3.00 Dave Cottenie - The Kitchener-Waterloo Braves were founded in 1967 in the junior hockey hotbed of Kitchener.  The KW rebrand would take place in 2020 as teams across the sport would trend away from Indigenous names.  Box Lacrosse legends such as Colin Doyle, Dhane Smith, Aaron Wilson, Ryan Benesch and Steve “Chugger” Dietrich all played under the Braves moniker and cut their teeth in Kitchener-Waterloo.  Home for the KW Lacrosse Club is the Kinsmen Arena.  Part of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, the Kinsmen Arena offers a more intimate atmosphere with a modest capacity of just over 1,600 with some standing room availability.  Although The Aud itself opened in 1950, the Kinsmen Arena is much newer and opened some time in the late eighties. 11. Central Recreation Centre - Burlington Blaze - 2.71 Dave Cottenie - Lacrosse fans should not sleep on Burlington as they have a strong connection to the sport.  The city with a population of 187,000 has been home to the Burlington Chiefs since 1976. In 2023, amid the move away from Indigenous-based names, Burlington Minor Lacrosse changed their team names, Junior A included, to the Burlington Blaze.  Home for the Blaze is the Central Recreation Centre, commonly referred to as Central Arena.  Built in 1968, Central Arena is nicknamed The Oven, which seems to be an apt home for a team referred to as the Blaze.  Alumni for the Blaze and Chiefs include Andrew Kew, Brent Noseworthy, Ryan Smith, and Ed Comeau.

Images Courtesy of ABC-Television A recent discovery on YouTube from the old ABC television show Discovery resurfaced recently. The show was a little before my time, but it aired on Sunday afternoons from 1962-1971 and was geared toward children and teenagers. Each week there would be a different topic and location from around the world. The particular episode focuses on the final days of the 1970 Duluth Dukes baseball team. The show described the episode at the time as a look at minor league players in their small hotel rooms, rundown fields, and rocky bus rides discussing their dreams and goals. The Dukes were members of the Single-A Northern League and an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. We catch the players mulling around downtown Sioux Falls window shopping as the local Orpheum Theater plays the movie MASH. We also get a few interviews, but the highlight of the episode are the team’s road jerseys that never looked so good in color. They are no other than the sweet baby blues that the White Sox introduced for the 1964 season. The club wore them for 4 seasons, and by this time on the Southside of Chicago, were wearing gray on the road. It looks like these uniforms might have been passed down by a higher affiliate by the 1970 season. Images Courtesy of ABC-Television The Duluth uniforms featured the Old English “Sox” emblem on the right chest and television-style numbers on the left sleeve. By contrast, the parent club’s uniforms displayed “Chicago” in either block lettering or script and never used the Sox emblem in that position. The differences have fueled speculation that Duluth’s jerseys may have been passed down from a higher-level affiliate within the organization. One possible source is the Evansville White Sox, who served as Chicago’s Double-A affiliate until 1968, before relocating to Columbus and becoming the Columbus White Sox. Another possibility is the Lynchburg White Sox, who wore the name for one season in 1969 before the franchise switched affiliations to the Twins in 1970. However, no photographs have surfaced to confirm either team as the supplier. “Right now, these young athletes are playing small city baseball and uniforms second handed to them by the parent club in Chicago," Discovery host Bill Owens explains. "The uniforms say ‘Sox’ instead of ‘Dukes’, and they’re a little out at the knees. But this is today, and it’s like minor league ball players to better just fair today on a great tomorrow.” Images Courtesy of ABC-Television Despite being a little ragged and torn at the knees, the uniforms were "powdery blue" and perhaps one of the rare times they were showcased on color film, which has aged well for being close to 54 years old. A few shots showcased the threading, the white outline of the numbers, and the texture of the wool fabric. When this road color was introduced by the Sox in 1964, reporters in attendance thought it was a joke. General Manager Ed Short said the new hues would look better on black-and-white television sets. A few thought it was in response to Charlie Finely’s green and gold uniforms introduced the season before for his Kansas City Athletics.  The Sox would switch back to gray flannels for the 1968 season, but the following year, the expansion Seattle Pilots and Montreal Expos introduced powder blue road sets, and by 1980, there were 11 clubs sporting powder blue uniforms on the road. Images Courtesy of ABC-Television The footage is a strikingly rare glimpse the “sweet baby blues” in vivd color that are only seen on black and white film, photographs, and countless Topps baseball cards from this era, but they never look so good then on this Discovery ‘71 episode. Viewers see the jerseys inside the locker room, during the day at Sioux Falls Stadium, and then at night when the sun goes down. The ballpark opened in 1941 and was renovated in 2000, but what is now known as The Birdcage and home to the Sioux Falls Canary of the American Association still looks somewhat similar. What isn't the same is the multiple advertisements on the outfield walls of long-ago businesses. A few of the ads include E & W clothing which lasted 101 years from 1889 to 1990, Pete's Texaco Truck Stop, Chris's Country Grill, Jay-Shon Chevrolet, and the Kopper Kart Restaurant.  Images Courtesy of ABC-Television Also, in this jersey manager, Joe Sparks is wearing an actual White Sox road jersey from 1964 with the Chicago word mark arched in capital letters. It is a wonderful find from an era when a film from minor league baseball was hard to find. The episodes wind up with the Dukes in their home jerseys, providing a clinic to local Little League players. The home pinstripe sets feature Dukes in the diagonal form down the right chest and look like the home uniforms the parent club wore from 1964-1968.  It is during this time we see Wade Stadium, which looks exactly like the same well over 50 years later. The distinctive brick interior and exterior are clearly shown throughout the segment, and even the front entrance has not changed much in the ensuing season. Perhaps a few cosmetic changes and renovations have been made, but the old ballpark is still recognizable. Images Courtesy of ABC-Television Unfortunately, at both stadiums, the crowds were scarce, maybe a sign of the times of the early 1970s. There were children selling programs in the grandstand while several more jumped up and down the seating or yelled from their seats. It is not an upcoming scene by today’s standards where small crowds are evident at certain times of the year or nights of the week. Sadly, the Dukes folded after the season and almost returned in 1972 as a co-op team in the Northern League. However, six weeks after forming, they pulled out of the loop, and soon after that, the entire league ceased operations. Wade Stadium would be empty of professional baseball for over 20 years until the Dukes and league would be resurrected as an independent league in 1993. The re-discovery of this episode gives us a glimpse of the world of minor league baseball. It was a much different time. The glimpse of the sweet baby blues was a nice surprise to someone like me or fellow old-school baseball uniform lovers. ----- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .  Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Superior Choice Credit Union Stadium 1714 Catlin Avenue Superior, WI 54880 Duluth FC website Superior Choice Credit Union Stadium website Year Opened: 2024 Capacity: 1,020 The Beautiful Game in the Beautiful City The winters of northern Minnesota can be harsh and unforgiving, so when spring and summer finally arrive, the chance to get outside and watch or play sports feels like a much-needed escape from the cold. One of the summer sports options in Duluth is the semi-professional Duluth FC Bluegreens. Duluth FC competes in the  National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of soccer in the United States. The club began play in 2015 in the Duluth Amateur Soccer League before moving to the American Premier League (APL) the following year. When the APL merged with the NPSL in 2017, Duluth joined the Midwest Region’s North Conference. In 2025 the Bluegreens played outside the city of Duluth for the first time. The club’s early seasons were spent at Public Schools Stadium at West Duluth High School, before moving temporarily to Ordean Stadium at Duluth East High School while Public Schools Stadium underwent renovations. This season, Duluth has split its home matches between Walt Hunting Stadium and Superior Choice Credit Union Stadium (SCCU Stadium), located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Superior.   Food & Beverage   3 Concessions at SCCU Stadium aren’t elaborate, but they cover the basics. The main stand offers hot dogs, chili dogs, and bacon cheddar smoked sausages, along with a small selection of packaged snacks sold at the apparel tent. Beverage options here include Coke, Dr Pepper, A&W Root Beer, Sprite, and Sunkist; slushie machines also use carbonated sodas to make frozen treats. Alcoholic beverages are not sold at Duluth FC matches. One of the main challenges in expanding the concessions menu is simply having the space and equipment to do so. Many games feature a rotation of three local food trucks, providing additional variety throughout the season. The last game I attended was part of the Minnesota Super Cup, however, which did not have a designated food truck, but the on-site grill offered a few special game-day items.   Atmosphere   3 There is not much to SCCU Stadium, as it consists solely of a single section of aluminum bleachers that stretch from just beyond one penalty arc to the other. There’s no roof to shield fans from the elements, though the small press box does create a fair amount of shade for those seated in the mid-field section. Located on the northern edge of the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus, the stadium is bordered by dorms and the campus wellness center to the south, with marshy wetlands just beyond the outer fence. The pitch is artificial turf, encircled by a nine-lane track that puts some distance between the fans and the on-field action. A single scoreboard, a combination video board and clock, sits at one end of the venue, though only the lower scoreboard portion is in use, showing the time and score. The video board remains dark during matches. Soccer’s continuous play leaves little room for in-game fan engagement, and outside the occasional sponsor reads during corner kicks, the match experience is left largely to the ebbs and flow of the game itself. Since Duluth FC is a tenant rather than the full-time operator, their stadium branding is minimal. A handful of Duluth FC flags fly from above the bleacher railings to add a touch of home-field identity, but otherwise it’s very much a neutral facility.   Neighborhood   3 Superior, Wisconsin sits just across the St. Louis River from Duluth, Minnesota, just off the westernmost shore of Lake Superior. Off the mainland in Superior Bay, Barker’s Island offers several attractions, including the Lake Superior Estuarine, which educates visitors about the lake’s coastal ecosystems, the SS Meteor Maritime Museum, home to the world’s last whaleback ship, and Capt’n J’s Miniature Golf Course. While Superior has a handful of attractions, Duluth is the area's highlight. Not far across the John A. Blatnik Bridge, Canal Park at the westernmost point of Lake Superior features a concentration of restaurants, shops, and accommodations. One of the area’s more interesting hotels is the Fitger’s complex, a former brewery converted into a hotel with several restaurants and retail spaces. Nearby are the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge, Duluth North Pier Lighthouse, and the South Breakwater Outer Lighthouse. During the summer months, the lakefront is busy with activity late into the night. Duluth’s sports teams play a prominent role in summer entertainment. Amsoil Arena , located on the waterfront, hosts the Duluth Harbor Monsters of the Arena Football League, while a summer collegiate baseball team, the Duluth Huskies  of the Northwoods League, play just outside downtown at Wade Stadium.   Fans   3 Despite them being a bit late arriving, Duluth does a decent job filling the stands with a couple of hundred fans.  The crowd is not overly rambunctious, having no organized supporters section to energize the stands, but fans do respond enthusiastically to big saves and shots on frame. The most devoted supporters are easy to spot in their distinctive Disciple kits.   Access   3 SCCU Stadium is located approximately four miles from Interstate 35, which runs locally from Minneapolis to Duluth via US Highway 2. From downtown Duluth I-535 provides a direct route to Superior’s North End neighborhood, which is just north of the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus. The stadium’s parking lot sits just outside the main entry and is a short walk to the bleachers via stairs or an accessible ramp. The far side of the bleachers is roped off, preventing fans from using that section.   Return on Investment   3 For this level of soccer, $15 for an adult ticket seems a bit high – military and senior tickets are $10, college students pay $5, and youth under 18 are free. Considering that parking is free, the $15 price becomes a bit more palatable, though it still feels like the type of event where a parking fee would have been an added cost. On the plus side, concession prices do not appear to take advantage of the typical inflation seen at many stadiums.   Extras   2 The stadium’s small size helps concentrate fan excitement, creating a livelier atmosphere than if the crowd were spread out over a larger section of bleachers. For kids who want to be part of the action, a pre-match announcement invites volunteers to serve as ball kids. These young fans get to stand pitch-side during the match, retrieving wayward shots and balls that go out of bounds.   Final Thoughts Superior Choice Credit Union Stadium, one of the two sites Duluth FC calls home, offers a simple, no-frills environment with close-up access to the action. Its compact layout helps amplify the energy of the crowd, creating an intimate and engaging atmosphere, especially for families and young fans who can participate as ball kids. Located on the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus, SCCU Stadium provides a lower-tier soccer experience focused on connecting fans with the team and the community it represents.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Jackson Field 505 E Michigan Ave Lansing, MI 48912 Lansing Lugnuts website Jackson Field website Year Opened: 1996 Capacity: 11,000 Let's Go Nuts Located just a few blocks from the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing sits charming Jackson Field, home of the Midwest League baseball team, the Lansing Lugnuts.  The ballpark debuted in 1996 as Oldsmobile Park and brought baseball back to town after 55 years.  The venue received major renovations prior to the 2017 season, which included, most notably, the colorful apartment complex behind center field and a 360 degree wrap-around co ncourse.  Since playing in Lansing, the team has been affiliated with the Royals, Cubs, and Blue Jays.  Since 2021, they have been the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.  They won the Midwest League championship in 1997 and 2003. The ballpark offers exception al comfort, and the game day operations do a wonderful job of allowing fans to have an enjoyable, content, and entertaining few hours. Food & Beverage 5 Jackson Field has an excellent variety of concessions with permanen t food s tands and kiosks lining the infield concourse.    Permanent stands have choices like chicken tender baskets, chicken sandwiches, burgers (including olive burgers, iconic Michigan sandwiches), etc. ($5 - $12.75).  Tacos Locos sells Mexican fare of tacos and nachos ($12.75 - $17.75).  The souvenir nacho helmet is said to be delicious.  On Tuesdays, the special is two beef tacos costing $5.   Another stand sells pizza, Mr. Softee ice cream, and Dippin’ Dots. Other kio sks include Hickory’s BBQ, Philly Cheesesteak, and Smokies Sausage Shack, all of which look quite tempting as you stroll by. All stands sell an assortment of snacks and sweets. Pepsi is the soda provider at Jackson Field.  A decent choice of domestic and premium beers is sold.  Ope! Ale House and Good Hops Craft Beer Bistro are your be st bets f or craft beers.  Beers run $8 - $10.50.  Cocktails and wine cost $8 - $16.  The stadium promotes $5 Tallboy Tuesdays and Thirsty Thursdays, where domestic drafts and cans are $3, sodas are $3, and seltzers cost $5.  Atmosphere 5 Beyond the action on the field, the Lansing Lugnuts deliver a welcoming game day experience a nd an impressive ballpark.  Be sure to explore all the features it offers when visiting. The seats at Jackson Field are comfortably wide (22”) and have excellent leg room.   One level of traditional stadium seating extends down the baselines with bleachers on the first base side nearer the foul pole. A second level of suites sits above the infield concourse.  The third base side gets the shade first.  The outfield features small grassy berms tucked beside the foul poles.  Fans can walk the entire circumference, and we recommend doing this to see all that the stadium has to offer.  Bullpens are on the field beyond the baselines, making it easy to identify when a relief pitcher may be entering the game. Jackson Field Seating, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey The music volume is loud right under the infield concourse, b ut at a perfect level everywhere else.   It’s mostly played only between batters, but almost annoyingly between every pitch later in the game.  The scoreboard in left field and the letters and numbers are large enough to read easily.  For those not facing the scoreboard, the banner board between infield seating shows pitch count, batter stats, inning, and other data.  The pitcher’s name is projected on the right field wall.  The grounds crew provides a lush green turf. Fans can access the game day program by scanning a QR code on their phone. Having printed copies available would be a nice touch. The Big Lugs Playground with bounce houses and a jungle gym is on the left field concourse.  It costs $1 a game or $5 for unlimited usage and is a popular place.  The game day crew keeps things lively with plenty of between-inning games and activities. One crowd favorite is the balloon sculptor, entertaining both kids and adults alike. Neighborhood 5 Jackson Field is in the heart of vibrant downtown Lansing, MI, surrounded by plenty of places to visit, stay, and eat before or after a game.  The ballpark’s entrance is in a peaceful, scenic plaza enriched with grass, trees, bushes, colorful flowers, statues, and benches to sit on before the game.  Plenty of other attractions abound in Lansing besides the Lugnuts . Tour th e state Capitol Building, the Mission 5 Museum, o r the Potter Park Zoo.  Visit Old Town, an eclectic collection of shops, galleries, and restaurants, a mile north of the ballpark or Adado Riverfront Park for outdoor picnics and fun! Recommended places to eat and drink within walking distanc e of  the ballpark are Batter Up Bistro (right next door, closed o n Monday and Tuesday) ,  Lansing Brewing Company behind the center field apartments (good beer), and Nuthouse Sports Grill (across the street).  Sahara Delight (Mediterranean ) i s nearer the Capitol Building. Places to stay downtown are the Courtyard Marriott (one block away) and the DoubleTree (two blocks from the field). If you attend an early-season game, you may be able to catch a Michigan State Spartans baseball game in East Lansing. Fans 3 Common among minor league baseball, many fans attend a Lugnuts game for an afternoon out with family and friends, with t he game on the field bei ng secondary.   The team has a booster club whose energetic members support and encourage the team and players. Those in attendance root the team on and applaud good plays by either team.  The team averages between 4,000 and 4,500 fans a game. Access 4 Getting to the ballpark is pretty easy via car and bus.  The stadium is conveniently located less than a mile north of I-496 and a mile west of US 127.  Parking lots and garages are available near the stadium and generally cost $5.  Street parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays, but those spots fill up fast.  Jackson Field offers free golf cart service to and from neighboring parking areas beginning one hour before gate opening until one hour after the end of the game. The Capital Area Transit Authority  has bus stops outside the stadium. If you’re flying in, Capital Regional International Airport (LAN), a small regional hub, is just five miles from the ballpark. Inside the stadium, the concourses are noticeably wide, though they can ge t crowded in the outfield near the kids’ playground.  Wheelchair seating spots line the inner concourse.  Return on Investment 4 Jackson Field offers an affordable, fun-filled ballgame experience that’s perfect for fans of all ages.  Ticket prices typically range from $14 - $23.50.  Concession prices are what you’d expect at a ballpark, and parking won’t break the bank.  Visit on a Tuesday or Thursday and take advantage of food and drink specials. Group areas include: Pepsi Porch – A tiered party area with an all-you-can-eat-and-drink (Pepsi) option $46 Tailgate Terrace - Can hold up to 1,000 of your closest friends (grilled burgers, dogs, and other concessions are included in ticket price) The View – A year-round suite in center field used for group outings and special events The Lugnuts offer an array of promotional games throughout the season, including, but certainly not limited to:  MSU Night, Dog Day at the Park, Olive Burger Night, Fireworks, Cinco d e Mayo, Pride Night, and sponsor giveaways. Extras 3 Several other items are worth noting when visiting a Lugnuts game.  The souvenir shop, cleverly named Nuts and Bolts, sells a huge variety of merchandise and mement os, with baseball caps the best seller. As you walk the outfield concourse, you’ll pass the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame with plaques honoring prominent players, coaches, teams, and others with ties to Michigan.  Jackson Field - Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Be sure to listen to Lansing Lugnuts games on The Game 730 AM . Final Thoughts Catching a Lansing Lugnuts game is a highlight of any visit to this capital city in the spring and summer.  The Lugnuts deliver a fun, family-friendly baseball experience at Jackson Field at an affordable price.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Whitehouse Field 75 Oak St. Harwich, MA 02645 Harwich Mariners website Whitehouse Field website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 4,000 Baseball’s Original Mariners   Organized baseball games have been documented in the town of Harwich since the late 1800s. The “Harwich Town Club” took on rivals from other Cape Cod towns throughout the 1880s. The Cape League was formed in 1923, with a team representing Harwich first participating in 1927. Throughout much of the 1900s, teams representing Harwich played at Brooks Park.   Whitehouse Field is located on the campus of Monomoy Regional High School. The field is named for team benefactor Ben Whitefield, who donated the field’s original lights. A new scoreboard was donated in 1998 by former MLB commissioner Faye Vincent Jr. in honor of his father, who had been the captain of the Yale University baseball team in 1931.   In 1963, the “Modern Era” of the Cape League began. No longer were teams made up of Cape residents competing as “town teams,” but were to be made up of collegiate players from around the country. Over 100 players from Harwich have moved on to play in the Major Leagues. Some notable players to play in Harwich include Joe Magrane, Carlos Pena, Cory Snyder, Scott Kamieniecki, Ian Happ and Lou Lamoreillo. The Mariners have won five championships in the Cape League’s modern era, most recently in 2024.   Food & Beverage 3   There is a concession stand in the back side of the press box building. Fans can order many ballpark staples here, including hot dogs, burgers and sausage and pepper sandwiches. Since we’re on Cape Cod, you can pick up a cup of clam chowder here. Assorted snacks, candy and ice cream treats can be purchased here as well.   Cans of Polar Park beverages are sold at Whitehouse Field, along with root beer floats and slushes served in Harwich Mariners souvenir plastic cups. Alcohol is not served here at Whitehouse Field.   As is the case at all Cape League parks, fans are welcome to bring their own refreshments to enjoy at the game.   Atmosphere 3   As is the case at games all around Cape League, there’s a real small town, old school vibe here at Whitehouse Field. The game is the focus here in Harwich, and there’s not a lot to distract one’s attention from the action going on down on the field. This is baseball as it used to be, and that’s a big part of the appeal of visiting the Cape on a sunny summer day. You can watch the game, talk to your neighbors and watch the kids chase fall balls through the woods as future major leaguers compete on the field. The community feel of a game here is something you just don’t find in many other places.   Some may criticize Whitehouse Field and the other Cape League fields as glorified high school fields, but that’s part of their charm. They lend themselves to a simple game presentation. As mentioned before, there’s not a lot of distractions. Music plays between innings, and at a reasonable volume. The PA announcer limits his work to lineup and sponsor announcements. A scoreboard in right field displays basic game information. There’s a building near the entrance selling a good variety of Mariners merchandise, much of it featuring the old-school Mariners’ trident logo. Players roam the crowd throughout the game selling 50/50 raffle tickets. How often can you say you bought a raffle ticket from a Major League baseball player?   Neighborhood 3   Whitehouse Field is located in the village of Harwich Center, home of some of the most classically elegant architecture to be found anywhere on Cape Cod. The entire Center of the village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Buildings such as the Brooks Academy Museum and First Congregational Church provide examples of the Greek revival style seen here.   Beyond Harwich Center, the town of Harwich, located on the south coast of Cape Cod near the “elbow” of the Cape, has a population of just over 13,000 residents. During the summer, this figure swells to over 37,000. Harwich is a popular vacation spot due to its beaches and harbors. It is considered to be the birthplace of the Cape’s significant cranberry industry.   While there is no shortage of dining options throughout Harwich, the area around Whitehouse Field is a residential area, with nothing to draw visitors in the immediate area of the ball field. Fans will need to hop into their cars to access the many popular options throughout the area. The attractions of Harwich Port and the bustle of Route 28 are less than a ten-minute drive away.   Fans 4   The Mariners generally land in the middle of the Cape Cod League attendance rankings, drawing an average of around 1,500 fans per game. During Stadium Journey’s most recent visit, which occurred during the league semifinal playoffs, an incredible crowd of 4,434 packed every corner of Whitehouse Field.   As you’ll find at all the parks around the circuit, the crowd in Harwich is made up mainly of locals who have been coming to these games for decades. A big part of the fun here is watching the many children here chasing foul balls through the woods. If you’re looking to avoid the bigger crowds of the tourist season here on the Cape, we advise you try to visit early in the season, before school lets out. Trust me, there’s a big difference.    When you go to a Cape League game, it will seem like everyone knows everyone here. And in a lot of ways, it’s true. In fact, by the time you leave Whitehouse Field, chances are you’ll have met a few new people yourself. That small town vibe is contagious.   Access 4   Whitehouse Field is located on the campus of Monomoy High School in the village of Harwich Center. It’s located just over a mile from Route 6, the major access road that runs along the northern edge of Cape Cod. For fans coming from the more scenic and more traveled southern coast of the Cape along Route 28 and Harwich Port, Whitehouse Field is just two- and one-half miles from the south coast of the Cape. Visiting fans utilizing public transportation can take the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority’s Flex Route , which stops right at the High School/Community Center. Complete Driving directions to Whitehouse Field can be found here .   There is ample parking in the high school’s parking lot, with overflow parking available across the street at the Community Center. The ball field is set back a short distance in the woods, and fans will follow a path through a grove of trees to the park.   Seating is available in two sets of large bleachers on either side of the infield. Many fans will bring their own chairs and set them up in their favorite spots, either in a small area behind home plate a hill down either foul line. When there is a particularly large crowd on hand, you’ll find fans putting their chairs anywhere they can find space, including in the woods beyond the outfield fence. In a time-honored Cape tradition, fans will come to Whitehouse Field hours before game time, put their chairs or blankets in their favorite spot, and return later to find their seats untouched.   The grounds feature paved paths in the more heavily trafficked areas of the infield, but even the grassy areas are easily traversed. There is plenty of room all around the park for younger fans to release some excess energy, play catch, and chase foul balls. There’s even a little whiffleball field in the woods. A building containing rest rooms is located on the third base side of the facility. One negative to Whitehouse Field is tall fences and thick nets obstruct views from every spot of the facility. There are no unobstructed views to be had.   Return on Investment 5   There is no charge to attend a Cape League game. The team will happily accept a donation (the recommended donation is just five dollars). In exchange for your donation, you will receive a program and stat sheet. Parking is also free in the adjoining lot. Concessions and merchandise are very affordable, making a game in Harwich a most affordable entertainment option while visiting Cape Cod. In fact, if you choose to bring your own cooler, you won’t even have to reach for your wallet even once when visiting Whitehouse Field.   Extras 2   In 2024 a total of 415 Cape Cod League alumni played in the Major Leagues. This means that one out of every four players to play in the Majors spent a summer on the Cape. If you are going to a game here, you’re not seeing a few guys who might make it someday, you’re seeing an All-Star game every night of the summer.   A second extra point is awarded for the use of the old-school Seattle Mariners trident logo on the Harwich merchandise. Unlike some of the other Cape League teams that share a team name with their Major League Baseball brethren, the Mariners were exempt from paying royalties to MLB for the use of the name “Mariners,” as Harwich predated Seattle. I’m sure there is a licensing agreement to use these old logos, but that does not diminish the cool factor here at all.   Final Thoughts   The Cape Cod League is considered to be the premier summer collegiate baseball league in the nation. With one out of every four major leaguers today able to trace their roots to the Cape, the numbers bear out this claim. While the talent is certainly Major League, the feel at the ballparks is small town. A visit to Harwich bears this out, as you may arrive as a stranger, but you will leave as a member of the community.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Jeff Smith got his PhD, taught at Dartmouth and became a state Senator. Before that, Smith had run for congress and narrowly lost to the heavy favorite. Even then, he won, as his campaign was featured in the award-winning documentary, Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? Indeed, it seemed inevitable that Jeff Smith would indeed get to Washington, sooner rather than later. And then Jeff Smith got his education – a real, rough and tumble education. Jeff Smith went to prison. A campaign finance scandal from his lost, seemingly forgotten congressional race cost him his political career – and his freedom. Smith wound up pleading guilty to obstruction of justice and got sentenced to a year and a day in federal lock-up in rural Kentucky. Smith wrote about his experiences in his book, Mr. Smith Goes to Prison .  Locked up, Smith – the undersized, white collar, white guy – opened some eyes with his skills  – his basketball skills. Smith’s book is a lot of things. There are some great, unique basketball stories. Not a page goes by without a hilarious or poignant moment. Ultimately, it’s a triumph of the human spirit and a powerful statement against the current prison system in the US. Jeff Smith took a few minutes to discuss. STADIUM JOURNEY: When did you start to play hoops? And what experiences did hoops open you up to that you might not have had otherwise? JEFF SMITH : Started when I was 4. First league at 5. When I was around 8, I got on an AAU team that took me into neighborhoods I’d never seen before and which most middle-class people of all colors in St. Louis avoid because of high crime rates. In the realm of basketball that made me a tougher, quicker, better player. More broadly, spending time at the homes of teammates who lived in these neighborhoods and playing pickup on their playgrounds opened my eyes to the region’s stubborn segregation and inextricably intertwined inequality that persisted long after its legal vestiges had been dismantled. By freshman year, I was the sole white starter on my team in a suburban district that accepted inner-city black kids via the nation’s largest inter-district transfer program. They were mostly in the low track of classes; I was in the advanced track. One day a teammate asked me if I thought he was dumb since he was essentially 2 years behind me academically. “Of course not,” I replied. “Most of the people here do,” he said, which was probably correct. But what they didn’t understand, said my friend, was that the classes he was taking at his pre-transfer city school were using material 3-4 grade levels behind ours. Again that reminded me that several decades post-Brown v. Board of Education, we really hadn’t come very far. And it inspired me to major in Black Studies in college so that I could learn how we got here, as a country. STADIUM JOURNEY: Did you consider playing any level of college ball? Were you recruited? JEFF SMITH: Yeah. I had some area D-III teams talking to me. But I got into UNC and  Duke  and honestly, didn’t wanna give that up to play at a small local school. STADIUM JOURNEY: If at all, how did basketball – where big men have a distinct advantage – prepare you for politics? JEFF SMITH: My senior year of high school, we were one of the best teams in Missouri – lost in triple OT to the state’s #1 team, went on a 16-1 streak, etc.. At the pre-season weigh-in, I weighed 92 lbs. I didn’t weigh myself again that season because given our style of play – modeled after Nolan Richardson’s 40 Minutes of Hell – I was pretty sure that the first digit would be “8.” They listed me at 105 since they figured that listing me at 100 would make it obvious that they’d rounded up. So yeah, I was little. Sometimes I had to guard guys who were a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier. And in those cases the point guard would usually give up the ball at half court, call for a clear out, and try to isolate me on the block. So I developed lots of post defense tricks, like shoving with all my might into somebody’s thighs, and then quickly sliding aside the instant an entry pass was thrown, which often left my man falling backwards and the ball mine for the taking. When I got into politics, I was again the smallest player on the floor – just like I’d been on nearly every court of my life. I was in a 10-way primary with the front-runner being a guy whose dad was a 2-term Governor, mom was a US Senator, sister was Missouri Secretary of State, grandpa was a U.S Congressman and ambassador. Our poll showed that his name ID was 99%. My dad wrote ad copy and then started a business with zero in the basement of an apartment building. My mom worked with kids who had special needs. I had no money, no contacts, and name ID of 3% in our initial poll. So, to say I was a longshot is an understatement. But we ran a pretty scrappy, volunteer-fueled grassroots campaign, and I ended up coming within about 1% of winning and going to Congress at 29. I didn’t walk door-to-door; I ran. So instead of hitting 100 doors a night, I could hit 175. And our staff and interns and volunteers took their cues and ran circles around their counterparts on other campaigns. It turned out that the same tenacity I’d acquired as an undersized point guard was also pretty effective in politics. STADIUM JOURNEY: Did you consider not playing basketball in prison? JEFF SMITH: Hell no. STADIUM JOURNEY: When your fellow convicts first saw you play, what was their reaction? I imagine that they were not expecting you to be much of a player. JEFF SMITH: No, they definitely weren’t expecting much – and that really wasn’t anything new for me. And frankly, at first, I wasn’t much of a prison player; I weighed 117 pounds and wasn’t well-suited to prison ball, which resembles football as much as it resembles high school basketball. I took an elbow to the mouth my first week which left me bloodied, and I realized that I needed to get in prison playing shape. After working at the food warehouse moving 40,000 lbs a day and hitting the weight pile every day for a few months, I put on 30 pounds of muscle which enabled me to get into the paint and take a bump. Pretty soon my nickname changed from “Senator” to “White Chocolate,” which I loved of course, until I took my hot-dogging a little too far and got knocked unconscious. STADIUM JOURNEY: You mention in the book that there were a few athletes with professional sports backgrounds. How high was the level of play at prison? Could the all-stars from your prison play a D 1 team? JEFF SMITH: Yes, the prison all-stars could have played D-I ball. There were 2 guys who played professionally in Europe, one ex-NFL player, and 2 ex-Arena football players. STADIUM JOURNEY: When you were a state senator, you were already a prisoner advocate. What’s your current role in the prison crisis? What can other people do to help? JEFF SMITH: There are so many ways people can help  – pick any that suits you: Be a policy advocate pushing for more sensible sentencing statutes and more humane prison conditions, including correctional educational opportunities. Volunteer inside a prison or with people returning home; people inside need an ear and a friend. Be a penpal. Mentor the child of an incarcerated parent. Donate money to an organization fighting for criminal justice reform, like Families Against Mandatory Minimums or JustLeadershipUSA, or an organization helping people in the system avoid re-offending, such as the Prison Entrepreneurship Program or Concordance Academy. STADIUM JOURNEY: You formed an incredible bond under very tough circumstances with your fellow Warehouse Crew workers. Are you still in touch with them? JEFF SMITH: I stayed in touch with a few of them when I came out, writing letters and sending money for Christmas, etc. Lost touch with some when they transferred, etc, but stayed in touch with one. Wish I were in touch with all of them except for one whose prison nickname was “Charmin” since he was so soft. It’s one of my biggest regrets. Jon Hart is @manversusball

Photos by Matt Colville Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Admiral Fetterman Field at Blue Wahoos Stadium 351 W Cedar St Pensacola, FL 32502 Pensacola Blue Wahoos website Admiral Fetterman Field at Blue Wahoos Stadium website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 5,038 Welcome to Hoosville In 2012, affiliated professional baseball returned to Pensacola for the first time in 50 years, when Blue Wahoos Stadium opened on the downtown waterfront. The last affiliated team, the Class D Pensacola Senators, had folded in 1962, but the city’s passion for the sport was reignited by the independent league Pensacola Pelicans. Purchased in 2002 by local healthcare consultant Quint Studer, the Pelicans played one season at a local junior college, followed by eight successful seasons at the University of West Florida’s Jim Spooner Field, proving that Pensacola was ready for something bigger. Construction of a 5,038-seat stadium began in 2010 at the site of a former toxic waste dump beside the Port of Pensacola. Initially meant as the home of Pelicans, the project soon drew the attention of the Double-A Southern League, leading to one of the most complex franchise relocations in minor league history. Studer sold the Pelicans, purchased the Carolina Mudcats  franchise, relocated another club to preserve the Mudcats name in North Carolina, and even bought the Mobile BayBears’  territorial rights – spending $2 million before the team ever took the field; a fan vote christened the new team the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Though the stadium fell short of the league’s seating minimum at 5,038 seats, officials waived the rule after seeing its stunning location. From any seat, fans can take in sweeping views of Pensacola Bay, the marina, and the Port – often called the best view in all of baseball. Nestled within 27.5-acre Community Maritime Park, the stadium features open green spaces, a public marina, and walking paths; since opening it also has become a cornerstone of downtown redevelopment. Now the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins , the Blue Wahoos are committed to providing a family-friendly baseball experience. With its intimate setting, modern amenities, and breathtaking backdrop, Blue Wahoos Stadium has secured its place as one of minor league baseball’s premier destinations.   Food and Beverage   4 Over the past few seasons, the Blue Wahoos have completely reimagined their concessions, introducing four themed storefront-style stands; each with its own menu, branding, and personality. In addition to the usual ballpark staples, these stands offer restaurant-quality dishes that reflect the creativity and flavor of the Gulf Coast. Down the first baseline, Casa De Kazoo delivers a Mexican-inspired menu with tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and margaritas. A local touch also comes from the gourmet cheesecakes supplied by Sweet Blessing Pastries, proudly displayed at the stand. Nearby, the Wheelhouse Diner channels a retro 1950s vibe with specialty hot dogs, burgers, and milkshakes. Its most famous creation is the Deep Fried Elvis: a banana dipped in peanut butter and honey, deep-fried, topped with powdered sugar, and served in a hot dog bun. New for 2025, the Wheelhouse also features the Patty Wagon Smash Burger, a hearty addition to its lineup. On the third base side Hook, Line, and Sinker celebrates Pensacola’s coastal roots with seafood favorites like po’boys, shrimp and grits, grouper sandwiches, fried mullet, and hush puppies. For dessert, the Brioche Double Play is a must-try – a pressed ice cream sandwich with your choice of strawberry, cookies & cream, moose tracks, or birthday cake filling. Also on this side is Fish and Hits, an English and Irish-themed pub-style stand offering fish and chips, chicken tenders, and seasoned specialty fries. The Blue Wahoos also lean into over-the-top, shareable ballpark creations. A few years ago, they unveiled the Crabzilla – a $25 behemoth featuring crab remoulade, pork belly, soft shell crab, crab mac and cheese, and fried shrimp, topped with lettuce, tomato, and two hush puppies perched on the bun. This gut-busting sandwich even earned Ballpark Digest’s Best Concession award in 2019. Now, new for 2025 is The Trust Fund, a decadent mix of sautéed vegetables, crème fraiche, sturgeon caviar, grilled steak medallions, and snow crab legs, all served in a baseball helmet. Fans looking for a place to relax will enjoy Bubba’s Sand Trap, a bar behind home plate named after co-owner Bubba Watson. Here you can watch TV, sip frozen cocktails, enjoy craft beer, or even order sushi. The concourse also features smaller stands, including a gyro booth and a Circle K self-serve grab-and-go. For drinks, the McGuire’s Irish Wake Zone – named for Pensacola’s famed Irish pub – serves specialty cocktails like the Irish Wake and the colorful Blue Wahoo Ultimate (cherry vodka, triple sec, blue curacao, sour mix, and strawberries). Whether you’re craving fresh seafood, outrageous ballpark creations, or a well-made drink, Blue Wahoos Stadium’s food scene is as memorable as its view of Pensacola Bay.   Atmosphere   4 From the moment you walk through the gates at Blue Wahoos Stadium, you know you’re somewhere special. Friendly ushers and an engaging front office staff set the tone, creating an atmosphere packed with energy and on-field excitement. Nearly every game night has its own theme, paired with unique promotions or giveaways, ensuring no two visits feel the same. Between innings, emcees Downtown Dave and Big Time Tim keep fans laughing and engaged with contests, games, and prize giveaways. The team’s beloved mascot, Kazoo – a mischievous blue sea creature – roams the concourse and field, interacting with fans of all ages. In-game entertainment ranges from the hilarious Roach Run, where kids chase a costumed roach across the outfield, to the seventh-inning Grounds Crew Drag and Dance, where the infield crew performs choreographed routines while grooming the diamond. The stadium’s military connection runs deep, reflected in promotions like the Military Mascot Race, featuring a Navy goat, Army mule, Marine bulldog, and Coast Guard bear.  Also at the main entrance behind home plate you’ll find a nice, detailed “Navy Baseball History in Pensacola” display, showcasing the once prominent Navy baseball scene in Pensacola. Once a month, the club also hosts “Home Run for Life,” honoring a child who has overcome medical hardships – both teams line the basepaths as the honoree circles the bases, high-fiving players along the way, a moment that never fails to inspire. Theme nights and fan favorites like Doggone Tuesday (fans bring their dogs), 850 Wednesdays (local businesses spotlighted), Thirsty Thursdays ($2 drafts), Giveaway Fridays, Saturday fireworks, and Military Family Sundays keep the calendar full. The Wahoos also embrace their fun alter ego, the Pensacola Mullets, wearing mullet-themed jerseys for select games. Creative theme nights even often transform the ballpark itself – corn stalks at the gates for “Field of Dreams Night,” Ron Burgundy look-alikes for “Anchorman Night,” or colonial settler costumes for Five Flags Fiesta Night, honoring Pensacola’s history and the old Pensacola Dons franchise. Located inside 27.5-acre Community Maritime Park, the stadium shares space with an amphitheater, playground, outdoor fitness center, and scenic waterfront boardwalk. Palm trees sway along the exterior, adding to the Florida-coastal vibe, and the stadium’s sandy-colored brick facade matches nearby beachside condos. Beyond left field lies the Port of Pensacola and a marina filled with luxury yachts, while the seating bowl offers constant views of sailboats gliding across Pensacola Bay. Seating behind home plate in Sections 100 and 101 has repeatedly been voted the “Best View in Baseball,” and it’s easy to see why. The park’s elevated concourse – built high due to its hurricane-zone location – offers a 360-degree walkable design so fans never miss a pitch. Behind home plate the Bait & Tackle Team Store stays open year-round, while the Cox Clubhouse features kids games, a bounce house, TVs, and a VR sports room. There are no luxury suites, but the Hancock Whitney Club on the third floor above the third baseline offers premium seating, a full food spread, and stunning summer sunset views over the bay. From top-tier fan engagement to unbeatable scenery, Blue Wahoos Stadium blends baseball charm with Gulf Coast personality, delivering one of the most memorable minor league experiences in the country.   Neighborhood   5 With its prime downtown and bayfront location, Blue Wahoos Stadium sits just two blocks from Palafox Street, the main artery of downtown Pensacola. Along this stretch of South Palafox you’ll find more than 50 restaurants and bars, ranging from casual bites to upscale dining. A short walk from Palafox is the legendary Seville Quarter, a French Quarter-inspired complex of seven themed saloons. The crown jewel is Rosie O’Grady’s, a two-story institution famous for Hurricane cocktails, dueling pianos, and colorful tales of ghostly patrons. Just east of downtown, McGuire’s Irish Pub is another must-visit. Known for the more than 100,000 signed $1 bills tacked to its ceiling, McGuire’s offers hearty pub fare at reasonable prices – unless you splurge on its playful $100 burger. Downtown’s walkable streets and waterfront scenery also mean dinner with a view is always within reach. For a change of pace, the National Naval Aviation Museum – the only museum dedicated exclusively to naval aviation – offers free admission and hands-on exhibits. Visitors can step inside a motion simulator, test their skills in a jet trainer, or explore hundreds of full-sized aircraft. And if you’re lucky enough to be in town when the Blue Angels are practicing, catch the squadron’s jaw-dropping maneuvers, sometimes visible right from the stadium’s right field party deck. Other area highlights include Pensacola Colonial Village, the historic Pensacola Lighthouse, and Civil War-era Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens. For sun and sand, Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island is just across the bay, packed with attractions and beachfront dining. A bit farther afield, Destin lies about 45 miles east, while Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are roughly 30 miles west. Lodging options are plentiful, though prices climb as you get closer to the water. Whether you’re here for a game, a weekend getaway, or a beach retreat, Pensacola blends historic charm, coastal beauty, and plenty to do, all within a short walk or drive from Blue Wahoos Stadium.   Fans   5 In 2025 the Blue Wahoos averaged roughly 3,900 fans per game – second-best in the Southern League – despite playing in the league’s smallest ballpark, with its capacity of just 5,038. What the park lacks in size, however, it makes up for in loyalty: Pensacola boasts the largest season-ticket base in the league, and sellouts are common, creating a lively, packed-house feel nearly every night. The fan base is also as diverse as the Gulf Coast itself; Pensacola’s strong military presence means service members are a regular sight in the stands, while Florida’s Panhandle also draws a significant population of snowbirds and retirees escaping northern winters. On any given night, you might spot jerseys from across the country, representing both major and minor league teams. Adding to the mix are vacationing families visiting the area’s white sand beaches, many of whom make a Blue Wahoos game part of their trip. When I worked in the front office here, I met fans from across the United States and as far away as New Zealand and Japan. The result is a melting pot of cultures and ages, all coming together for one of the most unique atmospheres in minor league baseball.   Access   3 Blue Wahoos Stadium sits in the heart of downtown Pensacola, right on the edge of Pensacola Bay, just a couple of blocks west of the city’s main thoroughfare, Palafox Street. For visitors coming from out of town, the easiest route is to take I-10 to the I-110 interchange, which drops you into downtown after about four miles. If you’re unfamiliar with the area, it’s a good idea to use GPS; the ballpark can be a little tricky to spot at first, and downtown’s mix of one-way streets can be confusing. Parking can also be a challenge on busy game nights. A small lot directly outside the stadium charges $10, but fills up fast. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives – about 10 public lots within a 10-minute walk, many of which charge just $5. The team provides a parking map  to make it easier to find the best option before you arrive. Once inside the concourses can become crowded, especially on weekends when attendance is at its peak, and concession lines tend to back up during the busiest innings. Still, the layout is straightforward, making it easy to navigate the stadium and locate your seat. And no matter where you sit, you’ll be treated to stunning views of Pensacola Bay beyond the outfield, a backdrop that makes every game feel a little more special.   Return on Investment   3 Catching a game with the “Best View in Minor League Baseball” doesn’t come cheap; tickets for Blue Wahoos games typically run between $23 and $35, a steeper range than many Double-A parks. The good news? Parking is a bargain, and with a little luck, you can even snag a free spot in downtown Pensacola. At one of the most beautiful ballparks in the country, you’re not just buying admission to a baseball game – you’re investing in the full experience. From the breathtaking bayfront backdrop to the lively, fan-friendly atmosphere, it’s a setting that ranks among the very best in all of Double-A baseball.   Extras   5 Since 2015 the Blue Wahoos have enjoyed a unique connection to golf greatness through co-owner Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champion and proud Pensacola native. When he’s not on tour Watson is a familiar face at the ballpark, often spotted behind home plate with his wife and kids. Unlike some celebrity owners who stay behind the scenes, Watson embraces the fan experience. He doesn’t just show up; he mingles, chats, and shares the stands with the crowd, making him as approachable as he is accomplished. Another familiar name in the ownership group is Derrick Brooks – Pensacola native, NFL Hall of Famer, and former Florida State linebacker who starred for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brooks shares his half of the team with Bubba Watson, while local businessman Quint Studer owns the other half. Adding to his local ties, Watson also runs Bubba’s Sweet Spot, an ice cream shop just a couple of blocks from the stadium. Another plus for the top row of Section 101 earning the title of Best View in Baseball, offering sweeping, unobstructed vistas of Pensacola Bay that no other ballpark can match. Beyond left field, the shoreline comes within just 15 to 20 feet of the fence, creating a scene reminiscent of McCovey Cove at San Francisco’s Oracle Park  – it’s not unusual for big hitters to launch home runs that splash down into the bay’s sparkling waters. The Blue Wahoos have been recognized multiple years in a row for delivering the Top Fan Experience in Baseball, because they put their fans first in everything they do. One of the team’s biggest advantages over other organizations is their commitment to listening; after every game fan engagement surveys are emailed to every ticket buyer, asking what they loved, what could improve, and for an overall rating of their visit. The Wahoos also track their Net Promoter Score – a measure of how likely fans are to recommend the team to others. During my time working with the Wahoos, they posted an NPS of 85 out of 100, a figure that actually ranked higher than the Walt Disney Company. It’s a testament to a philosophy that values feedback, acts on it, and keeps the fan experience at the center of the ballpark. The Wahoos are committed to their mission statement to improving the quality of life for people in Pensacola. Blue Wahoos Stadium is also truly a multi-purpose facility that hosts up to 200 events every year.  In addition, the Wahoos have a fully functioning in-house catering staff led by Executive Chef Travis Wilson, and the views from the Hancock Whitney Club provide the perfect backdrop for numerous dinners, banquets, and parties throughout the year. Community Maritime Park, where the stadium is located, also hosts a plethora of different events such as concerts, runs, and festivals throughout the year. It’s safe to say that Community Maritime Park and Blue Wahoos Stadium have been a huge success for the City of Pensacola, and will continue to serve the community well for years to come.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Truist Park 755 Battery Ave, SE Atlanta, GA 30339 Atlanta Braves website Truist Park website Year Opened: 2017 Capacity: 41,147 This is Braves Country Opened in 2017, Truist Park is one of the youngest stadiums in Major League Baseball, second only to the Rangers’ Globe Life Field . Truist Park debuted to both excitement and controversy – fans welcomed a brand-new ballpark paired with a vibrant mixed-use development outside the gates, while critics saw it as the Braves abandoning the city of Atlanta. It is the team’s third home since relocating from Milwaukee in 1966, following Fulton County Stadium (1966–1996) and Turner Field (1997–2016), which was originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics before being retrofitted for baseball. In less than a decade, Truist Park has hosted Kennesaw State football , served twice as the neutral site for the Georgia - Georgia Tech  “Clean Old-Fashioned Hate” baseball series, staged the 2022 World Series, and welcomed the 2025 All-Star Game.   Food & Beverage   5 New to Truist Park in 2025 is the Outfield Market. Located along the right field concourse, what has been promoted as an in-stadium “food hall” brings together eight diverse food stalls from various Atlanta area eateries in a shaded, communal setting. Fans can grab smash burgers from NFA Burger, award-winning cheesesteaks from Fred’s Meat & Bread, tacos from Velvet Taco, and Latin-Asian fusion from Taqueria Tsunami. Pepper’s Hotdogs also serves creative Southern-style dogs, while Coop’s Wings offers rotating chicken wing flavors, while The Giving Kitchen stall features a different local chef’s creation each month. Beyond the Outfield Market, the 2025 concessions lineup includes the massive Big League Platter (ribs, mac and cheese, biscuits, beans, and slaw), the towering Home Run Stack burger-brisket-bacon sandwich, and the Fast Ball meatloaf sandwich. Other standouts include pickle-brined Golden Tender Bites, Mongolian beef bao buns from Blue Moon Beer Garden, and gourmet tortas and Italian sausage from Bona Fide Deluxe. In addition, burger fans can opt for Grindhouse Killer Burgers’ smash burgers or the classic Holeman & Finch Burger, with more traditional restaurants such as Blue Moon Brewery & Grill offering burgers, pizza, BBQ, and exclusive beers, while Chop House serves an expanded menu of appetizers, hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches.   Atmosphere   4 The excitement at Truist Park is set even before the gates open. The Heavy Hitters drum line, Tomahawk Team spirit squad, and Home Depot Tools welcome fans with music and photo ops in a nightly pep rally. Then, when the gates open fans are welcomed by stadium organist Matthew Kaminski, who fills the stadium with the sounds of an era gone by. Mascot Blooper also often entertains fans pregame with good-natured skits poking fun at opposing players. While recent changes to the food options have been expanded, this comes at the expense of nurturing a fan-friendly environment. The section above the home bullpen, which had previously been a favorite of early arrivers during batting practice, is now the ticketed “all-you-can-eat" section, “The Pen”, with fans who want to chase batting practice home runs now corralled completely into the area from left field to center. The addition of The Pen adds to the exclusivity of the seating, with Chop House seats that only allow access to ticketed fans during pre-game. When choosing seats, note that the left field stands are often exposed to harsh sunlight during the early innings, while nearly the entire upper level is covered by MLB’s largest canopy, providing ample shade and protection from the elements. Some of the most luxurious seats are directly behind home plate and offer access to the Delta 360 Club, which serves a buffet throughout the game. Beyond that, Infinity Club on the terrace level features a more refined menu and climate-controlled concourse. The stadium offers several social areas for fans to gather and enjoy the game. Much like Turner Field did, the upper level of Chop House remains a popular spot to casually watch the game while grabbing a drink. The outfield walls also add excitement to the game: a six-foot-high fence in left field allows for spectacular home run-saving catches, while the brick wall in right field can create some exciting caroms for fielders who are not well versed in playing the ricochet off the brick. In addition, true baseball fans will appreciate the large digital board in left field, which displays pitch speeds, types, exit velocities, launch angles, and distances nearly instantly during each at-bat.   Neighborhood   5 When Truist Park was designed, it was planned to create a neighborhood around the facility. The idea was not just to bring fans to the game early and have them to stay late after the game, but also for The Battery to be a 365-day a year destination. Office buildings help to set the cityscape backdrop of the development; The Battery is home to the regional headquarters of Comcast, and the newly completed Truist Securities building is just 300 feet behind home plate. Rising above them is the 420-foot Thyssenkrupp Elevators headquarters, the tallest building in Cobb County and a defining feature of the skyline. But The Battery is more than just offices and residences – it features entertainment options aplenty, from Punch Bowl Social’s arcade games, bowling, and high-tech Dartsee to Good Game’s indoor golf simulators and Sandbox’s immersive virtual reality experience. Dining is equally diverse with upscale fare at C. Ellet’s Steakhouse and Garden & Gun Club, lively sports bars such as Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, Yard House, and Sports & Social, as well as international flavors at Asian-inspired PH’EAST, Tex-Mex favorite Superica, and Italian eatery EATaliano Kitchen. Local favorites include Goldberg’s Deli, Terrapin Taproom/Fox Bros. BBQ, and Antico Pizza, whose Neapolitan style pizza are often hailed as Atlanta’s best. Also new for 2025, Shake Shack replaces Wahlburger’s. The Battery also offers two hotels: Omni Hotel, which stands prominently beyond right field and provides breathtaking views of the stadium, The Battery, and Metro Atlanta, as well as Aloft, located at the Cobb Parkway end of the development. Several other hotels are also within walking distance, making overnight stays convenient for fans. The primary drawback of the location is that once leaving The Battery, there are not many of Atlanta’s significantly prominent tourist attractions nearby.   Fans   4 Ted Turner purchased the Braves in 1976, and starting in 1977 the team enjoyed national television exposure through the Turner Broadcasting System, a reach few franchises could match. That coast-to-coast coverage not only earned Atlanta the self-proclaimed title of “America’s Team,” but also built a nationwide fan base. After years of futility in the late 1970s and most of the ’80s, Braves fans were rewarded with unprecedented success through the 1990s and into the mid-2000s. Sixteen consecutive division titles grew the fan base and set expectations sky high. With that level of dominance for more than a decade and a half, fans became accustomed to winning, and when the team is out of contention by the All-Star break, frustrations tend to surface quickly. From 2021 through 2025 the Braves have consistently ranked among Major League Baseball’s top 10 in average attendance, with June and July often bringing near-capacity crowds. Once school resumes in August, however, attendance dips, and the region’s attention starts to shift toward college football by the end of the month. This is not to say the atmosphere lacks energy – big moments still generate an electric buzz – but fan engagement does seem to dwindle when competing with other priorities during the dog days of summer. Atlanta has a loyal following, but much of that passion centers on individual players rather than the team as a whole, a loyalty that can waver when the wins total might not meet the expectations of the fanbase.   Access   3 When the Braves announced their move to Cobb County, much was made of potential traffic snarls at the junction of Interstate 75 and the I-285 bypass during the evening commute. While 285 does experience heavy backups, that is true on most days, game or not. Getting to the stadium is not dramatically worse than other venues, but parking is another story. Most of the parking is outside of The Battery, and can require a noticeable uphill walk which can be tiring in the summer heat. Parking decks near The Battery offer closer access, but rates can climb quickly. However, one of the more convenient and moderately priced options is at The Cobb Galleria, which is connected to The Battery via a pedestrian bridge over I-285. The Braves promote public transportation access to The Battery from downtown Atlanta, but unlike the MARTA subway service that many fans used for Turner Field, the only current options are CobbLinc buses from Arts Center Station and MARTA buses from Midtown Station. While necessary for some, these routes face similar delays and congestion as anyone else driving to the stadium. Entering the stadium has been expedited with the addition of newly installed metal detectors, but narrow concourses, pinch points, and concession lines can make navigating the stadium slow and crowded. The field and terrace-level concourse are also cut off entirely behind home plate due to luxury seating, which impedes movement from one side of the venue to another.   Return on Investment   3 Professional sports have reached a point where even the cheapest option comes with a steep price tag. In addition, if ticket prices are available at an affordable price, parking and concessions often cancel out the difference. For non-premier games, general admission in the upper level down the left field line starts just under $20 after fees, and a little over $31 for division rival matchups. Prices climb quickly outside the upper deck, with field-level outfield seats starting at $48 and going up from there. Many of these seats are now tied to clubs or special access areas, driving costs even higher. Dynamic pricing and a hierarchy of opponents also keeps popular games at premium prices. Parking decks at The Battery start at over $30 per car, with the most convenient Red Deck running as high as $65, but there are a few workarounds to make the experience as light on the wallet as possible. To avoid some of the sticker shock of parking, and if you are willing to walk a bit, $10 parking is available in the parking lot of the Olive Garden – how can you go wrong with $10 parking and a never-ending pasta bowl?  In addition, a ny of the merchants within The Battery will validate parking in the red, green, yellow, or purple decks with your purchase of $50 or more. Concession prices are the toughest pill to swallow; it is hard to find many stands where you feel you’re truly getting value for what you are paying.   Extras   5 New for the 2025 season is an expanded kids play area, the Children’s Health Care of Atlanta Park; it keeps many of the old favorites while adding more to keep kids engaged. Now located just outside the stadium along the third base side, this area features a small baseball field, a large video board so fans can follow the game, and kid-themed concessions and souvenirs. One casualty of the move was the loss of the zip line and 90-foot baseline. Just prior to the All-Star Game, one of baseball’s most iconic pairs of artifacts was finally made accessible to all Truist Park visitors, the bat Hank Aaron used and the ball he hit for his 715th home run. Once displayed inside the ticketed-access only Hank Aaron Club on the terrace level, they now sit across from the Hank Aaron statue in Monument Garden. Stadium organist Matthew Kaminski keeps the crowd entertained during lulls in the action, often by picking walk-up songs for opposing players with a playful twist. Some of his most memorable choices include Lucas Duda’s entrance to Camptown Races, Bryce Harper walking out to Harper Valley PTA, and Starling Marte stepping up to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The Home Depot Tool Race is a fan-favorite mid-inning piece, where Phil the Bucket, Hammerin’ Hank, and B-Rush often take turns tormenting 2-Bit the Drill, who is lucky to win even one race per season. In addition to the iconic Hank Aaron statue in Monument Garden, the stadium features three other statues around its exterior – Bobby Cox, Phil Niekro, and Warren Spahn each have their own spot, honoring their lasting impact on the Braves, as well as welcoming fans as they arrive.   Final Thoughts Truist Park and the surrounding Battery are a great pairing that offer fans convenience just steps from the stadium gates. Visitors being able to enjoy a meal, catch the game, and then walk back to a nearby hotel make for one of the smoothest and most complete baseball experiences in the league; few other stadium districts match The Battery’s blend of dining, entertainment, and lodging so close to the action. However, once inside the facility Truist Park lacks a distinctive feature that truly sets it apart. Unlike Boston’s  iconic Green Monster, Chicago’s ivy-covered walls, or Pittsburgh’s stunning skyline framed by its bridges, Truist Park does not have that signature element that leaves a lasting impression – even Miami’s  home run sculpture, good, bad, or indifferent, gave the ballpark a unique identity. But while Truist Park offers a comfortable and enjoyable experience, it does not quite reach the level of some of the more memorable or beloved ballparks around Major League Baseball. Nevertheless, The Battery brings energy and convenience that help elevate the overall game day experience, even if the ballpark itself falls short of iconic status.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Southwest University Park 1 Ballpark Plaza El Paso, TX 79901 Map It El Paso Chihuahuas website Southwest University Park website Year Opened: 2014 Capacity: 9,500 Chihuahua Fun The El Paso Chihuahuas (the San Diego Padres AAA affiliate) moved to El Paso, TX, in 2014. Prior to that, they played their baseball games as the Tucson Padres at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tucson, AZ. Southwest University Park sits on the site of the former El Paso City Hall, which the city demolished in 2013 in preparation for the ballpark construction.  Its architecture has a brick facade similar to the style of El Paso’s Union Depot.  Fans can see indications of FC Locomotive (soccer) on the diamond as the USL C team shares the facility. The Chihuahuas won the Pacific Coast League championship in 2016 and have won two conference titles and five division titles.  Current MLB players Josh Naylor (Cleveland Guardians) and Andres Munoz (Seattle Mariners) were El Paso Chihuahuas.  Food & Beverage 5 Southwest University Park has an outstanding choice of nourishment and drinks, much focused on Mexican fare.  Concession stands line the inner concourse from foul pole to foul pole.  Examples (but certainly not all) include:  Peter Piper Pizza - pizza slices, chicken tenders, baskets, and sandwiches ($11.50 - $16), hot dogs, corn dogs, cheeseburgers ($5.50 - $14), and a Flauta bucket costs $14. Chico’s Eats and Treats - hot dogs, nachos, and Frito pies run $5.50 - $11.99, and ice cream cones, sundaes, and floats cost $4.50 - $15. Chihuarrrines (pineapples dunked in hot sauce), a colossal 3-pound burrito drenched in queso, and a bacon-wrapped “Juarez” hot dog are specialties. Island Noodles (just inside the Santa Fe St entrance) is always a good selection. Dog Bowl Nachos, loaded nachos served in a souvenir dog bowl, is a popular and unique ballpark food item.  Most concession stands serve traditional snacks like popcorn, chips, peanuts, French fries, etc. Fans will find a Dippin’ Dots and a Gozo’s ice cream stand on the concourse.  Pepsi is the soda brand of choice ($5/$8), and bottled water is $5. Beer choices include traditional domestic beers ($8.75/can) and premium beers ($9.75 and $11.25/can). Clamato beverages run $12.25 - $18.25, while cocktail and mason jar cocktails cost $15.50 - $18.50.   A premium draft beer is $12.25, and a souvenir baseball bat beer costs $25. The Tequila Gazadores Cantina, a bar in a brick building just behind the right field fence, is open to the public.  It’s a good place for fans to visit during the hot summer as it is pleasantly air-conditioned. Rehydration stations called the Quench Zones, where you can fill and refill your bottles, are near some restrooms. Atmosphere 4 Southwest University Park is a delightful place to catch an El Paso Chihuahuas ballgame, especially if your focus is not solely on the game. The game day staff entice fans with activities like dance cam, quizzes, commercials, and the dizzy bat race.  Chico, the mascot, throws t-shirts into the stands during play, which is great for fans who don’t care about the game but is not beneficial to those trying to watch it. The stadium has Chico’s playground beyond center field and includes a splash pad for those hot Texas days.  Kids enjoy this area of the park. Southwest University Park - Chico's Playground, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey During night games, the outfield lights strobe and flash when a Chihuahua player hits a home run or pulls off an outstanding play. Southwest University Park has two levels of seats (many in the shade), with suites behind home plate on the second level.  Green stadium fold-down seats have average width and decent legroom.  Drink rails run along the top of a good portion of the concourse, but many of those are ticketed seats, so fans walking the concourse can’t stop and watch the game.  The seating has several corporate-named sections, most of which are premium suites or hospitality sections:  Dugout Club, Peter Piper Porch, Budweiser Bullpen Patio, West Star Club (Suites), Pepsi Party Deck, Wooftop Deck, Sun Kings Saloon, Santa Fe Pavilion, GECU Green Seats (lawn), etc.  The music is excessively loud, making it difficult to enjoy. Fans struggle to hear the announcer, even during key moments like announcing the starting lineups. The music person needs to let the announcer speak and not overpower him with music.  Annoyingly, that person plays noise and music between pitches, not just between batters. The PA announcer does not always announce pitching changes; however, whoever updates the scoreboard does an absolutely fantastic, timely job.  Kudos to that person.  The scoreboard in right-center field is easy to read. Neighborhood 4 Southwest University Park is adjacent to downtown El Paso, and with that comes lots of other activities and places to eat and stay. The ballpark is next to the Convention Center (which also houses the El Paso Visitors Center), the El Paso Museum of History, the El Paso Museum of Art, La Nube STEAM Discovery Center, Cleveland Square Park, and three blocks from San Jacinto Plaza.  When in El Paso, take the scenic drive , which goes up the mountain and provides delightful views of El Paso and Juarez. Other sports in the area include the El Paso Rhinos (junior ice hockey) and UTEP Miners sports events.   If you have a passport, head over to Mexico and visit Parque Público Federal El Chamizal .  Then catch an FC Juárez (Liga MX) match at Estadio Olímpico Benito Juárez. Plenty of restaurants are within three or four blocks.  Some recommended ones include Barrio Eats and Drinks, Park Tavern , and Rock Star Burger Bar .  Check Visit El Paso for many more selections. Several hotels are near the ballpark. The Courtyard El Paso, Hilton Doubletree, and Boxstel Hotel - Modern Stay are the closest.  A Holiday Inn Express is a little further away, and it has free parking.  We stayed at the Doubletree, and it was fine. Southwest University Park - Hotels Beyond Outfield, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Fans 4 Fans are passionately vocal.  They cheer at the appropriate times.  There’s even an inoffensive heckler or two in the crowd.  Many fans wear Chuco Town (an El Paso sobriquet) shirts and plenty of other baseball-labeled attire, though not a lot of San Diego Padres gear. The Chihuahuas were one of the top 10 in attendance in minor league baseball in 2024 with an average of 6,551 fans per game.  Many fans don’t know to wait until a stoppage in play but instead head to and from their seats while a batter is still in the box.  If you want to watch the game, we recommend sitting in the first row, in the center of a section, or along the drink rail to reduce the pedestrian traffic game blockage. Most fans pick up their own trash, a welcome sight. Access 3 El Paso is in the western part of Texas on the Ciudad Juarez, Mexico border and a stone’s throw from New Mexico.  The El Paso International Airport (ELP) is nine miles east of the ballpark.   Southwest University Park is a half mile off I-10 in the downtown area of the city, next to the Convention Center. Several parking garages are within a few blocks of the stadium, the closest probably the Convention Center garage, at 1 Civic Center Plaza, El Paso, TX 79901.  Check here for more parking information. Fans can take SunMetro bus 50 to the Missouri/Oregon stop and walk three blocks to the stadium.  Fans may even want to ride a vintage streetcar to the ballpark, something unique to El Paso. The stadium has two entrances.  Clear stadium-sized 12” x 6” x 12” sports bags are allowed.  Depending on the security rep you pass you may or may not have to take your baseball cap off. Because of the crowds, the concourse gets seriously crowded.  I did not find the stadium easily conducive for those with mobility issues. Recommendation to the El Paso Chihuahuas:  Open one gate between Franklin and Missouri on Santa Fe Ave for fans to exit after the game.  Bathrooms are plenty and are kept remarkably clean throughout the game. . Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices vary greatly and can range from $8 - $100 depending on game, opponent, and day.  We recommend checking the promotion schedule, as the team has plenty. Sunday Kids Day:  Kids get to run the bases, and there is usually a toy giveaway. Taco Tues and Brews:   $3 Estrella 12 oz canned beer, $3 two rolled tacos, $5 Cazadores RTDs (ready to drink) Mature Munchies Wednesdays:    Receive a voucher for a regular hot dog, fries, and a regular fountain soda (24oz) for sixty and older fans. Thrifty Thursdays:  $2 Busch Light 12oz canned beer, $2 small popcorn, $3 small soda, $3 small hot dog, $5 NUTRL On most days, active-duty military, veterans, and government employees can enjoy a 25% discount on ticket prices. Then there’s Fireworks Night, Scout Night, Nurses Day, Bark in the Park, and plenty more, with most games offering some giveaway or deal.  Extras 3 Several other items are worth noting when visiting an El Paso Chihuahuas game at Southwest University Park: The customer service is tremendously helpful and warm.  Be sure to pick up a roster and scorecard at the customer service desk.  They also have 1st game pins. The stadium's outfield has a unique cutout in center field, making it somewhat quirky. Southwest University Park - Centerfield Cutout, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts If you savor the social aspect of visiting minor league ball games, the El Paso Chihuahuas have you covered.  With plenty of activities and entertainment outside of the ballgame, a host of food and beverage choices, and a slew of promotion days, fans will enjoy themselves at the ballpark.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Billed as the largest crowd ever for a regular season Major League Baseball game (91,032 attendees), the Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway got hit with the red flag after just seven batters came to the plate, due to rain. Low clouds filled the valleys of Bristol, Tennessee throughout the morning, taunting fans who had fired up grills in the parking lots or wandered into the MLB Speedway Classic Fan Zone for early festivities. The Fan Zone featured interactive games, photo ops with the World Series trophy, a large “It’s Bristol Baby!” sign, and team specific graphics, and food trucks, while a live concert stage entertained fans throughout the day, headlined by Jake Owen. A towering 110-foot Ferris wheel spun next to the stage, while the Legacy Walk paid tribute to Reds  and Braves  legends. The fan zone also served as the backdrop for several national television pregame broadcasts, drawing heavy traffic in the hours leading to first pitch. While the Fan Zone had plenty to keep fans entertained before the gates opened, it did feel as if the space was too small for the size of the crowd. Congestion bottlenecked at entry points near the lower level and cell reception was limited, making it difficult to access ticketing apps. The stadium’s public Wi-Fi also became overwhelmed as more fans started to use it due to poor phone reception. As the intermittent rain intensified, Tim McGraw took the stage for the pregame concert, joined by cameos from Jake Owen and Pitbull. The performance closed with an emotional tribute, as McGraw sang “Live Like You Were Dying” while footage of his father, Tug McGraw, sealing the Phillies’  1980 World Series championship played on stadium screens, sparking a loud cheer from the growing crowd. However, while McGraw’s set likely thrilled die-hard McGraw fans, only a handful of songs would have been familiar to more casual country music listeners. Meanwhile, Pitbull’s brief and limited appearance during the encore, despite his being promoted as a featured performer, was disappointing. As McGraw’s set wrapped up, players climbed into team-colored pickup trucks, the Braves  in blue and white and the Reds  in red and white, and paraded around the track to kick off player introductions. As the starting lineups were introduced, players emerged from center field between customized Braves and Reds stock cars, as smoke machines disguised as stacks of tires shot smoke into the air. Pit crews held out pit signs with each player’s number, as if signaling a race car in for a pit stop. Meanwhile, rain continued to fall steadily throughout the National Anthem, which was capped by a flyover from four Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets. As the roar of the jets faded, National Baseball Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and Johnny Bench took the field for the ceremonial first pitch, but the moment took a NASCAR turn. Chase Elliott, representing the Braves , and Kyle Busch, a longtime Reds  fan, joined the two Hall of Famers; Jones threw to Elliott, while Bench assumed his familiar position behind home plate when Busch threw to him. Shortly following the opening pitches, the rain began to intensify. The grounds crew rushed out like a NASCAR pit crew jumping over the wall for a four-tire change and splash of gasoline, quickly pulling the tarp across the infield as fans scrambled to the concourse for cover. As the rain picked up the aluminum bleachers leaked rainwater onto the concourses below, with the lower levels taking the brunt of the cascading flows. The delay stretched to 2 hours and 17 minutes, during which time concession lines grew and several stands ran out of essentials like hot dog buns, nacho cheese, and beer. Shortly after 9:40 pm, the game finally saw its first pitch. Reds’  starter Chase Burns retired the Braves  in order during the top of the inning, through an increasingly steadying rain. Braves starter Austin Cox was pressed into service after Spencer Strider was scratched due to the extended delay . The Reds struck early, grabbing a 1–0 lead on an Austin Hays RBI single past a diving Austin Riley, scoring Matt McLain as the rain again picked up, sending the grounds crew back onto the field in an attempt to sop up the growing quagmire of an infield. Unfortunately their efforts were in vain, and after another extended delay the game was hit with the black flag, suspended to be resumed the next day. Those relying on rideshare apps waited for hours, hoping to reach nearby hotels or neighboring towns. The night ended far from how anyone had envisioned it. The suspended game resumed Sunday afternoon, and in response to dwindling concessions from the night before, fans were allowed to bring in their own food and water, a welcome change that helped ease some of the frustration from the night before. The Reds  led 1–0, but that advantage vanished faster than Ryan Blaney’s 132 mph track-record lap. The Braves  turned to their third pitcher before the end of the 1st inning, Hurston Waldrep, who had spent the previous night with Triple-A Gwinnett  before making the 5 1/2-hour drive to Bristol early Sunday morning. Waldrep entered with runners on first and third with one out and escaped the jam unscathed,  with Atlanta allowing just the one run from the night before. In the Braves’  half of the 2nd inning, Reds  reliever Brent Suter retired the first two batters before giving up back-to-back hits to Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies. Then, Eli White blasted a 2-1 changeup over the left field wall for a three-run homer, triggering the crowd-pleasing “Home Run Car”, a custom Corvette circling the track with a Home Run flag rippling out of its passenger side window, to the delight of fans gathered along the SAFER barrier. Waldrep’s lone blemish was a sacrifice fly off the bat of Matt McClain, who would account for both of the Reds’  runs in the game. But this game belonged to Eli White, who launched his second homer of the game in the 7 th  inning, a solo shot to left center, giving Atlanta a 4–2 lead. The Reds threatened in the 8th but could not push a run across.   Much in NASCAR fashion, the star for the victorious Braves , White, hoisted the Speedway Classic trophy above his head in celebration, as the Braves mascot triumphantly waved a massive Speedway Classic flag from the mound. Major League Baseball deserves credit for thinking outside the box and bringing a regular season game to such an unexpected venue. This marked the first MLB game ever played in Tennessee, and staging it inside a NASCAR track gave it a sense of uniqueness. Unfortunately, much of that magic was dampened, literally, by rain delays and logistical hiccups. While fans will remember the novelty, many will also recall the frustration and fatigue. MLB should be applauded for innovation, but future events of this scale deserve smoother execution to ensure fans leave with nothing but great memories.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Labatt Memorial Park 25 Wilson Ave London, ON N6H 1X2 London Majors website Labatt Memorial Park website Year Opened: 1877 Capacity: 5,200 Major Historic Baseball Labatt Memorial Park in London, Ontario has the distinction of being the World’s Oldest Baseball Grounds.  After a bit of an administrative battle with Guiness, the ballpark on the Thames River has had its status confirmed and is now in the Guiness Book of World Records.  Tecumseh Park was built in 1877 for the London Tecumsehs, both named after Sawnee Chief Tecumseh.  In 1877, the Tecumsehs played the Boston Red Stockings in London, who would go on to become the Boston Braves, and eventually the Atlanta Braves.  After a major flood in 1936, Labatt Brewing donated $10,000 to renovate the park and acts as a memorial to the founder, originally John Labatt Memorial Athletic Park, which is why the Labatt name remains and has not been changed to the current parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev.  The park is currently home to the Western Mustangs, Fanshawe Falcons and most prominently, the London Majors of Intercounty Baseball League.  Labatt Memorial Park was also the home of affiliated baseball for a time when the Double-A London Tigers played in London.  Independent teams have also called Labatt Park over the years including the London Werewolves and the short lived London Monarchs and London Rippers.  Labatt Memorial Park has been designated a National Heritage Site. The Majors were founded in 1925 as the London Braves and found time over the years as the London Winery, London Silverwoods, London Army Team, London Diamonds, London Pontiacs, London Avcos, London E-Morocco Majors before settling permanently on the London Majors in 1975.  The Majors are currently owned by Scott Dart and Roop Chanderdat and boast 14 IBL Championships, the most recent in 2022.  Former Major League legends Denny McLain and Ferguson Jenkins pulled on a Majors uniform and took the field for a time. Food & Beverage 3 Labatt Park features a fairly common snack bar type concession.  Hot dogs, burgers, sausage, nachos, popcorn, peanuts and chips are available.  A bit of a unique option is the actual hand scooped ice cream that is available in a variety of flavours.  Freezies (an Intercounty League staple) and other ice cream bars can also be found.  Lines at the concession are usually quite long. Coca-Cola products are the soft drink of choice at Labatt Park but Powerade, water, coffee and tea can also be found.  A variety of canned beer and hard seltzer is available for purchase at the dedicated concession stand for alcoholic beverages.  The Majors have partnered with nearby Railway City Brewing in St. Thomas to provide craft brewing options to go along with the major brands.  Railway City is canning London Majors branded beer which is available at Labatt Park. Atmosphere 4 Labatt Memorial Park boasts of being the “World’s Oldest Baseball Grounds” which has been validated by the Gunness Book of World Records. It is not the place it was back in 1877, but it is in the upper echelon of IBL parks. The park is nestled neatly in the West London neighbourhood and is fairly nondescript from the outside. The main structure is brown brick, which acts as the main grandstand, washrooms, team store and concessions. The grounds are kept behind large wrought iron gates which gives the park an extra sense of pageantry. Historical poster boards surround the exterior of the park, which tell the story of Labatt Memorial Park and aid in the ballpark tour. Inside the ballpark, the playing surface is a symmetrical 330 feet down the lines and 402 feet to dead centrefield, east of the plate. The main grandstand is covered and features aluminum bleacher seating. Fans will want to be selective in their seating as to not have an obstructed view from one of the eight support beams. The three rows immediately behind the backstop feature metal stadium seats with backing. On either side of the main grandstand are permanent bleacher seats, the first eight rows of which have backs. Continuing past the first section of bleachers on either side are another pair of sets, which are a bit more temporary. The playing surface is natural grass and modern LED lighting is ready for dusk during evening games. Mature trees line the wall from left field to centre field, beyond which is the Thames River. A simple, baseball scoreboard is beyond the right centre field wall. The Majors have thirteen retired numbers for Joe Owen, Norm Aldridge, Russ Evon, Gabby Anderson, Richard Thompson, Wayne Fenlon, Bob Deakin, Roy McKay, Tommy White, Mike Kilkenny, Dave Byers, Arden Eddie and Fergie Jenkins.  The Majors have also earned IBL titles in 1925, 1936, 1937, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1956, 1969, 1975, 2021 and 2022.  Neither the titles nor the retired numbers have a prominent position at Labatt Park, which is a failing. The gameday production at a Majors game is decent and has become more modern over the last few years. The Majors employ an in-game host to keep the fans interested and have recently brought Forest, the mascot, into the fold.  Kids run the bases after the third inning.  There is no “baseballs are the property of the team and must be returned” announcement, which is not uncommon in the IBL.  The Majors stumbled on a bit of a phenomenon with their “Forest City Cobra Chickens” rebrand.  Cobra Chicken games provide some extra promos and excitement and attract a larger than normal crowd.  On-field promotional games are populated by fans volunteering online after scanning a QR code.  The 50/50 draw is also a staple. Neighbourhood 3 Labatt Park is located in West London, on the western border of Downtown and south of Western University. The neighbourhood, located on the western bank of the North Thames River at the confluence of the main artery, is mainly residential.  There are a couple of small spots for a pre or post game meal, including Under the Volcano, however a short drive across the river will drastically increase the options.  Covent Market, across the road from Canada Life Place, has a number of options.  Waldo’s On King might be a good choice. London has a number of sporting options.  The London Knights  of the OHL, who are famous for being owned by the Hunter brothers and their massive success, play at Canada Life Place, downtown.  Western University also fields a full complement of athletic teams north of Labatt Park.  The Western Mustangs are known for football at Western Alumni Stadium  as well as basketball at Alumni Hall  and hockey at Thompson Arena .  Right across the road from the stadium are a couple of historic points with Museum London right there.  Fanshawe Pioneer Village and Covent Garden Market are also options for other things to do.  The Labatt Memorial Park tour should not be forgotten, especially with a low cost of $10.  There are a few downtown hotels for fans who wish to stay in London.   Delta Hotels London Armouries and Residence Inn are downtown options a short drive from Labatt Park. Fans 3 It is difficult to assess fans for the Intercounty Baseball League as attendance figures are not regularly compiled and posted for public consumption.  That being said, the London Majors anecdotally attract an audience in the upper echelon of the league.  The league itself has reported decent growth in fan support over the past few seasons.  The fans are knowledgeable and passionate.  The game that was reviewed was a Cobra Chickens game and saw a crowd of at least 1,000 fans.  Some have taken to some of the more intricate baseball traditions as at the game reviewed, a group of fans behind the plate were counting the number of consecutive balls the opposing pitcher threw.   Access 4 Labatt Memorial Park is located in West London, on the banks of the Thames River.  Getting to Labatt Memorial Park requires fans to travel through Downtown London.  The park is a significant distance from the main artery through Southern Ontario, Highway 401.  Traffic is not usually a major challenge for baseball games.  There is some limited parking on site for Majors games, but it is not overly convenient.  Parking on one of the side streets in the West London neighbourhood is probably a better option.  Leaving plenty of time before the game is a good idea.  For fans wishing to take public transit, London Transit buses travel along Riverside Drive and Wharncliffe Road North.  Fans should consult the London Transit  website for fares, maps and schedules. Labatt Park is small enough that it is easy to get around.  Concessions and washrooms are on the outer side of the ballpark.  The washrooms are a little dated, but adequate for the facility. Return on Investment 5 There are not too many sporting experiences out there that offer the low price and value that the London Majors and IBL do.  Majors tickets are a very affordable $12 each.  Parking at Labatt Park will go for $3, however, street parking can be found at no cost.  Concession prices are in line with other teams in the league.  The opportunity to see baseball in a historic venue for such a low price offers a very significant return on investment.  Add the possibility of seeing a Cobra Chickens game, given the extra excitement, and it seems impossible to go wrong. Extras 4 An extra mark for the Labatt Memorial Park Tour, which can be taken on a gameday.  For $10, a trip through the stadium and Roy McKay Clubhouse with a discussion of the stadium’s unique history can’t be beat. An extra mark for the London Majors and the 2020 Legacy Classic.  With the 2020 IBL season cancelled due to the pandemic, the Majors hosted the Guelph Royals in a single game to continue the legacy of Labatt Memorial Park. An extra mark for the history shared on the London Majors website.  What the park lacks in displaying retired numbers and championships, is made up for with the massive repository of history on the Majors’ website.  Definitely worth checking out! An extra mark for the Forest City Cobra Chickens temporary rebranding.  What began as an April Fool’s joke has morphed into a bit of a phenomenon, even garnering national attention.  Cobra Chickens merchandise flies off the shelves and a Cobra Chickens game attracts a larger crowd. Final Thoughts It is hard to argue with the staying power that the London Majors have demonstrated along with the Intercounty Baseball League.  Getting to see a game at Labatt Memorial Park is a treat and those hardcore baseball travelers who want to see a piece of history should definitely take advantage of an opportunity to catch the Majors. ---- Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram  @profan9.

In the latest episode of Stadium Journey's Obstructed Views, the guys go streaking. (Well, thankfully not really!) It is off to Day Air Ballpark, home of the Dayton Dragons, owners of the longest sellout streak in professional sports history! The streak is well over 1,500 games and 25 seasons. What is it that makes Dayton such a success? Grab a beer and check out the latest episode of Stadium Journey's Obstructed Views! ⚾🏟️ You can find Stadium Journey's review of Day Air Ballpark and the Dayton Dragons' game day experience here.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Lenda and Glenda Hill Stadium 33 E College St Hillsdale, MI 49242 Michigan Monarchs website Lenda and Glenda Hill Stadium website Year Opened: 2024 Capacity: 750 Lenda & Glenda Hill Stadium – Michigan Monarchs The Michigan Monarchs began play in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League (GLSCBL) in 1999 as the Lake Erie Monarchs, originally based in Carleton, Michigan. In 2004, the team relocated to Toledo, Ohio, where they played at Ned Skeldon Stadium, the former home of the Toledo Mud Hens. As that facility aged, the Monarchs began splitting time between Skeldon Stadium and Nicolay Field in Adrian, Michigan, ultimately making the latter their full-time home. Scheduling conflicts prompted another move in 2014 to Flat Rock, Michigan, where the team played for five seasons. The team returned to Adrian in 2019, playing at Siena Heights Baseball Field, and following that season, rebranded as the Michigan Monarchs. In 2025, the club moved once again, this time settling at Lenda & Glenda Hill Stadium on the campus of Hillsdale College. The GLSCBL is a league comprised largely of players from mid-major universities, NAIA schools, and community college programs.   Food & Beverage   1 There is no traditional concession stand in use at Monarch games, but soft drinks, Gatorade, and bottled water are sold out of a cooler at a table behind the press box. Although the food and beverage options are limited, fans are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks into the stadium.   Atmosphere   2 Lenda & Glenda Hill Stadium is a beautiful, newly built baseball facility. A large, steeply pitched roof covers nearly the entire grandstand, which features uniformly navy-blue seats. A drink rail runs behind the seating along the third base side. The stadium is also framed nicely by the tree line, which adds a pleasant backdrop. The game presentation is refreshingly simple, which suits the setting well. There are no mid-inning contests, blaring sound effects, or gimmicks to distract from the action. Aside from music during mid-inning breaks, the focus remains squarely on the game itself. A video scoreboard in right center field tracks balls, strikes, outs, and the inning-by-inning line score. However, it does not update run totals until the end of each inning, a minor quirk that a few fans have been overheard griping about. Still, compared to other summer collegiate ballparks, some of which lack operational scoreboards altogether, this delay does not significantly detract from the experience.   Neighborhood   3 Hillsdale, Michigan, is a small town in the state’s southern region, located near the intersection of the Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana state borders. Lenda & Glenda Hill Stadium is part of the athletic complex at Hillsdale College, which also includes Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center (indoor track), Dawn Tibbits Potter Arena (volleyball and basketball), Muddy Waters Stadium (football and track), and Johnny Williams Field (softball). Between summer workouts and team camps, there is often a steady buzz of athletic activity across the cluster. Downtown Hillsdale is less than a mile from Hill Stadium and offers a collection of shops and restaurants. While several businesses tend to close early in the evening, some popular eateries include St. Joe’s Cafe, Hillside Filling Station Deli, and Handmade Sandwich Shop. For morning or early afternoon games, Ethan’s Donut Factory and Rough Draft both serve breakfast or lighter fare. The downtown area also features two craft breweries, Hillsdale Brewing Company and Big Pines Brewing. For recreational options beyond the ballpark, Hillside Lanes offers retro-style bowling just over a mile from campus. The City of Hillsdale also provides an extensive self-guided walking tour of the town’s historic sites. In addition, Mrs. Stock’s Park hosts live music events throughout the summer, and the 414-acre Baw Beese Lake property features a beach, playground, picnic areas, and biking and hiking trails.   Fans   2 The Monarchs typically draw around 50 fans per game, most of whom appear to be friends or family of the players. The crowd does not necessarily create a definitive home field advantage, but is vocal in their support of the team following positive plays, or will let the umps know about questionable calls. Given the purpose of collegiate summer baseball leagues, fan turnout is often a secondary concern.   Access   2 Hillsdale is most directly accessed via Michigan Route 99. The city feels like a small island surrounded by a sea of cornfields. Once on campus, parking is shared with the surrounding athletic facilities, and it’s a short walk to the stairs that lead down into the stadium seating. Accessibility could be a challenge for some. While there is a ramp on the first base side of the grandstand, getting to it from the parking lot is not especially intuitive. For fans with mobility concerns, the lack of a direct ramp from the lot to the main seating area may pose some difficulties, as the sloped grassy area along the third base side is quite steep and can be tricky to navigate.   Return on Investment   5 Admission is $7, with kids 12 and under getting in free. There’s no formal gate or box office; instead, a team employee circulates through the crowd every few innings to collect entry fees. Seven dollars feels like a fair price for this level of summer ball, especially with no parking fees and very affordable drink prices to match.   Extras   2 The stadium’s cozy layout allows fans sitting near the press box to catch the radio call in real time, adding a unique layer to the in-game experience. Located just behind the first base side of the grandstand, the Delp Family Bullpen is an artificial turf play area that gives kids plenty of room to burn off energy if sitting in the bleachers becomes too much.   Final Thoughts For those who appreciate baseball in its purest form, Michigan Monarchs baseball provides the perfect backdrop – the hiss of a fastball, the pop of the catcher’s mitt, and the crack of the bat stand out in the quiet evening air. Fireflies also dance through the warm summer nights, adding to the small-town magic; it is the kind of setting summer baseball memories are made of.

How is a baseball team name, not a name? Especially one that existed well over a century ago. It’s a series of inaccuracies made by sports historians over the past twelve decades. After examining a lesser-known minor-league ball club, we need to reconsider its history. However, ask anyone and they will tell you that the Webb City Gold Bugs was the name of a baseball team in the early 20th century in the Western Association. The franchise operated in 1903, returned in 1905, and played until 1909. It started in the Class D Missouri Valley League and later joined the Class C Western Association.  Modern databases show several names for this club and identify it as the Gold Bugs for all six seasons. However, digging into newspaper accounts from this time tells a different story. First, a gold bug is not a species of insect. The term is for someone who favors gold as an investment or a standard for measuring wealth. William McKinley's 1896 presidential campaign included many items with a golden bug. It led to his supporters being referred to as gold bugs. Supporters of his opponent, William Jennings Bryan, were “silver bugs” due to their free silver movement. The term "gold bug" has a connection with the U.S. presidential election of 1896. The story begins with the Nevada Lunatics of the Missouri State League. The team was in its third year of existence but was suffering from low attendance and had missed its last payroll. Magnates from Webb City raised $1,200 to purchase the club's assets and moved it on July 11, 1903 (modern data basis lists the day of relocation as July 16). The club never reached Webb City because its ballpark wasn’t ready. Instead, they played a three-game series against Pittsburg at Cycle Park in Joplin, Missouri, with around 200 supporters making the trip. The team was swept in their first series and then dropped their final game at Springfield. In its four games, the club was outscored 50-14. The league consolidated Webb City and Leavenworth from the loop and continued the season as a six-team circuit. However, no newspaper reports from the team’s 4-day existence referred to it as the Goldbugs. Only once did a paper refer to them by a nickname; the Galena (Kansas) Evening Times called them the Webb City Outcasts and the Nevada Refugees in jest. The franchise was caught between its old city and its new one, but never referred to as Goldbugs or Gold Bugs. After a one-year hiatus, the following year, baseball returned to the league in 1905. Management raffled off a $1,000 new automobile to help raise funds to build a ballpark. However, the team that took the field that warm May day in front of 1,921 fans did not have an official name. That did not stop local newspapers from giving them a nickname; a Kansas newspaper referred to them as the Mud Hens. That name, along with Gold Bugs, was never used in the local Joplin newspapers. The ball club played one season, relocated to Iola, Kansas, and entered the Kansas State League. The 1907 Webb City Ball Club was known mostly as the Ducklings, or by the Webbfeet, by away newspapers. Webb City would get a new team in the Western Association when the Sedalia Gold Bugs relocated to town in 1906. They were the original Gold Bugs franchise, first used in 1902, and this would be the closest the franchise came to being called by this moniker. The new club donned the same loud uniforms that gleamed with “lurid brilliancy” that season; shockingly, the ball club had more than one nickname. Some papers called them the Gold Bugs. Yet, local dailies referred to them as the Jiggers. This name comes from a parasitic insect that burrows into the skin; its scientific name is tunga penetrans. This name was the most popular choice in the Webb City Sentinel  and Joplin Globe  before the start of the season. Today, the name is more familiar for an hourglass-shaped measuring device with uneven cones at each end for portioning out spirits. The Gold Bugs name would appear in local newspapers in May and was used a few times in Joplin print, but more often in the Springfield newspapers. Around this time, a popular article appeared in newspapers across the nation. It listed the nicknames of all professional baseball teams for that season and referred to the team name as the Gold Bugs. This article likely helped disseminate information to future historians. Depending on the newspaper, you might see a different name for the Webb City Ball Club Two other names were used for newspapers in league cities in Kansas and Oklahoma. The Hutchinson News called the club the Ducklings. Meanwhile, papers from Topeka and Wichita referred to the team as the Webbfeet, without the city indicator. Depending on what state, city, or newspaper you had in your hand, the name of the Webb City team was significantly diverse.  In 1907, the Gold Bugs name was not mentioned in any team-related print. However, home newspapers began using the names Webbfeet or Ducklings to identify the club. These names showed up in both the Joplin and Webb City papers. The old team name from the year before appeared much less frequently in local print. All these names would gradually fade from memory by the next season. Webb City used the nickname Triplets in 1908 and 1909 in a majority of press clips. It might have been a nod to the city located within the "Tri-State Mining District," a region known for its extensive lead and zinc mining activity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, also giving Webb City its nickname “The Zinc City." The ball club was known as the Triplets by most media accounts in 1908 and 1909. The Triplets played their final game on July 18, 1909, which included team president D.M. Shively announcing to the crowd that the team was moving to Sapulpa, Oklahoma, after the third inning. Reverend C.F. O’Meara officiated the game behind the plate and gave the club their last rites and funeral services. Webb City dropped their final contest 4-3 to Pittsburg. Minor league baseball returned one last time in 1914 and never returned to the city. Why do baseball publications refer to the team as the Gold Bugs when they went by numerous names during their stay in the city? It could be due to the team never having an "official" name and leaving it up to local and away newspapers to provide a name. This was quite normal in the early 20th century in baseball, but the club could have easily been referred to as the Jiggers, Triplets, or Webbfeet by future baseball historians. It might be due to a news article printed in many papers during Minor League Baseball’s 50th anniversary in 1951. Columnist Lawton Carver shared information about minor league history in his “Fair or Foul” column. He named some old teams: the Providence Clam Diggers, Lincoln Treeplanters, Memphis Egyptians, and Webb City Gold Bugs. Lawton found his data from an old source. It was printed in various newspapers across the country during the golden anniversary year. In 1968, Bill Westwick of the Ottawa Citizen brought up the Gold Bugs again. He was reminiscing about baseball's oddest names, referring to Montreal's expansion franchise. However, the ball club only briefly used the name during the 1906 season after its move from Sedalia. We know that the Webb City franchise had a series of names during its brief existence, spanning from 1903 to 1908. Newspapers in big cities and small towns printed names in black ink, often naming the clubs themselves. Sometimes, those names stuck. If the team had continued, it could have gone by many other great names from its time. However, Webb City was never home to the Gold Bugs. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Classic Park 35300 Vine St Eastlake, OH 44095 Lake County Captains website Classic Park website Year Opened: 2003 Capacity: 6,157 Baseball Fun East of Cleveland Classic Park is the home of the Lake County Captains, High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians in the Midwest League. The Captains are only 18 miles from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, making them one of the closest affiliates to the parent club in Minor League Baseball. Classic Automotive Group, a Cleveland-area auto dealership, purchased the Classic Park name. The stadium debuted at $22 million in 2003 and features 6,500 seats, a wraparound concourse, lawn seating, 17 luxury suites, and two outdoor party decks. The ballpark also offers a few other features that have made national news, including a trio of mascots and a row of toilet seating. The Captains arrived in town after playing as the Columbus, Ga, RedStixx in 2003, while members of the South Atlantic League before moving to the Midwest League in 2010. The ball club has captured two MWL championships in 2010 and 2024. Food & Beverage 3 Classic Park has quite a few options for fans attending the game, from local favorites to an array of alcoholic beverages. They can be purchased at regular stands and kiosks, through the grab-and-go system, and always through electronic payment. The Galley serves up a wide variety of items, including several hot dog options like the Jumbo Dawg, the 10-Inch Dawg, and the Sloppy Dawg (cheese and bacon). There are more options available that feature the Captain’s brat and the Italian sausage. Cheeseburgers, pulled pork sandwiches, tenders and fries, and fish sandwiches are also available. There is a giant batting helmet stuffed with tortilla chips, cheese, pulled pork, and jalapenos.   Lake Effect Ice Cream on the 3rd base side offers one, two, and the brain freeze, a five-scoop ice cream served in a batting helmet and topped with chocolate syrup and whipped cream. The alcoholic beverages include domestics and craft beer cans from Budweiser, Modelo, Corona, Yuengling, and local favorites Collision Bend and Schnitz Ale Brewery. Surfside Vodka, Fresca Mixed, White Claw Hard Seltzer, and Long Drink wrap up the non-beer choices at Classic Park. Atmosphere 3 Classic Park features a nautical theme, evident throughout the concourse with mini-boats, concession stands named Castaway’s Bar and The Galley. The stadium is one mile from Lake Erie, where many ships lie shipwrecked underneath its deep waters. However, there are a few quirks that make it stand out from the average ballpark around the league. The stadium features wide open concourses, plenty of grass seating from foul pole to foul pole in the outfield, and a row of seats that are toilet bowls. The Roto-Rooter Toilet Row has 8 sets of seats available for purchase and comes with comfortable padding and a prime view of the diamond. The seating has gained fame around the country and is surprisingly comfortable to watch from behind the backstop. There are more comfortable seats a few rows above, called the rocking chairs, that sit two people. The area includes a wooden-deck platform that makes the fan feel as if they are on their back porch, enjoying the game underneath the patio lights. The rest of the seating bowl stretches from foul pole to foul pole and includes cup holders. A large covered outfield seating section is located behind the left field wall. The video board features a few glitches and was originally installed in an indoor facility in Japan. The stadium’s scoreboard is original from when the stadium opened in 2003. The Cargo Hold is a larger retail shop that includes various selections of team gear. The Captains introduced a bold new logo with colorful jerseys in 2025, modeled after Cleveland’s “caveman” uniforms of 1974-1977. There is even a powder blue pullover that feels more like a Milwaukee Brewers away set from 1982. Neighborhood 4 Historic Downtown Willoughby is less than 2 miles from the ballpark and offers a wide array of bars and restaurants. Ballantine is a gastropub with live DJ music on Friday and Saturday nights. Sol serves vibrant fusion food in a spacious restaurant dating back to the 1930s. The Garage Bar is a playground for adults featuring arcade games and drinks. The Yard on 3rd is open late with local food trucks, bench seating, and yard games for entertainment. There are plenty of small places for domestic, imports, and craft beers, including Mullarkey’s Irish Pub, The 1899 Pub, and the Tricky Tortoise Brewing Company, which is housed in an old trolley repair car depot that dates back to the late 19th century. The space offers live music, food, and trivia nights. The parking is free on the street, and weekend nights are buzzing with more traffic and people. Check hours of operation during the weekdays, as a few restaurants and bars close much earlier than expected.  Fans 2 The fans are very tame and involved with the game. Nothing is discerning or alarming about their behavior to think they do not enjoy themselves. Would I have liked to see a little more energy? Perhaps, but they are enjoying being out at the ballpark with friends and family. That is all that should matter most of the time at minor league ballparks. Isn’t that what the promotions are for? Access 4 Classic Park is located two miles north of I-90 with plenty of signs directing you off the interstate. A straight road takes you to friendly people who direct you to your car. If you park across the street, a pedestrian bridge takes you over for convenience.  Return on Investment 3 The cost of a ticket is $16, $22.50, and $28 for most games. Parking on the first base side of the ballpark is $10. The price of a domestic beer is $8, and a basic hot dog is $4.50. A team jersey is just under $100 and is not your cheaply made brand. The team charges $10 for parking on the first base side of the stadium and across the street in the larger lot. Extras 3 The team employs three mascots: Skipper, Horatio, and the Baseball Bug, who originally debuted for the Cleveland Indians in 1980 and returned after a long hiatus in 2023. However, none of the mascots were present during the game when we visited.  The Roto-Rooter Toilet Row is fun and a unique way to enjoy a baseball game. How many ballparks have row seats quite like this? The team jerseys are not your regular run-of-the-mill team jerseys that you will find at most minor league gift shops. The wording, numbers, and patches are sewn on and appear to be the exact ones worn by the players on the field. Final Thoughts Classic Park is a ballpark design that was popular in the early 20th century. It offers a wide-open concourse, a massive lawn area of seating, and easy access to concessions and team merchandise. However, with today’s baseball fans, there is the opportunity to create more excitement at the ballpark. There are signs already, and hopefully more in the future. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Among the many attractions visitors to downtown Indianapolis will find in the White River State Park is the NCAA Hall of Champions. This interactive museum is part of a three-building complex that was built as part of the NCAA’s headquarters when they moved from Kansas City to Indiana’s capital. Also located in this complex is a conference center and the NCAA and NFHS (National Federation of High Schools) corporate headquarters. As fans enter the Hall of Champions, they are greeted with a statue of several football players in the “flying wedge” formation, a football play so effective and dangerous that it threatened the very existence of the sport itself. This threat from President Roosevelt to outlaw football forced several college leaders to get together and draft rules changes to continue the sport. This is considered the birth of the NCAA. The first floor contains individual exhibits for each NCAA-sponsored sport, complete with artifacts, current team rankings, a listing of past champions and video highlights. Championship banners honoring every current champion in every NCAA sport in every division hang from the ceiling. In a small theater, the latest version of the “One Shining Moment” video from the NCAA basketball tournament plays on a continuous loop. The second floor contains several interactive exhibits, including a 1930s-era basketball gymnasium, a ski simulator, trivia games and more hands-on activities for kids of all ages. These games are not the most interactive nor the most technologically advanced you’ll see, but shooting some hoops in the old gym is absolutely the highlight of the floor. The museum takes approximately 90 minutes to tour completely. Admission to the Hall of Champions costs $7.50 for adults, with seniors receiving a dollar discount and youth admitted for $5.00. Children under 5 and active members of the military are admitted at no charge. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm. It is closed on Mondays and some holidays. Parking for the museum is available in the White River State Park underground garage. Check out the NCAA Hall of Champions website for more information

For two weeks every August, the small borough of South Williamsport, Pennsylvania and its 6,000-plus residents become the center of the baseball world. During this time ten teams from around the United States and ten more from around the world meet to compete in a true world championship. The 2025 Little League World Series will be the 78 th edition of the tournament, having been held since 1947. Visitors to the Little League International Complex will find more here than just the action on the complex’s many fields. Also located here is the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum, also known as The World of Little League Museum. The museum, which opened in 1982, is located just to the south of Howard J. Lamade Stadium and Little League Volunteer Stadium directly on Route 15. The museum chronicles the growth of Little League Baseball from its beginnings in 1939 as a three-team league to the multi-national organization that it is today. Part of the museum is the Hall of Excellence, which honors former Little League players who “have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their chosen profession and exemplify the values learned as children in Little League.” Among the many famous  baseball players you would expect to see here are celebrities who became noteworthy in fields other than baseball, including Bruce Springsteen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Costner, George W. Bush, Tom Selleck, George Will and Joe Biden. The museum tells the story of the history and growth of Little League in the framework of a six-inning baseball game. Using a mix of artifacts, images, immersive media and interactive exhibits, the museum brings home its mission, which is the belief that the power of youth baseball and softball can teach life lessons that are carried throughout one’s lifetime, building stronger individuals and communities. Among the interactive exhibits is the Global Connections Touch Table, where visitors can look up information on any Little League organization in the world. Fans can also time themselves running from home to first base, and can try to rob a home run from clearing an outfield fence. Admission is quite affordable, priced at only $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for youths. Hours will differ during the Little League World Series. Members of the military and Little League players wearing their uniforms are admitted free of charge. Audio tours are available in eight languages to accommodate the complex’s many international visitors. The tour takes 60-90 minutes to complete. Visit The World of Little League Museum website for more information.

Photos by Steve Ohnsman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Little League Central Region Complex 7185 South Indianapolis Road Whitestown, IN 46075 Map It Little League Central Region website Little League Central Region Complex website Year Opened: 2021 Capacity: N/A Central Region Little League The Little League Softball and Baseball International Tournament is played around the world. In the USA, they start with local district competition followed by state championships; the next step is Regional play located at five facilities around the country.  There, 53 teams (50 states plus Washington DC, and a second team each from California and Texas) vie for the chance to move on to the World Series held at Williamsport, PA.  The ten regional champs compete to become the USA champion; simultaneously, ten international champs play to determine the International champion.  Those two teams play one game to see which wins the overall championship . The softball series starts first, followed by the baseball series. REGION LOCATION YEAR OPENED STATES NO TEAMS Great Lakes Whitestown, IN 2021 KY, MI, IN, OH, IL 5 Midwest Whitestown, IN 2021 IA, MN, ND, SD, KS, NB, WI, KS 8 Metro Bristol, CT 1993 CT, NY, RI, NJ 4 Mid-Atlantic Bristol, CT 1993 DE, PA, DC, MD 4 New England Bristol, CT 1993 MA, ME, NH, VT 4 Mountain San Bernardino, CA 1971 CO, MT, NV, UT, WY 5 Northwest San Bernardino, CA 1971 AK, OR, WA, ID 4 West San Bernardino, CA 1971 AZ, HW, NOCAL, SOCAL 4 Southeast Warner Robbins, GA 2010 AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV 8 Southwest Waco, TX AR, LA, NM, MS, OK, TXE, TXW 7 International Lamade Stadium Williamsport, PA 1959 US & International Volunteer Stadium Williamsport, PA 2001 International Typically, ESPN broadcasts the last few games of each region; the ESPN and ABC networks show all of the Williamsport games. We attended three days of games in Whitestown this 2024 season.  Prior to its opening, an older facility near Indianapolis, now Burnett Park , hosted the Great Lakes and Midwest regional competition.  Opening ceremonies are held the day before the first scheduled games.  Early in the tournament, four games are played at 11 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm; the two regions play two games each day. Food & Beverage 2 Food options are quite limited, but get the job done.  All beef hot dogs are $3.50; nachos vary from $3.50 to $8; Pepsi products, Gatorade, and bottled water go for $3.  Four unique flavors of cotton candy are fun. Customers order at one window and pick up at another.  Service is friendly and efficient.  Credit cards are accepted. A wide range of restaurants about one mile northeast of the stadium, on Whitestone Parkway, offers solid options for take-out. Atmosphere 4 The stadium offers three seating areas.  We recommend the section right behind home plate with green plastic seats and a roof overhead that provides shade, though no cup holders.  Seats along the baselines, traditional aluminum bleachers, are in the sun for much of the day.  The stadium’s backdrop, facing east, is the I-65 highway, which has constant traffic noise.  As the announcer introduces each state team, that state's university fight song is played – a clever touch.  The music and PA announcements are quite loud.  The scoreboard is excellent, with information about each player and the pitch count, which is very important due to Little League rules intended to protect the pitchers’ arms.  Before some of the games, the players dance to the Cha Cha Slide Dance:  The Cha Cha Slide Dance - YouTube Interesting facts:  the Softball Regional plays first, followed by Baseball.  Softball plays on an all-dirt infield, so the grounds crew has to install new sod for the baseball games in a very short interval.  This crew also does an incredible job of redoing the field for each game.  Umpires, grounds crew, and ushers are all volunteers, per Little League tradition. Neighborhood 4 This stadium resides in a suburban location with an apartment complex to the north.   There are no restaurants or bars within walking distance.  About one mile northeast, a wide range of restaurants offer American and International fare that will satisfy most fans: Thai, Asian fusion, Mexican, Teppanyaki steakhouse, Sushi, Pancake House, pizza, and barbecue will meet all your needs. Moontown Brewing Company is an old converted high school, 5 miles north of the ballpark on the other side of I-69. As expected, Indianapolis (about a 30-minute drive southeast) has many excellent tourist opportunities:  museums, parks, and a zoo.  The Eiteljorg Museum, Eagle Creek Park , and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway/Museum are suggested places . For other sports activities, check if the Indiana Indians (MiLB) are in town. Nearby hotels (about two miles from the ballpark) are a Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn, and Hampton Inn. Fans 4 The majority of fans attending regional games are family and friends from each state.  Quite a few local baseball fans join in the fun.  Overall, the fans are involved and supportive of the players and their performance.  Thankfully, no noise-makers are permitted!!  Attendance varies; the closer the state, the more fans.  As the tournament draws to a close, more fans show up for the championship games.  There is a lot on the line for each team – a chance to play on the fabled Williamsport Field! Access 4 Located just south of exit 130 off I-65, the stadium offers excellent access.  A large grassy parking lot is adjacent.  Unfortunately, no public transportation is available.  A shaded concrete patio has picnic tables.  The air-conditioned gift shop offers official Little League regional shirts, jerseys, sweatshirts, hats, and souvenirs. Photos of earlier champions adorn the walls.  Clean, modern restrooms are behind the concession stand. Return on Investment 5 When there is no charge to go to the games and free parking is provided, the return on investment is optimal!  Concessions are reasonably priced.  Unfortunately, they do not offer a program or rosters for the teams.  A bracket is posted near the gift store which shows the game results. Extras 4 One point each for free entry and parking. Another for the friendly staff.  A fourth for the amazing ground crew.  Final Thoughts Little League Regional competition allows all baseball fans the chance to see some remarkable performances by young athletes; 12 years later, some of these kids are playing in the show!  Free entrance and parking make it a bargain!  Pick a location near you and enjoy a game or two.