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  • Writer's pictureMarc Viquez

Goodrich Park – Wabash College Little Giants


Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey


Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71

Goodrich Park 705 Chandler Lane Crawfordsville, IN 46250

Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 500

 

Have a Good Time at Goodrich Park

Wabash College is a private liberal arts men’s college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. It was founded in 1832 by several Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders. The current student enrollment is around 900, and the campus features a multitude of athletic facilities, including Goodrich Park for its baseball program.

The ballpark opened on March 19, 2011, and features permanent seating, a concessions stand, a concourse, press box, dugouts, and a viewing hill behind the right field. The ball club had called Mud Hollow Field home for 50 years before moving into Goodrich, named after John B. Goodrich, a former alumnus, whose family is known through its philanthropy at Wabash and throughout the state.

Baseball was first played on November 24, 1866, with a 45-32 victory over Asbury College (now DePauw) on the commons in the south part of town.” Today, the club that plays in the North Coast Athletic Conference has one of the nicer facilities in the conference.

The college is known for the annual Monon Bell Classic against DePauw University. The annual football game dates back to 1890 and is among the oldest rivalry games in college football, having met 126 times as of this writing.

Food & Beverage 2

The ballpark offers a small sample of baseball treats that include hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, and soda. The prices are reasonable and make for a nice snack as you enjoy the baseball game.

Atmosphere 3

Goodrich Park is a pleasant little place for baseball off the campus of Wabash College. The 500-seat ballpark offers permanent red seats that are situated just four rows down from the concourse, a concession stand, a press box, and a grassy knoll outside the left-field area of the ballpark.

Fans on the knoll watch the game from their portable seats, and many will bring their dogs to the game. There are others, mainly students, who provided a bit of a football-tailgate experience with food, drinks, and party games. It was quite different than the garden fans inside the ballpark keeping score and watching the action on the diamond.

There are portions of the ballpark named after donors such as the concourse named after Frank and Lisa Kolisek, along with the concession stand and press box. The giant wooden W, which was once on display at the Little Giants old ballpark, is featured predominately at the current stadium.

Neighborhood 3

Downtown Crawfordsville is a few miles away from campus and features many spots to enjoy dinner or a drink. A few of the places include Backstep Brewing Company, Brother’s Pizza, Harry’s Hideout, The Barefoot Burger, Alice’s Restaurant, Valentino’s Italian Cuisine, and Arni’s.

If with the family, try Arni’s for the kid-friendly environment and thin-crusted pizza. If you are with a few friends or alone, Backstep Brewing Company is the newest place in town for craft beer. It’s located in the old Monon Hotel and offers live entertainment on certain nights.

The town also has a couple of places of interest that includes the Rotary Jail Museum and the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum. If the weather is nice, Indiana Zipline Tours are nearby, and the Sugar Creek Trail features a path through the wilderness.

Fans 3

Fans inside the ballpark do their share of cheering and keeping score of the game, while the ones on the outside of the ballpark enjoy the game from the comfort of the grassy hill. A few students and alumni are also having an enjoyable time, but perhaps it’s not the baseball that is causing their celebratory mood.

Access 4

The stadium is located on the corner of the main road to campus and residential homes. There is parking behind the outfield and along with the street level. The main entrance allows fans access to everything on the concourse.

Return on Investment 3

All of the games are free and open to the public. The concession stands are affordable but just enough to enjoy a snack. The school spirit is alive with the fans on the hill, and downtown Crawfordsville is one of those small Indiana towns that is nice to visit on a Saturday afternoon.

Extras 2

The ballpark earns a point for the giant W that was taken from the old ballpark now on display on the concourse. The second point is of the hill area where fans enjoy themselves at the game in various forms.

Final Thoughts

Goodrich Park is a very nice looking ballpark for Division III baseball. It’s a small, little place that offers everything one would want from this level of baseball. However, I would hang out outside the stadium and enjoy the game from the hill.


Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on YouTube @ballparkhunter, Twitter @ballparkhunter, and on Instagram.


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