Joseph J. Jaroschak Field - Saint Peter’s Peacocks
- Gregory Koch
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Photos by Gregory Koch and Aaron Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.00
Joseph J. Jaroschak Field 200 Lincoln Hwy Jersey City, NJ 07306
Year Opened: 1990
Capacity: 500
Peacocks Baseball in the Heart of Jersey City
Saint Peter’s College's baseball field is part of the Joseph J. Jaroschak Field complex, which is located in the southwest corner of Lincoln Park in Jersey City, NJ – the complex also includes the Saint Peter’s softball and soccer fields, which are confusingly also called Jaroschack Field.
Lincoln Park, opened in 1905, is a large urban park operated by Hudson County, and is divided into two sections, with multiple athletics fields on the east side (closer to the city), plus a golf course and Joseph J. Jaroschak Field on the west side (adjacent to the Hackensack River). The park is located about a mile from St. Peter's main campus in Jersey City.
The Peacocks' baseball program has not enjoyed much success over the years, never making the NCAA tournament in their history. The closest they came was in 1994, when they won the MAAC Tournament, but were swept in a Play-In Series against West Virginia.
Food & Beverage 0
No food or beverages are sold at the stadium, so fans need to bring their own.
Atmosphere 2
Jaroschak Field is one of the most basic stadiums in all of Division I baseball. Nestled in the middle of a park, there are two sets of bleachers down the foul lines and a scoreboard in the outfield showing basic information. Some fans like to stand along the lines and watch the game so they are not looking through a fence. You will be up close to the action since that is your only option. There is also some space to stand behind the backstop, which provides a decent viewing angle.
Jaroschak Field does have one of the more unique views in Division I, with the Jersey City skyline, Pulaski Skyway, the Hackensack River, and several other elevated roadways all visible from the stands.
Neighborhood 3
Jaroschak Field is located in the middle of Lincoln Park, surrounded by an area of Jersey City that does not have much to do. There is a shopping plaza down the road with some chain restaurants, and a diverse set of restaurants along Mallory Avenue ranging from an Italian deli to Jamaican and Filipino restaurants. Overall, however, this part of Jersey City is not the best place to hang out. The good news is New York City is right across the Hudson River, so you can head over there and find plenty to do in the City That Never Sleeps.
Fans 2
St. Peter's will typically draw a few dozen fans to a home game. If they're lucky, they may draw close to a hundred. Because the MAAC is so geographically compact and St. Peter's has so few fans who turn up, often at least half of those in attendance will be cheering for the Peacocks' opponent. The Peacocks fans typically sit down the first base line, where the home dugout is, while fans of their opponents will sit in the third base bleachers, next to their dugout. However, this is not enforced in any way so sit where you want.
Access 3
There are many roads into Jersey City, including Route 1/9 and I-95, but once you get near Lincoln Park, things can get a bit challenging. For one thing, you are bound to hit traffic no matter what time of day the game is. Second, navigating around Lincoln Park to Jaroschak Field requires a complex series of turns and going in what is basically a complete circle. Luckily, we live in the GPS era, and modern devices have no trouble getting to the stadium.
There are no restrooms at Jaroschak Field, only a row of Port-a-Potties that are around a five minute walk from the baseball field, close to the parking lot.
Return on Investment 3
Admission to St. Peter's baseball games is free, and parking is free as well, which is always a plus at an urban ballpark like this. However, with so many other sports teams in this area, it's still hard to give this more than an average value, and even that may be generous.
Extras 1
The views here, of Pulaski Skyway and the Jersey City Skyline, are about the only real extra here. This is a basic ballpark through and through.
Final Thoughts
St. Peter's baseball struggles with several basic realities. It is a small school with a small budget in an area where real estate is at a premium. As far as facilities go, they have to make do with what is available. They are forced to play their home games at one of the most basic ballparks in Division I, more basic than even many fields at lower levels of college ball. Ballpark chasers may appreciate the uniqueness of Jaroschak Field, but for those who aren't true die-hards, there are far better stadiums in this area to check out.
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