Talbot Field - Catholic Cardinals

Photos courtesy of Gregory Koch

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86

Talbot Field

4400 John McCormack Rd NE

Washington, DC 20011

Catholic Cardinals website

Talbot Field website

Year Opened: 2000

Capacity: 500 (approx.)

Fear the Catholic Cardinals

Located in Washington, DC, the Catholic University of America is the only pontifical university in the United States. For those who are unaware, a pontifical university is a college established by the Vatican and dedicated to the purpose of religious studies.

The CUA's athletic programs are known as the Cardinals and compete at the Division III level in the Landmark Conference. Catholic's baseball team plays on-campus at Robert J. Talbot Field, which has been home to the Cardinals since 2000. The stadium name honors the Cardinals' former head baseball coach, who was also the dean of admissions and financial aid, athletics director, and senior gift officer in the office of development.

Lights were added in 2023, and the field was converted to turf in 2026 after the Cardinals were forced to play the entire 2025 season in alternate locations due to delays.

Food & Beverage 1

There are no concession stands at Talbot Field. If you really want something to eat or drink, you can walk past the baseball football stadium next door into the DuFour Center, where you will find some vending machines in the lobby. Fans are also free to bring their own food and drink, except alcohol, which may be the better option.

Atmosphere 4

There are several sections of bright red chairback seats at Talbot Field, elevated above the field, which you can access by walking up metal steps. You will be up close to the action wherever you sit and will have a great view of the action on the field. A scoreboard in the outfield shows the linescore and other basic information. Other than announcements over the PA system and music between batters, there is not a whole lot going on here. Division III baseball is usually a basic experience, and Catholic is no exception. Talbot Field itself may be a more modern stadium than most D3 schools (although that's a low bar) but beyond the layout itself, this is pretty similar to other venues at this level in the region.

A view of Talbot Field from the steps leading from Carlini Field.

Neighborhood 4

Catholic University is located in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, D.C. This neighborhood is sometimes called "Little Rome" due to the large number of Catholic institutions. In addition to CUA, there are several other Catholic high schools, colleges, and other institutions, as well as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

There are certainly other places to go in Brookland as well. Busboys and Poets is a popular bookstore, coffee shop, and restaurant located across Michigan Avenue from the south side of campus. The Brookland Pint is a popular bar serving beer and burgers. The Brookland Grill on 12th Street is a more affordable option.

Fans 3

The Cardinals draw only a few dozen fans a game to Talbot Field, mostly friends and family of the players, and most of the seats will be empty. Those who are in attendance are knowledgeable about the team and its history, and many are alumni themselves, but they are not very loud or passionate. It is a shame the Cardinals don't draw that well, since they have put a lot of effort and money into renovating the stadium, but at this level that is not unexpected.

Access 3

There are many options for arriving at the Catholic campus, but once you're there, getting to and around the baseball field is tricky. Parking lots are available near Carlini Field and the DuFour Center, with the baseball field being located between the two. To get there from the Carlini lot, you will walk down a long flight of steps, which is easy enough until you remember you have to walk back up it after the game. Then you will walk by the softball field and Talbot Field will be on your left.

From the DuFour lot, walk through the DuFour Center, and the football stadium and the baseball field will be on your right. You may need to pay to park through an app. Signs in the DuFour Center lot indicate that you need to. There are no such signs in the Carlini lot, and we were able to park there without issue for free when we attended a softball game at the adjacent field a week earlier, but when we attended the baseball game, the app indicated we did need to pay. You may want to do so just to be safe and avoid a costly ticket or towing.

Alternatively, you can take public transit. Catholic University Softball Field is located about halfway between the Brookland-CUA stop on Metro's Red Line and the Fort Totten station on the Red, Green, and Yellow Lines. It is about a 15-20 minute walk from both. You can sometimes hear trains going by on the tracks nearby while the game is in progress - unfortunately, there is no station right there, so you will have to walk a bit.

There are no restrooms at Talbot Field, but there are standard bathrooms in Carlini Field and the DuFour Center, a short walk away. Alternatively, you can use a couple of port-a-potties right next to the bleachers.

Walking the final few steps to the bleachers or Port-a-Potties involves walking through dirt, which will turn to mud if it has rained at any point in the past few days. There is no way to avoid walking through it if that happens, so wear shoes you are not afraid to get muddy. Some people had also tracked mud into the porta-potties, and the floor was covered in it, or at least that's what we hope happened.

Return on Investment 4

There is no charge for admission to Catholic baseball games, though you may need to park. Overall, it is a good value, but there isn't enough here to earn the top score.

Extras 1

Check out the signage on the outfield fence honoring Catholic University's Landmark Conference championships and Division III College World Series appearances.

Final Thoughts

Talbot Field is a pretty simple stadium. It has undergone upgrades recently to improve the experience, making it an above average Division III venue. It is surprisingly nice for this level and this part of the country and is worth a visit for those dedicated fans of D3 baseball.