I'm not sure if this topic has been posted before, but do you guys have a favorite minor league park? The only one I've been to is AutoZone Park in Memphis, which is phenomenal. Great location downtown, really nice field (we had really good seats) and they serve Rendevous barbque, which is great. We have the Bowie Baysox near DC, which I've never been to, and we're also fairly near Richmond, which I want to check out just for the heck of it.

I love ballparks and stadium architecture!

Oklahoma City has the great Bricktown Ballpark on the outskirts of downtown, in the old warehouse district which is now all restaurants and clubs. It's really revived Triple-A Baseball in OKC, and the park has a great atmosphere.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new stadium of the Kansas City T-Bones (what a stupid name!) in Kansas City, KS, next to the new KC Speedway. The T-Bones are a new team in the "Northern League", whatever the hell that is. The stadium looks nice, and the team has a great marketing department, but much is being made of the fact that they're charging more than the Royals for tickets and merchandise, and they've yet to step on the field.

If you ever get the chance, travel to San Bernadino (Ca) to see the Quakes play. It's a charming--not at all historic--park and a whole lot of fun!

~Adam

You also have the Cannons, Aberdeen, the Frederick Keys (in Harry Grove Stadium), and finally, the Hagerstown Suns. I haven't been to Aberdeen, but I believe the stadiums for the Cannons, Keys, and Baysox all to be new (at least, by my standards). The Suns play in an old place that is well worth the trip.

http://www.hagerstownsuns.com/stadiumhistory.html

I think the oldest is in Asheville NC.

Of the ones I've been too, I guess the minor league stadium in Billings MT is my favorite.

http://www.billingsmustangs.com/

There are just scads and scads of books on the subject, as well as a National Geographic article some years ago.

[ April 23, 2003, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: twin58 ]

I'll definitely be going back to Newark Bears' games this season, as they've just signed Rickey Henderson!

I've only been to a handful of minor-league games, but the best venue (nonstop ear-splitting PA crap aside) would have to be at the closest: the Brooklyn Cyclones' oceanfront park in Coney Island.

I'll put in a plug for Franklin-Covey Field, home of the Stingers in Salt Lake City. The view from the stands of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains is spectacular. Here is a link to a picture and description.

I have to second the nomination of Oklahoma City. I just happened to be passing through there last year, and what a delight it was to catch a game at Bricktown! Beautiful stadium, huge bronze statue of Oklahoma native Mickey Mantle, and my first glimpse of (current Indians 1B) Travis Hafner. I was in heaven.

I know a lot of people here in New York who rave about Staten Island (home of the single-A Yankees), especially for its view of lower Manhattan, as well as Keyspan Park, the Coney Island home of the Mets single-A team. Sadly, I'm so busy going to the major league games that I have yet to experienced these reported gems. They are arguably one of Rudy's finer legacies.