One important thing in the design and siting of a ballpark is that it conveys a sense of place. It took me a while to put a name to it, but it is something I've been thinking and feeling all along. Most of my favorite parks have a sense of place, or that THING that helps you identify the ballpark with the city it is in.
The Eastlake Ballpark, in suburban Cleveland, is a nice enough park, with about 6,000 chair seats between the foul poles, a seating berm in rightfield, and a small bleachers in left field. What struck me most about the place was that it blended in with it's surroundings quite well.
It is located just off the interstate in what is basically an office park. When I visited there with my family, we parked at an office building a few hundred yards behind first base. Walking up to the ballpark, we got the view you see in the picture.
Take away the light standards, and you are looking at an office/warehouse, just like what you would see in the suburbs of any city. I was amazed at how much the park looked like it belonged in the neighborhood! Basic single story brick exterior with office windows, and a taller windowless wall behind it. Even the "tombstone" sign looks more like an office than a ballpark. It also acts like an office building, as the local tourism office is a tenant of the offices behind the first base line.
So, in a very odd way, you get that sense of place as you walk up to the ballpark. You are wearing a ballcap and holding a ticket, but in a strange way, it feels like going to work...
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Inside Harbor Park
Back in 1995, Baseball America magazine named Harbor Park the best minor league ballpark in America. It was also considered by some the "Camden Yards of the minor leagues." It was built with many features that are now commonplace in a new ballpark.
A restaurant is located in the right field corner, with a nice view of the field and the game. You can also watch the game from one of the open concourse while waiting in line for a hot dog- one of the first parks to have this design feature. The upper decks are a nice place to watch a game- not nearly as far from the action as in a major league park.
Of course, all of the seats are comfortable plastic chair seats. No bleacher or bench seats here! Cupholders were even installed. A fixture in a new park now, but a novelty ten years ago.
The design of Harbor Park was so well done that Syracuse decided to use it five years later. They threw in a few wrinkles to make sure it wasn't identical, such as artificial turf. 'Nuff said!
A restaurant is located in the right field corner, with a nice view of the field and the game. You can also watch the game from one of the open concourse while waiting in line for a hot dog- one of the first parks to have this design feature. The upper decks are a nice place to watch a game- not nearly as far from the action as in a major league park.
Of course, all of the seats are comfortable plastic chair seats. No bleacher or bench seats here! Cupholders were even installed. A fixture in a new park now, but a novelty ten years ago.
The design of Harbor Park was so well done that Syracuse decided to use it five years later. They threw in a few wrinkles to make sure it wasn't identical, such as artificial turf. 'Nuff said!
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Entering Harbor Park
If there is one thing that turns me off about entering a ballpark, it is having to climb a massive flight of stairs to get up to the concourse. Some parks, like Jacobs Field, Canal Park in Akron, and First Energy Park in Lakewood NJ are designed so that you enter directly onto the main concourse.
Most new minor league parks, however, are built on top of their site, and require a climb up to the concourse. Stairs are the easy route, and require a minimum of space, and can even be made to look quite nice, but I don't like them.
One of the lasting memories of going to ballgames in my early childhood is of climbing ramps to get to our seats. Somehow, that has stuck with me. A gentle climb up a slope, allowing the anticipation to build from outside to inside. The ramps at old Yankee Stadium were always an experience. The bleachers at Wrigley Field still have ramps as the main route of ingress.
Harbor Park in Norfolk has ramps. I'm sure there are a couple of other minor league parks that have them, but I haven't seen any. The first base ticket windows are neatly tucked under the ramp. After getting your ticket, you begin a gentle, but not too long climb up to the concourse at the top of the lower deck, where you are treated to your first view of the field. No need to stop halfway up to catch your breath or wait for the slower folks, and easy on the knees. A nice way to enter the park, and a functional nod to tradition.
Most new minor league parks, however, are built on top of their site, and require a climb up to the concourse. Stairs are the easy route, and require a minimum of space, and can even be made to look quite nice, but I don't like them.
One of the lasting memories of going to ballgames in my early childhood is of climbing ramps to get to our seats. Somehow, that has stuck with me. A gentle climb up a slope, allowing the anticipation to build from outside to inside. The ramps at old Yankee Stadium were always an experience. The bleachers at Wrigley Field still have ramps as the main route of ingress.
Harbor Park in Norfolk has ramps. I'm sure there are a couple of other minor league parks that have them, but I haven't seen any. The first base ticket windows are neatly tucked under the ramp. After getting your ticket, you begin a gentle, but not too long climb up to the concourse at the top of the lower deck, where you are treated to your first view of the field. No need to stop halfway up to catch your breath or wait for the slower folks, and easy on the knees. A nice way to enter the park, and a functional nod to tradition.
Harbor Park from the Water
My "home" ballpark is Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia, home of the Tides. Although you could accuse me of a lack of objectivity, it is also one of my favorites, for many reasons, some of which I'll discuss in this blog.
I grew up taking public transit to the ballpark. Riding the rapid in Cleveland, the El in Chicago, and the subway in New York became second nature. I'm not sure I could even find my way to Wrigley Field or Yankee Stadium driving, but I can still get to Addison Street or 161st Street and River Avenue almost with my eyes closed.
Minor league cities, with few exceptions, do not have subways or light rail to take you to the ballpark, but some places still let you arrive at the park without a car. The Ballpark Ferry takes you from Olde Towne Portsmouth Virginia to within 100 yards of the first base gate at Harbor Park. It is a scenic ride that shows you how the "harbor" got into the name. The ten-minute ride along the Elizabeth River passes shipyards working on Navy ships, downtown Norfolk and the Waterside center, and passes under one of the few interstate highway drawbridges in the country. A different and relaxing way to arrive at the game!
I grew up taking public transit to the ballpark. Riding the rapid in Cleveland, the El in Chicago, and the subway in New York became second nature. I'm not sure I could even find my way to Wrigley Field or Yankee Stadium driving, but I can still get to Addison Street or 161st Street and River Avenue almost with my eyes closed.
Minor league cities, with few exceptions, do not have subways or light rail to take you to the ballpark, but some places still let you arrive at the park without a car. The Ballpark Ferry takes you from Olde Towne Portsmouth Virginia to within 100 yards of the first base gate at Harbor Park. It is a scenic ride that shows you how the "harbor" got into the name. The ten-minute ride along the Elizabeth River passes shipyards working on Navy ships, downtown Norfolk and the Waterside center, and passes under one of the few interstate highway drawbridges in the country. A different and relaxing way to arrive at the game!
Friday, October 22, 2004
Introduction
I'm Jeff, and I'm a baseball fan. Although I have favorite teams, what I enjoy most about baseball is just being at the ballpark. The sounds, the smells, the sights... Going to a ballgame is fun for me, but it is also therapy, I think. A place to forget about the stresses of the day. No matter how poorly my day has gone, or how long I have been on the road, no matter where I am, a ballpark feels like home to me.
I've been fortunate to be able to travel to dozens of ballparks, both major and minor league, as well as a couple of college and other parks. The first thing I do when I travel between March and October is to check the schedules at ballparks I'll be traveling near, and see if I can catch a ballgame along the way or at my destination. Of course sometimes I check the schedules, then figure out where to go! Whether it is a sold-out major league park, or some metal bleachers with 100 other people, I try to catch a game where I can.
I'm new to this whole blogging thing, and to having my own "website" in general, but I hope to share my impressions of some of the ballparks I've been to, and of baseball in general. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!
I've been fortunate to be able to travel to dozens of ballparks, both major and minor league, as well as a couple of college and other parks. The first thing I do when I travel between March and October is to check the schedules at ballparks I'll be traveling near, and see if I can catch a ballgame along the way or at my destination. Of course sometimes I check the schedules, then figure out where to go! Whether it is a sold-out major league park, or some metal bleachers with 100 other people, I try to catch a game where I can.
I'm new to this whole blogging thing, and to having my own "website" in general, but I hope to share my impressions of some of the ballparks I've been to, and of baseball in general. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!
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