BASEBALLPARKS.COM's Ten Must-See Parks

Honorable Mention

Any of these parks could arguably be in the Top Ten.  Again, selecting the final ten was very difficult indeed!

Here are ten that almost made the list.  When you come right down to it, these are must-see ballparks, too!

JOHN O'DONNELL STADIUM, Davenport, Iowa -- Before its major renovation in 2002, flooding was an ongoing problem here. That's because the Mississippi River flows just beyond its outfield walls. However, that's no longer a problem, so go see a Swing of the Quad Cities (yes, that's really the name of the Midwest League team that plays here) game here. The view of the river is incredible.

YANKEE STADIUM, New York City, NY -- To say that there is a sense of history here is to make an utterly ridiculous understatement.  And now that there is going to be a new Yankee Stadium next door to the current one, you'd better plan a trip to see it as soon as you can.

HOLMAN STADIUM, Vero Beach, FL -- I've never seen anything else like this . . . trees and flowers inside the seating bowl, dugouts with no roofs, etc.  Another one that was very tough not to have in the Top Ten.

CAMDEN YARDS, Baltimore, MD -- The one that started the retro-look architectural craze -- and that forever changed the way sports teams view the venue in which they play.  

KEYSPAN PARK, Brooklyn, NY -- The BASEBALLPARKS.COM New Minor League Park of the Year for 2001.  Located in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, the park features great surroundings, a fascinating view and a wonderful amusement-park theme throughout.

BAYLOR BALLPARK, Waco, TX -- Not historic, but positively beautiful. The Baylor Bears have perhaps the prettiest park in all of college baseball.

ALEX BOX STADIUM, Baton Rouge, LA -- And if Baylor has the nicest park, LSU has the best game atmosphere! This place, which has been around since 1938, positively rocks!

COORS FIELD, Denver, CO -- Positively gorgeous brick exterior and a stunning view of the Rockies.  And when conditions are right, the nicest sunset at any ballpark in America.

AT&T BRICKTOWN BALLPARK, Oklahoma City, OK -- Wonderful architectural design, perhaps the best in the Minors.  A nice view of downtown from the first-base side of the park -- and it's located in a fascinating, rejuvenated part of town.

AUTOZONE PARK, Memphis, TN -- The most expensive park ever built in the Minors is also possibly the best.  Gives Oklahoma City and Frisco a run for its money as the nicest facility below the Majors.

And even with an Honorable Mention list, there are a few more that we just have to throw in:  

PETCO PARK, San Diego -- Stunning architecture, landscaping and location. Truly, one of the best of the Major's new parks.

RICHMOND COUNTY BANK BALLPARK AT ST. GEORGE, Staten Island, NY -- Not only is the park quite pretty, its view is arguably the very best in all of baseball.  Beyond the expanse of water is the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of Manhattan that, sadly, no longer features the World Trade Center towers. 

DODGER STADIUM, Los Angeles, CA -- As beautiful as when it opened in 1962.

DR PEPPER/SEVEN UP BALLPARKS, Frisco, TX -- The most innovative architectural concept for a ballpark in at least a decade, the home of the Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League opened in 2003.

McCORMICK FIELD, Asheville, NC -- Historic (in use since 1924), modern enough (remodeled in 1992) and gorgeous (surrounded by mountainsides on three sides).

YALE FIELD, West Haven, CT -- Used by Yale's baseball team for generations, and the Eastern League through 2003, it's true that parks just aren't designed this way any more.  It's a shame it hasn't been kept up more in recent years.

CHAIN OF LAKES PARK, Winter Haven, FL -- This is a throwback in time.  The lakes and landscaping make this perhaps baseball's most aesthetically pleasing ballpark.

THE DIAMOND, Lake Elsinore, CA -- Many feel it's the most lovely park in the Minors . . . plus it has beautiful scenery on all sides.

LUTHER WILLIAMS FIELD, Macon, GA -- Oh, they don't make 'em like this any more!  This treasure of a ballpark is over 70 years old, and its wonderful roof and entryway don't just make this park seem nostalgic, it is nostalgic!

TUCSON ELECTRIC PARK, Tucson, AZ -- Beautiful design, wonderful color scheme, great views of the mountains.

TURNER FIELD, Atlanta, GA -- Super view of the state capitol and the downtown skyline, plus there are *lots* of diversions -- too many, perhaps?

THE DELL DIAMOND, Round Rock, TX -- Beautiful Texas-limestone exterior, incredible fans inside.

ROSENBLATT STADIUM, Omaha, NE -- Home of both a PCL team and the College World Series each year.

SAFECO FIELD, Seattle, WA -- Great views, great design -- the best of the retractable-roof parks.

COMERICA PARK, Detroit, MI -- Skyline view and fountains make this a winner, even if team usually isn't.

VICTORY FIELD, Indianapolis, IN -- One of the first to use what is now a much-duplicated style. They really did it right, here, though.

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