BASEBALLPARKS.COM's Ten Must-See Parks

Feedback from our Visitors

Whether you agree or disagree with our Top Ten list, write us and tell us so.  

And here's what our visitors have to say on the subject (the most recent submissions are at the top):

Written by:  JDPinstripes@aol.com 

Here are my Must See parks:

1) Fenway -- Simply put, it hasn't changed much since the mid-30's. It's the one place where you actually feel like you are a part of the game in many ways. The seats are very close, the fans intense, and the poles, wooden seats, and small concourses take you back to the days of Williams, DiMaggio, Ruth, and Kaline.

2) Pac Bell Park -- It showcases San Francisco at its best. Great weather, which you never saw at the Stick.....The Bay View has to be the best in baseball, and it's the only place where the best seats are in Right Field, and the Upper Deck. Must I add, the walkway where people can watch the game for free is a very nice touch.

3) Yankee Stadium -- It's where October Baseball was meant to be played, although the mid-70's renovation ruins the history a bit in my view.  Also, the Bleacher Creatures are Baseball's Best Fans......or Baseball's version of an English Soccer Mob.

4) Franklin Covey Field -- I totally agree with BASEBALLPARKS.COM on the view. It's breathtaking, I never have been to an actual game here, but from visiting the Ballpark during the Salt Lake Olympics, the setting is just too perfect.

5) Any Cape League Ballpark -- The players are friendly, the cost is nothing, and this is where stars such as Jeff Bagwell and Nomar Garciaparra got their starts.  A great trip.

Written by:  CCKing@lmus.leggmason.com 

1. Tiger Stadium. The history ranks right up there with Fenway, and no matter where you were sitting, you were literally on top of the action. Baseball the way it was meant to be.

2. Camden Yards. My hometown stadium (so, admittedly some bias here), but to walk four blocks from work--sit back and have a crabcake and a beer with the sun setting against the Warehouse--there's little better in life.

3. Yankee Stadium. Hate the fans, but the history and ambience are overwhelming. The ghosts of Yankee teams past literally reverberate around the facade (they never should have gotten rid of it ringing the entire Stadium).

4. Fenway Park. Great fans, great atmosphere, great neighborhood. The Green Monster obviously sets Fenway apart from the others, but the history here ranks right up there with Tiger and Yankee Stadiums.

5. Bowen Field (Bluefield, WV). Home of the Appy League Bluefield Orioles--a beautiful, small park (seats 2,000 maybe) with a mountain literally 25 feet beyond the outfield wall. The most beautiful natural setting for a ballpark I've seen.

6. Durham (NC) Athletic Park (old). As I consider Bull Durham to be one of the top five cinematic masterpieces of all time, this will always hold a special place in my heart.

7. Doubleday Field. Sitting a block or two from the Hall of Fame, you feel the history in the place, even though there's actually been very little history created here (if you believe the whole Hoboken, NJ angle. . . .)

8. Dodger Stadium. Literally nestled on a hill in the heart of downtown L.A. Beautiful scenery in the middle of the second largest city in the country with excellent sightlines throughout.

9. Holman Stadium (Vero Beach, FL). Dodgertown. Nothing more need be said.

10. Memorial Stadium (Baltimore). A sentimental choice, but where I maintain the modern game was invented under The Earl of Baltimore. Looking out of the seating bowl at the trees behind the centerfield wall hiding the view from the white clapboard houses of 36th Street make the Brick Lady one of the all-time greats. TIME WILL NOT DIM THE GLORY OF THEIR DEEDS

Written by:  mike@metro1st.com 

With all due respect, I have just read your Top Ten list of must-see ballparks and I must say any omission from the top 1,2 or 3 spots for Yankee Stadium (conceding maybe only to Fenway or Wrigley ) is insane. Come on ... Kaufmann! ... nice yes... a land mark NO WAY.  I love baseball fans and anyone who devotes so much time and effort to the joy of the game and ballparks must love it, too, but please. This is comparable to omitting the Sistine Chapel or the Mona Lisa from the top of the list in the art world.

Written by:  gaylonk@vegasnet.net 

1. Dodger Stadium
2. Royals Stadium
3. Fenway Park
4. Doubleday Field
5. Comiskey I
6. Wrigley Field
7. Jack Murphy Stadium
8. Nat Bailey Stadium, Vancouver, BC
9. Comiskey II
10. Arlington Stadium

Written by:  glassia@uswest.net 

10. Metrodome (Minneapolis) - Everyone hates the Homerdome, but I'm married to a Twins fan so I don't have any choice.  Actually for a place that will let you get very close to the field and get autographs, it's not too bad.  Plus, you know you're game won't get rained out if you drive a long way to get there.

9. Fox Valley Stadium (Appleton WI) - One of the newer stadiums in the Midwest League, it has a great game-day staff and the fans are great.  Where
else do they line up to tailgate before (and after) a game?

8. Field of Dreams (Dyersville IA) - Each year, I take two dozen new MWL baseballs up and leave them next to the backstop.  Why?  No one should come
to a field and not have a ball to play catch.  Plus, I was fortunate enough to be able to bat (with a wooden bat) when the "Ghost Players" made an
appearance and hit one into the corn.  I hope it didn't jam up the farmers combine...

7. Community Field (Burlington IA) - Its not fancy, but its what community owned minor league baseball is all about.  Cheap, friendly and fun.  And sometimes they play good baseball...

6. Wrigley Field (Chicago) - Wrigley is this far down because the parking is terrible.  But to walk up the ramp and see the green ivy wall - it just is wonderful.  I now know why its called "The Friendly Confines".

5. Riverview Stadium (Clinton IA) - Again, a smaller ballpark with a great view over towards the river.  You can't actually see it because of the earthen dikes.  It could easily be converted into a movie set because of its older appearance.

4. John O'Donnel Stadium (Davenport IA) - Even though I despise the hated River Bandits, I must admit they have a pretty nice stadium.  Too bad they have such a lousy owner and its so near the river they get flooded out.

3. Sec Taylor Stadium (Des Moines IA) - One of the nicest stadiums I've been to.  Right along the river (some foul balls go over the roof and in on the 1B side) the only fault is all the skyboxes (even in the outfield) and the fact it doesn't face the downtown skyline.  A nice touch is all the dressing rooms are under the left field stands so the players have to walk all the way which presents opportunities for autographs.  Watch out for the ushers, tho...

2. Yankee Stadium (Bronx NY) - I made my first trip to the stadium this year (as a long-time Yankee fan) and while the stadium itself and the neighborhood are in bad shape, its the fact that you are on the site of so much history.  Whether you are a fan or not, the Yankees ARE baseball - they have been, they are and they will always be.  I did take the #4 subway from Grand Central and the whole experience was great!!

1. Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids IA) - I'm biased, but I love sitting in the press box (official scorer) and having the lovely view of the Cedar Rapids skyline.  It is the perfect embodiment (as are most of the Iowa parks) of what minor league baseball should be - nothing fancy, just a place to have a good time.  The covered grandstand should be in all stadiums - you don't get as many foul balls, but it's sure nice to have a roof over your head when it rains.  Plus, the Pfaff Terrace (picnic deck) down the left field line and into fair play is a fun place for a party and to watch the game.  Sadly, the stadium only has six games (as of 8/23/01) left and with the probability of no playoffs, the stadium will be torn down within three weeks after the last game to make way for a New Veterans Memorial Stadium currently under construction.

I will add one FUTURE "must see" ballpark.  New Veterans Memorial Stadium is scheduled to open as the home of the Cedar Rapids Kernels in April 2002. While not as big or as fancy as Dayton or Kane County, it should be a stadium to cater to all kinds of fans.  Plus, with the vertical screen behind home plate, now box seat fans will have a chance at foul balls! 

Joe's comments:  Andy, the author of this list, is the official scorer for the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League.

Written by:  at783@tcnet.org

I'm trying to see the older parks before they are gone, so my list emphasizes the historic ballparks that I've seen.

1) Labatts Field, London, Ontario.  This is the oldest continuously-used baseball field in the world, and is home to the Frontier League London Werewolves.  Parking impossible nearby, but you can park on the street a couple of blocks east of the stadium---London is a safe city with an active night-life near the ballpark, so that's no problem.

2) Wahconah Stadium, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  The sun field is the wrong way---in the batters eyes!  You still have 2001 to see this 1924 relic, since Troy NY couldn't get its stadium ready in time for the team to move from Pittsfield.  It's worth the trip.

3) Centennial Field, Burlington, Vermont.  Almost ready to celebrate its own centennial, this ball park is 79 years old.  No parking nearby, park at the hospital and ride the free shuttle to the stadium.  Also, no food nearby.  Some of the fans actually live closer to Montreal than to Burlington, but prefer to see THESE Expos and enjoy the spirit of Vermont.

4) Damaschke Field, Oneonta, New York.  This is like going to a high school game, in one of the smallest towns that still supports pro baseball.  Rickety stadium built in 1940.

5) Riverview Park, Clinton, Iowa.  Shares a parking lot with the Riverboat Cruise Casino, and also shares the atmosphere of this nice old river town.  The park was built in 1950, and I had the good luck to see a Lumberking pitcher pitch a perfect game there last year.

6) Ned Skelton Stadium, Toledo, Ohio.  Here's quality baseball without the hassle.  The AAA Mudhens play in a nice quiet suburb with free easy-in-easy-out parking, and your seats will be conversational distance from the players on the field.  A new park is under construction, so get to this ballpark while you still can.

7) Sioux Falls Stadium, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  How can anything in South Dakota be anything but refreshing.  Nice farmy atmosphere, everything brings Garrison Kiellor to mind.  Like all Northern League teams, the Canaries really have their promotional act together.

   And in the Majors,

8) Busch Stadium, St. Louis.  Baseball's proudest and most knowledgeable and friendliest fans.

9) Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati.  Park before 4 p.m. on the street in Covington, KY, eat some Chili, and walk across the bridge to the ballpark.

10) My top two choices are gone.  I liked Comiskey better than Wrigley, and I liked Tiger Stadium better than Fenway.

Written by:  Tomjax6824@cs.com 

5. Enron Field - As a huge fan of baseball stadiums I am not too fond of the "retractable" roofs.  If you've ever been to Houston during the summer, though, you can see why the roof was necessary.  And the designers of this park did a perfect job incorporating the roof with rest of the stadium (unlike the monsters... BankOne Ballpark and Skydome).  It really blends in well and adds a lot of character to Enron.  Enron Field also has a fantastic view of downtown Houston.  The one thing that would have made this park perfect is if they would have kept the original name "The Ballpark at Union Station" instead of this corporate garbage.

4. Cohen Stadium - This park is close to perfect. Beautiful setting, unique design and quite possibly the friendliest people in the world all add the already wonderful experience of watching baseball.  The citizens of El Paso really have a gem of a ballpark.

3. The Ballpark in Arlington - Oh, how I would have loved to see Nolan Ryan pitch in this beauty.  From the Dr. Pepper youth ballpark outside to the "home run porch" inside, I love this ballpark.  I would have liked to have seen this park built in downtown Dallas or Fort Worth, but you can't argue with this place.  The office building in the outfield is not only architecturally brilliant, but it helps to distinguish the park from any other stadium.

2. AutoZone Park - Aside from the dumb name this is the greatest minor league park in America.  I have never seen a stadium that fit in more perfect with its surroundings.  It looks as though downtown Memphis was built around this park.  The entrance way is one of the best in all of baseball, and the people are obviously very proud of the park, and it shows.  This is how baseball was meant to be watched

1. Jacobs Field - If you were to just drive by this park and never go in than you might think that this park is dull and maybe even ugly.  But once you walk in you get the greatest view in all of the majors.  I love stadiums with an urban view and this park pulls it off perfect.  It's very cozy and at the same time very large.  It has a great scoreboard and one of the best maintained fields in all of baseball.  When you combine the view with the experience off being in a sold-out stadium, you can't help but love this game.

Written by:  dimike@bestweb.net 

Mind you, this list is subject to change virtually all the time.

1) Fenway Park - There is simply no place on Earth like Fenway.  Grab a sausage and onion sub on the street outside before you go in.

2) Wrigley Field - This park is actually more beautiful than Fenway, but it lacks the atmosphere.  Oh, if you want to relax in the sun, it's the place to be and a lovely place it is.  Personally, I prefer to huddle in close proximity with rabid, disgruntled baseball fans who live and die with their team.

3) Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, Connecticut - A great urban setting for a beautiful new park.  Great fans, great atmosphere.

4) Waconah Park, Pittsfield, Massachussets - Small town baseball in a very old and beautiful park.  The people walk to the ballpark and call each other by name.  Wonderful.

5) GPU Stadium, Reading, Pennsylvania - I hate that new name, but I love this park.  Nothing fancy, just baseball like it oughta be (to quote a mid-80's Mets slogan).

6) Camden Yards - This is as much about the whole experience as the ballpark itself.  Go to the harbor, get a good seafood dinner, then stroll to the park -- the one that started the great ballpark revival.

7) Fleming Field, Yonkers, New York - The poorest excuse for a ballpark I have ever witnessed, but if you want to understand the lengths to which the dream of playing big league ball will drive a baseball player, go see the former home of the now-defunct Yonkers Hoot Owls.  You've got to have passion to have played at Fleming.

Joe's comments:  Mike runs a Website on ballparks, so he knows what he's talking about.  You can visit it at www.bestweb.net/~dimike/fod/

Written by:  chikiboy@home.com 

Here's my top 10 list based on where I have been.

1. Camden Yards - When you first see the warehouse beyond right field you think of two things:  the number 2131 and also the feeling that you've been dropped 50 years into the past and you're watching a game in the good old days.

2. Safeco Field - Though Seattle is not a baseball town by some standards, Safeco makes for a GREAT day at the park.  What makes this place so unique (other than the retractable roof) is the way it was designed so many fans could watch a ballgame from many different points in the park without having to sit in a seat.  A VERY fan friendly place to see a game.

3. Pac Bell Park - Right behind Kauffman Stadium in aesthetics.  Probably the best view (from the upper deck) in the major leagues.

4. Jacob's Field - The ballpark is a great park in a great sports town.  A lot of history in this park already (think of all the ALCS and World Series games played here) in such a short time.

5. Wrigley Field - An absolute must-see for a baseball fan.  Many would argue that this should be in the top two.  I'd have to agree on some terms.  Probably "the funnest place" to watch a game. Probably would rival Disneyland as "the happiest place on earth" if the Cubs ever did anything.

6. Fenway Park - To many, this is the best ballpark in the land.  Nothing is better than driving along the turnpike and seeing the light standards on top of the Green Monster.  Another place all baseball fans need to visit before it's gone.

7. Yankee Stadium - Closest thing to a religious experience you can have in sports.  Must be sure to ride the 4 train to the game and get off on the platform.  If possible, sit in the bleachers at least once.

8. Kauffman Stadium - Aesthetically, this is probably the best looking park around.  Great food and fans (despite the team).  Only bad thing about KC is the humidity.

9. Comerica Park - Another fan friendly ballpark.  Great scoreboard and the team's mascot (the Tiger) is well represented throughout the place. I just wish they would have designed it more like Tiger Stadium (with the decks all around the park).

10. Coors Field - Great place to watch a game...depending on the time of year.  Place can get snow at the beginning or the end of a season.  Great view of the Rocky Mountains beyond the scoreboard in left field. You can even snack on Rocky Mountain oysters!

Written by:  twostepsaway@erols.com 

1. Fenway Park, Boston, MA—In my opinion the best of the bunch, a classic asymmetrical ballpark wedged into the existing neighborhood. It is a dying breed, with its tight seats and obstructed views, and the Green Monster. Its time may have come but it will be hard to replace.
2. Yankee Stadium, New York, NY—This may be sacrilegious coming from a die-hard Mets fan, but it is one-of-a-kind. This ballpark just oozes history, with Monument Park, the façade, and the Number 4 train running behind the right field wall. Even Steinbrenner couldn’t ruin it. October baseball in the Bronx, it seems automatic.
3. GPU Stadium, Reading, PA—This ballpark is the closest thing there is to a minor league Fenway Park, with its brick exterior and narrow concourse full of photos of past Reading teams replicas of former Reading players before they went on to the show. The Reading Phillies have the best management in the minor leagues; they manage to maintain the proper balance between good baseball on the field as well as an innovative fan-friendly environment.
4. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD—The first of the new retro parks, often imitated but not duplicated. The ballpark was an innovation with its double-decked bullpen and working the B & O warehouse into the environment. It ended the 70’s trend of ugly cookie-cutter stadiums, i.e. Veterans, Three Rivers, and Riverfront et al.
5. Canal Park, Akron, OH—Camden Yards on the Double A level, complete with brickwork, double-decked bullpen and iron gates. An intimate quirky park that has helped revitalize downtown Akron. In 1997 during an exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians, the big leaguers were impressed by the quality of the ballpark their farmhands played in. Some said it was a better facility than some big league parks.
6. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA—It is to 60’s era ballparks what Camden Yards is to 90’s ballparks -- an original. Forty years later is has stood the test of time. No one had thought of putting a ballpark on a mountain. This ballpark maybe the cleanest facility in the major leagues.
7. Harbor Park, Norfolk, VA—Great ballpark, not too big, not too small, just right. One of the first parks to have an open concourse, and watching the ships in the harbor beyond right field is just amazing.
8. Hadlock Field, Portland, ME—Many may say this is nothing more than an aluminum bandbox, but it is more than that. In an era when minor league ballparks cost between 30 and 40 million dollars, this ballpark was built for about 1 million around an existing high school sandlot. The Portland Sea Dogs still share the field with the teams from Portland and West Deering High Schools. Unlike the new retro parks that are asymmetrical by design, this one is by necessity, wedged between railroad tracks behind the left field wall and an exposition center in right field.
9. Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL—This ballpark would rank much higher on my list if I had actually seen a game there. The ivy-covered walls, manual scoreboard, and bleacher bums are all part of the myth and folklore of this classic ballyard. Could you imagine if the Cubs were to ever win a World Series?
10. Shea Stadium, New York, NY—Ok, this may be partially based on sentiment. I became a baseball fan at the tender age of 5 during the miracle year of 1969. This park is everything Dodger Stadium is not. A multi-purpose ballpark that has not been maintained. It that was not finished on Opening Day in 1964, crews were still laying sod in the outfield as the fans entered the park. However who can deny the history, The Miracle Mets, Game 6 in 1986, Robin Ventura’s Grand Single. It has been home to the Mets, Yankees, Jets, and Giants, and has hosted the Beatles and the Pope. I won’t be sad to see it go, I’ll be there when the wrecking ball finally levels the place, but it is important to remember ballparks like this when they are gone, so we don’t do them again.

Joe's comments:  Like several visitors with thoughts on this page, this author operates his own Website on ballparks and it's a dandy.  It focuses on the AA Eastern League, and can be found at http://www.twostepsaway.com . 

Written by:  dj_nate1@hotmail.com 

1. The Ballpark In Arlington; Dallas, TX -- I am big fan of good architecture in ballparks and this ballpark offers great old-time architecture in a modern way. It also is a great experience to watch a game here with its great outfield setting.

2. Coors Field; Denver, CO -- This park connects you to the outdoors with an open concourse in the outfield and its view of the Rocky Mountains. The garden out in center field in the bullpen is also very well kept and a very nice addition to this park.

3. Enron Field; Houston, TX -- Most people don't know about this ballpark but a visit here is definitely worthwhile. It is an exciting feeling to drive through downtown Houston and see this ballpark between the buildings. Enron, in my opinion, is the best of the retractable-roof parks because of the big window that lets sunlight in and you really don't have the indoor feeling when it is closed. This also allows you to see the beautiful downtown skyline when the roof is open or closed. This park is well-designed and has a great outfield setting as the left field beige wall extends across to center field and contrasts with the beautiful scoreboard display in right field and of course the downtown skyline as well.

Written by:  HokieCam@aol.com 

I've thought long and hard about what parks I would consider "must see" ballparks.  Rather than rank them in any kind of order, I decided to run through the various levels of baseball, starting at the top.

Major Leagues

1.  Fenway Park; Boston, MA -- How can anyone deny that Fenway Park is one of the classic ballparks of this, or any other, era?  It won't be around too much longer, though, so people need to get up to Bean Town soon if they don't want to miss the experience.

2.  Oriole Park at Camden Yards; Baltimore, MD -- As the saying goes, "Imitation is the truest form of flattery."  OPACY is the "original" nostalgia ballpark, and in my opinion still the best.  I've been to many of the imitators, and found them to be just a shade below Baltimore's gem.  (Not that I'm biased or anything!)

3.  Cinergy Field; Cincinnati, OH -- This one is going to surprise a lot of people, but I have a reason for it.  Look into the future about three or four years, and think about what the major league ballpark landscape is going to look like.  Already gone are some of the domes and cookie-cutters like the Astrodome, the King Dome, and Fulton County Stadium.  Soon to follow will be Veteran's Stadium, Three River's Stadium and Cinergy Field.  Clearly the worst among that group is the one in the Queen City.  Once these sad excuses for stadiums are gone, what will we have to compare today's gorgeous new stadiums against except memories and faded pictures?  If you haven't seen a game in one of the old cookie cutters already, book a flight for Cincinnati and catch the Reds before they hit the field in their new ballpark next door.

Triple A

4.  AutoZone Park; Memphis, TN -- This is the only one in my list that I haven't seen completed.  I visited the construction site on my way home from the 2000 Sugar Bowl and was very impressed.  

5.  Franklin Covey Field; Salt Lake City, UT -- I have a soft spot for ballparks with tremendous background scenery.  Combine a gorgeous ballpark and a breathtaking view from the stands, and you've got me hooked.  

Double A

6.  Rickwood Field; Birmingham, AL -- While not strictly the home field of the Birmingham Barons, they play one game a year in this, the oldest ballpark in America.  I was fortunate enough to attend the Rickwood Classic during the 2000 season, and was truly inspired by the scene.

Single A

7.  The Diamond; Lake Elsinore, CA -- This version of The Diamond, unlike its counterpart in Richmond, VA, truly deserves the name it has been given.  Naturally, the view is spectacular (though not nearly so spectacular as those in Utah), but what attracts me to the park is the beauty of the ballpark from the outside and the seating.  

Short Season

8.  Lindquist Field; Ogden; UT --  It's basically a smaller version of Franklin Covey Field down the road in Salt Lake City, but the mountains are much closer, providing the fans with a view that's just that much better.

Independent Leagues

9. A baseball game in the "Indies" is much more of an event than in any of the affiliated minor leagues.  They take "wacky" to a whole new level.  At the same time, however, the gimmicks have been successful in many ways.  Most of the games that I've attended have been sellouts or near sellouts, and the fans are into the game itself as much as the peripherals.  I've been especially impressed with the kids that I've seen and heard at these games. 
 
The parks that I'd especially recommend are the River City Rascals (Frontier), St. Paul Saints and Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks (Northern League Central), Ozark Mountain Ducks (Texas-Louisiana), and the Chico Heat and Sonoma County Crushers (Western).  

Summer Collegiate

10. Durham Athletic Park; Durham, NC -- In my opinion, no baseball fan's experience can ever truly be complete until he's seen a game in the historic Durham Athletic Park, site of the movie "Bull Durham."  The Coastal Plain League is played here each summer, and consists of regional college players in a wooden bat league (no awful "ping" from aluminum bats here).  The league schedule lasts from early June through early August, and heck, why not see a game in Durham's new ballpark too while in town.  

Joe's comments:  Like Charlie below, Cameron has seen games in a lot of ballparks, so I take his opinions seriously . . .

Written by:  Charliezeb@aol.com

I've done some thinking about "must-see" parks.  Here's what I'm coming up with, so far:

1) Fenway Park, Boston, Mass. (1912) -- oldest park in the majors, some of the most rabid fans in the game

2) Wrigley Field, Chicago, Ill. (1914) -- oldest park in the NL, a true shrine even if the home team has never won a World Series there

3) Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y. (1923/1976) -- if nothing else, the hallowed grounds have hosted 23 WS champions

4) Camden Yards, Baltimore, Md. (1992) -- first, and still best, of the "retro" ballparks

5) Municipal Memorial Stadium, Reading, Pa. (1950) -- continual upgrades mean the place is getting better with age

6) Wahconah Park, Pittsfield, Mass. (1919) -- great old-timey feel in New England, a shame it's into its last week (for now anyway)

7) McCormick Field, Asheville, N.C. (1992) -- best job I've ever seen building a new stadium around a historic field

8) Midway Stadium, St. Paul, Minn. (1965) -- one night of "Fun Is Good" and you'll be hooked (even if it is independent!)

9) Riley Ballpark, Charleston, S.C. (1996) -- it's beautiful when the sun sets on the Ashley River

10) Engel Stadium, Chattanooga, Tenn. (1930) -- the only inactive park on the list, but a true classic

You'll notice that I didn't go with Field of Dreams Movie Site (Dyersville, Iowa, 1988) or Lamade Stadium (So. Williamsport, Pa., 1960).  And I couldn't go with Pacific Bell Park (San Francisco, Calif., 2000) because I haven't been there yet.  Had Cheney Stadium (Tacoma, Wash., 1960) been built so that it faced Mount Rainier, it would have earned a slot.  You know what's weird?  All 10 of my selections are east of the Mississippi.  How did that happen?

Joe's comments:  Charlie is one of the true connoisseurs of baseballparks, having seen games in almost 200 of them.  Therefore, his opinions on this subject carry a lot of weight with me!

Written by:  gdavis@neumanus.com 

There is one ballpark that I would absolutely have to include on any list of must-see parks.  Each summer, college baseball players from all over the country come to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to play an eight week schedule among six (eight in 2001) teams up and down the valley.  The primary attraction is the league uses wooden bats which gives the players a chance to showcase their talents for major league scouts.

Although each of the ballparks is unique in it's own way, one in particular stands out.  Rebel Park, home of the New Market Rebels, is located in New Market, Virginia.  The park is located just off Interstate 81's New Market exit.  New Market is the smallest of the communities in the league with an estimated population of 500-600.  Despite this fact, they regularly draw crowds of 700-800 and I have been in attendance when 1,200 were in the park.

The down-home atmosphere is only one of the attractions.  The park is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, and with the wooden fence, plastered with advertisements from local businesses, takes the fan back to a day when baseball was more simple and the game was played for the pure enjoyment of the game.  In addition, the hamburgers with fried onions are one of the finest ballpark concessions I have ever encountered.

Written by:  falbanese_99@yahoo.com 

My list of "Must-See" stadiums is much like the others.  We will start with...

1.) Fenway Park, Boston - What can I say that hasn't been said before.  It will be a sad day when she comes down, but I'm also looking forward to the new Fenway to see how they pull it off.

2.) Wrigley Field, Chicago - Only been there once, and had the best time I ever had at a baseball game.  To get the full Wrigley experience you must sit in the bleachers.

3.) Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles - Took in a Dodger game on my honeymoon back in '96.  I was amazed at the way the stadium was built and how clean it was.  Plus the backdrop is second to none.  Oh, did I mention Dodger Dogs?

4.) Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY - Even though I am a Met fan I never pass up a chance to go to the "Big Ballyard in the Bronx".  The atmosphere is second to none, as is the history.

5.) Camden Yards, Baltimore - The first of the retro parks.  Baltimore started the trend and now every other city is following.

6.) The Astrodome, Houston - I know what you're thinking.  But the Astrodome was the original.  I think everybody should experience watching a game indoors once in their life.

7.) Tiger Stadium, Detroit - Seeing a game at Tiger is like seeing a game at Fenway or Wrigley. They replaced it with Comerica.  Let's see in 70 years if it has the same history Tiger Stadium had.

8.) Harbor Park, Norfolk, Va. - One of the nicest, if not the nicest looking parks in all of Triple A baseball. With the view of the harbor just past right field you can watch the ships go by as you take in the game.

9.) McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI - Baseball in its purest form.  No Skyboxes, the all wood grandstand. Natural grass.  This stadium is a real treat.

10.) Pilot Field (Dunn Tire Park), Buffalo - One of Minor League baseball's gems. And if Buffalo ever gets a Major League team they are already set.  This park can be expanded to 45,00 seats.  It holds about 20,000 now and the Bisons fill it almost every night.

Written by:  Cramer_Colorado

I've been to almost 20 major league parks, and I am generally a big fan of ballparks, so I scour books, web pages, etc, for every bit of info I can find. Keep in mind, I am city planner, so I might be a little biased to ballparks that integrate themselves well into the urban fabric and are not surrounded by a sea of parking. With that said, here's my Top 10:

1. Wrigley - The king. Ivy, upper decks that extend towards the field, the center field scoreboard. It has it all. Ivy is a unique signature feature. I especially like the fact that it is part of a neighborhood. There is nothing like walking past the bars surrounding the field on a Cubs-Cards game day.

2. Pac Bell Park - I know this might seem a bit high, but my visit in July was incredible. I'm sorry, but as far as the neo-traditional parks, this one beats Camden (been to both). Camden is still great - top 5 quality - but Pac Bell. The ocean, the boats, the architecture all contribute to a great great ballpark. Nice placement in an urban neighborhood as well (and great transit connections).

3. Camden - Love the signature feature warehouse...it really frames the field so well. It gets credit for helping spur all of the recent interest in ballpark architecture and ballpark planning. Nice placement in an urban neighborhood as well (and great transit connections).

4. Fenway - Again, the signature feature (the wall) helps frame the field well. Good history, and I love the way they crowbar-ed the field into the existing grid.

5. Safeco - On a nice day, this one is hard to beat. Views of the ocean like Pac Bell, but with downtown views as well. The integration into the downtown is OK. They should have put it farther north. Its a bit dead on one whole side.

6. Coors - Definite bias here since I am a season ticket holder. However, there is not a ballpark anywhere that can provide the numerous sunsets over a mountain range like Coors. It was good planning that allowed the signature feature to be the Rocky Mountains. Great neighborhood as well.

7. Yankee Stadium - There's something to be said for history. It adds to your experience. And there's nothing like taking the subway to the game, emerging from the tunnel and seeing Yankee Stadium looming over you.

8. Turner - I like the feel once you are in the ballpark. The upper bowl is pretty close to the field and it really wraps around nicely to cradle the field. Could have been closer to an exiting neighborhood, though.

9. Jacobs - don't really care for the design (WAY too many boxes) or the signature feature (what is the signature feature?), but I give 'em credit for the placement in downtown.

10. Kaufmann - HATE the placement and all of the parking. But I give 'em credit for designing a ballfield that has stood the test of time in a period when they all were terrible (like Three Rivers, Veterans, etc...)

Written by:  Pete

Let's see, 10 must see ballparks for me...here they go, in random order:

1. Oriole Park- Actually, this is the only ballpark on my list that I have actually seen, but even though there is my obvious pro-Oriole bias, this still is a terrific ballpark. It revolutionized stadium design. Even if I weren't an Oriole fan, this might be my favorite ballpark...it is situated right in downtown in the shadow of Baltimore skyscrapers, a few blocks from the harbor, and what makes it unique is the warehouse. Only the bay in Pac Bell comes close to a unique feature to the ballpark as this one.

2. Fenway- This is a must see because a) it is the oldest park still around, b) the green monster c) Red Sox fans are the most intense and knowledgeable in the majors and d) it might be gone in a few years.

3. Wrigley- Like Fenway, its got history and those unique ivy walls. One of the few parks remaining that is a neighborhood park and not an exit off an interstate.

4. Yankee Stadium- As much as I detest the Yankees, Yankee Stadium is still full of history, and I would like to see the place where Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle played.

5. Any Florida Spring training stadium- Baseball, Florida style is a experience that's great. There you have the warm, sunny weather and the laid back atmosphere that you can't find anywhere else.

6. Dodger Stadium- From what I've heard, this is a very nice ballpark nestled in the Los Angeles hills. Apparently it is very clean and neat, and a good baseball experience to see.

7. Comerica Field- In my opinion the best of the three 2000 ballparks. A nice large outfield that allows triples and possibly inside the park homers.

8. The Diamond, Richmond- my favorite minor league park. The stadium itself is unremarkable, but you do get a nice view of the Richmond skyline from the upper deck. You can get a box seat right on the field for a cheap price. Some games they have a brass band playing on the concourse as you enter the park. Just good, down home minor league fun.

9. Memorial Stadium, Baltimore- Okay, I admit that this one is due to my Oriole bias. It wasn't the most exciting looking Stadium, but it evoked more warm memories from fans than any other park I can think of. Cal, Frank, Jim and Brooks all shone on this field, and I saw my first baseball game here...it was a packed house and I sat at the top row of the upper deck and watched my Orioles lose 6-0 to the Brewers, yet I fell in love with baseball that day. Unfortunatly, this stadium will be no more soon, so that's why I urge any ballpark afficiandos to pay it a visit before its gone.

10. The Future Marlins ballpark- Although the Orioles will forever be my team, I'm going to be living in Marlin territory, and I want to be sure that the Marlins are able to build a nice home for themselves. I'd love to see a ballpark that shows the Miami Skyline behind the fence during a nice Florida evening. It will be baseball in paradise. Let's hope the Florida government allows the Marlins to build themselves a jem of a park.

Written by:  Marc

Perhaps the best testament to Yankee Stadium is the number, and style, of new ballparks being built. Several stadiums from the 1950s, '60s, and '70s were sterile places with no character. They were awkwardly designed, and not planned well on several levels--architecturally, accessibility, and location. That sense of history that one gets from baseball is crucial to the sport's viability; it's what separates it from other sports. Yankee Stadium has always offered that, and it's clearly something that most new stadiums have tried to emulate. 

For years, several stadiums were located in the middle of a parking lot. Fans traveling from the suburbs, for instance, could visit with a feeling that they hadn't really gone anywhere. This homogenization of the sports landscape has clearly been scorned in the recent building boom, as nearly every baseball stadium built or being built involves injecting new life into a city neighborhood. The Yankees have played in the same real-life neighborhood, of which it is the focal point, since 1923. (Instead of Baltimore's warehouse, we have the Bronx County Courthouse; instead of Seattle freight rail, we have the IRT Woodlawn Line running around the clock.) The faces in the neighborhood have changed about every twenty years. Stable rents in crowded tenament buildings have long been attractive to working-class families hoping to move up the income ladder. That upwardly mobile attitude that every immigrant group has brought with it, and the income and ethnic diversity here, are truely the American story. If baseball really is as much a part of the American fabric as apple pie, then no baseball stadium better reflects baseball's impact on this great country than Yankee Stadium.

But if new stadiums reflect all that is great about Yankee Stadium, then how is the Big Ball Orchard in the Bronx somehow better than Camden Yards? There are three important things to consider. First, many new stadiums offer "contrived" neighborhoods, with the same chain stores and Disneyified look that any other place offers. Yankee Stadium's the real deal. The neighborhood--its people and varied places (where else do dining choices vary from Puerto Rican, Mexican, West Indian, Italian, and Chinese, not to mention fast food and pub grub)--make the stadium the great place that it is. It offers baseball fans a unique experience that the Stadium cannot live without. Similarly, the neighborhood could not live without Yankee Stadium, the largest employer in the immediate area and an engine that brings fans from the suburbs who otherwise might not visit.

Written by:  slane@jps.net 

My "must sees":

Pac Bell Park in San Francisco (and have the garlic fries!)
Raley Field in Sacramento (sit on the 3rd base side so you can look at the city skyline)
Wrigley Field, Chicago
Camden Yards, Baltimore
Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, AZ

You can skip Veteran's Stadium, Philadelphia (unless they get rid of the turf) and Oakland Coliseum (unless they get rid of Mt. Davis)

Written by:  jefflecrone@hotmail.com 

Minor League Parks

1. Blair County Ballpark - Altoona, PA - Arguably one of the finest parks in the minor leagues
2. GPU Stadium, Reading - PA - I can't really explain it.  The place just FEELS right.
3. Canal Park, Akron - OH - Also a very nice park

Major League Parks

1. Jacobs Field - Cleveland, OH
2. Camden Yards - Baltimore, MD 
3. Yankee Stadium - New York, NY

And if you like old, classic parks, then:

1. Yale Field - New Haven, CT - Very old, but in a nostalgic kind of a way.
2. Bowman Field - Williamsport, PA - One of the oldest minor league parks currently in use

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