Best Baseball Park [Archive]

Bill Burgess

12-15-2006, 11:15 AM

Where is the best place you have ever seen a baseball game, with respect to ballparks.

I'm speaking in terms of comfort, park design, sight lines, concessions, parking, convenient access.

Let's leave out the pricing for the moment. All parks can be nice if you've got the bucks to spend to make it luxurious.

Have any old-timers seen games at either Dodger Stadium in the 60's, or Forbes Field in Pittsburgh?

How do you rank PacBell Park in San Francisco?

hellborn

12-15-2006, 11:22 AM

Comerica has the best overall design of the few new parks at which I've attended a game. It was really fun to be able to wander around the whole park and have a view of the game from anywhere.
Pac Bell is a close second. When I was there, there was no net behind HP, just a screen, so the fans had lots of chances for fouls. Some of the them were screamers that had been fouled straight back...actually seemed kind of dangerous. I thought that I had broken my hand on one, still hurt a week later when I played softball.

Seattle1

12-15-2006, 01:29 PM

I would probably have to go with Safeco Field on this one.

Disgruntaledmarinerfan

12-15-2006, 01:59 PM

There are a couple of few ball parks that really stand out in my mind as "the Best". Great american Ballpark, Jacobs Field and Safeco field. They are great venues for enjoying a game of baseball, Each are amazing Examples of what a ballpark should be like.

Williamsburg2599

12-15-2006, 04:23 PM

This is one of those topics that everyone has an opinion on based on who thier favorite team is. I've only been to Fenway, but that's where I fell in love with baseball, so I would have to choose The Fens. The feeling when you walk up that tight, damp tunnel and up into the grandstands for the first time, there's nothing like it. And the additions have done nothing but improve the park, the historical feel is still as strong as ever.
http://www.nytstore.com/ProdImages/NSAP568_large.jpg

Seattle1

12-15-2006, 07:28 PM

This is one of those topics that everyone has an opinion on based on who thier favorite team is. I've only been to Fenway, but that's where I fell in love with baseball, so I would have to choose The Fens. The feeling when you walk up that tight, damp tunnel and up into the grandstands for the first time, there's nothing like it. And the additions have done nothing but improve the park, the historical feel is still as strong as ever.

How much longer do you think Fenway Park will last? I have never been there but I hope it lasts a long time!

PiratesFan

12-16-2006, 12:20 PM

I'm biased, but I think PNC Park is the best place in America to see a baseball game. It's so far beyond anything else I've been to it's not funny.

DevilRays1969

12-16-2006, 03:09 PM

Best place I have seen a game? I would have to go with City of Palms Park in Ft. Myers, FL (Red Sox spring training) or Holman Stadium in Vero Beach, FL (Dodgers spring training). I've only been to 5 big league parks--Arlington Stadium, Astrodome, Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, Dolphins Stadium and Tropicana Field. The first 3 are no longer in use (only the Astrodome is still standing) and none of them could be considered great ballparks. But I'd most want to go to Fenway, Wrigley, PNC and Camden Yards.

Williamsburg2599

12-16-2006, 03:57 PM

How much longer do you think Fenway Park will last? I have never been there but I hope it lasts a long time!
2020 at the very least, IMO. As long as the current owners are here, Fenway isin't going anywhere.:) It would be pretty pointless to do all the updates there doing now only to demolish it in a few years.

Coachsmallhead

12-18-2006, 09:21 AM

Surprised that no one has mentioned Dodger stadium. I've been to many ballparks throughout the country...Fenway, Wrigley, Veterans, Yankee, Comiskey (new and old), Coors, Arlington, Turner, Camden, Anaheim, Petco, Candlestick and AT&T....to name a few....and none of them have anything on Dodger stadium. Dodger stadium is just a beatiful yard in a beautiful setting without all the nonsense bells and whistles that come with the newer parks. If you want a truly outstanding baseball experience....Dodger stadium is the place.

Richmond Hill Phoenix

12-18-2006, 03:55 PM

So far, the only place I've seen a game is Skydome. However, this summer I am hoping to do a trip to Boston, NY, Washington, Baltimore, Philly, Pittsburgh, Clevland, and Detroit. Should be some good fun.

CarmelPitcher

12-18-2006, 04:15 PM

i really like the brewers stadium. it is very easy to get too, plenty of on site parking, and overall very clean.

G.Costanza

12-20-2006, 07:28 AM

I'm biased, but I think PNC Park is the best place in America to see a baseball game. It's so far beyond anything else I've been to it's not funny.
I love the tribute to Clemente that the wall in right is 21 feet high,nice touch.As far as my own experience ive been to just Yankee and Shea stadium......obviously i would have to go with the former,especially when they used to have bat day when i was a kid,those were some of the best times.

drtybUsch025

12-20-2006, 11:18 AM

The picture explains it all......

redbuck

12-27-2006, 09:48 PM

I've long ranked Jacobs and Pac Bell a close 1 and 2 among major league parks.

Some comments:
Comerica - structurally one of the most well done ballparks I've ever seen. I'm not a big fan of the two level lower deck, and the design in many ways copies Chase Field. Do like the split upper deck and center field, but the scoreboard is too far into the left field corner.

Busch - I never really minded the cookie cutters, especially now, and while Busch was one of the better ones, even after the renovations it just didn't occur to me to put it that high on the list.

Camden - definitely a nice park, but lacks some of the perfection of design in Jacobs Field. Also a little dated now.

PNC - again, seems like it lacks that real balance in design that is vital in architecture. Of course the view is great, but what would it be like in the middle of parking lots? A lot of this park's praise is misdirected to the park rather than the view.

As the Baseball Research Journal displayed in 2004, one's conception of a ballpark is a great deal the result of the team or the game.

sfgiants29

12-27-2006, 10:53 PM

I love the tribute to Clemente that the wall in right is 21 feet high,nice touch.As far as my own experience ive been to just Yankee and Shea stadium......obviously i would have to go with the former,especially when they used to have bat day when i was a kid,those were some of the best times.

The right field wall at Phone Booth/Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T Park is 24' high to honor Willie Mays.

----
I would probably have to go with Safeco Field on this one.

I don't think that you can choose a best park, but I don't see how so many people like Safeco. It's nice and all but I don't think it has a very good baseball atmosphere. It doesn't look very efficient or welcoming, except for maybe the home plate entrance. It looks like a giant hunk of steel put in one of the best spots in Seattle IMO. Close to Pioneer Square, the International District, Downtown, and the waterfront (kinda), it does have a nice location. This picture shows what I mean. It looks like people piled a crapload of steel together and called it a stadium. Nice entry though, especially when you enter to that "bat chandelier". I've been there five times and it feels awkward to watch a game there because of the lack of atmosphere. This place is 39593457983579837459390756x better than the Kingdome though.

http://www.seattlephotographs.com/photos/famous_places/safeco_field_3.jpg

Sean O

12-28-2006, 11:04 AM

Oh my god, all that truss next to the Ebbets/Forbes-ripoff entryway is horrific. What were they thinking?

Safeco is such a mish-mash of conflicting elements that it's no wonder it comes out so weird looking.

redbuck

12-28-2006, 12:38 PM

Safeco to me feels big. It's certainly a nice park, but there doesn't really seem to be anything about it that would make it #1. It lacks the balance that is so vital in architecture. And I'm not talking about the contradictory combinations of old fashioned brick with ultra modern "big steel." I'm talking about the layout of the park. The seats around the foul territory are organized in a pretty typical retro layout, but the left and center field sections just weren't done very well. Some of those seats are about the worst at any park in baseball. The scoreboard is average at best and catches a nasty glare in the afternoon. Beyond these complaints, there's nothing really "wrong" with Safeco. There just isn't any real reason for me to think of it as a great park. It falls into the same design category as *Enron* Field, but in my opinion falls well into second place between the two.

Doug Miller

01-06-2007, 01:03 PM

There are a few things that don't quite work with Safeco:

#1 -- It was supposed to be all brick, like Ebbetts, but they had too many cost overruns.
#2 -- The field doesn't have "POP" in CF. Look at CF in Pittsburgh or in SF -- If you have water by it, it should face the water. I know the wind coming off the water would kill the HR more than Safeco already swallows them, but it needs more scenery.
#3 -- The "Safeco Field" entrance is the least used entrance of the stadium. The entrance that the majority of people use is the LF entrance by Qwest Field. They have the CF and LF entrances that are always crammed at gameday. The "Safeco" entrance, with it's crystal bat chandelier and all, doesn't see the traffic the other entrances do.

Doug

GotMelk?

01-06-2007, 07:50 PM

http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2005-06/18038457.jpg

Nuff said. Fendway Park is old and makes me feel clasraphobic.
Shea Stadium is horrific.(The outside of the stadium looks like it is wrapped with blinding orange and blue wrapping papper.)
http://www.d4.dion.ne.jp/~smatt/Shea%20Stadium1.gif
Camden Yards is beautiful.

Williamsburg2599

01-06-2007, 07:56 PM

Fendway Park is old and makes me feel clasraphobic.
.
An "old" stadium is a bad thing? Have you been to Fenway? I know it is owned by the Red Sox, which makes it evil in a Yankee's fan's mind, but even though I'm a sox fan, I admit Yankee Stadium is great.

Solair Wright

01-06-2007, 11:54 PM

For me, it's probably new Busch Stadium. This may change this year, when hopefully I get a taste of new ballparks to go to. One ballpark I like a lot after that is Wrigley Field. It isn't bad at all, it gives memories of when Billy Williams, Babe Ruth, Dave Parker, and other famous baseball players that played there during their careers.

What should make it notable is that it's mostly sunlight, memories, no last names on the home uniforms, and the famous green ivy all sport the ballpark. The only problem going there? Most games are sold out! All 41,118 seats are usually occupied by fans. It feels like you're in a different realm. Were you expecting: Recycled music? Movies blairing out of the Wrigley Scoreboard? http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Laughing/hahaha-024.gif 21st century technology there? All those answers lead to no. What's also cool is that it's the only remaining Federal League stadium remaining.

Edit: My father has been there back in the 1970s, and who was the opponent? The Cardinals, and they won in Wrigley. It's been virtually unchanged since then, except additions of seats (about 5,000 more seats). That should be an old time memory there.

GotMelk?

01-07-2007, 02:26 PM

An "old" stadium is a bad thing? Have you been to Fenway? I know it is owned by the Red Sox, which makes it evil in a Yankee's fan's mind, but even though I'm a sox fan, I admit Yankee Stadium is great.
I've been to Fendway Park twice. I hate how all of the seats are cramped together.

west coast orange and black

01-10-2007, 11:42 AM

this little place has some good things about it.

Sean O

01-10-2007, 01:59 PM

All of you do realize that picking your favorite team's park makes your opinion worthless, right? Can we maybe not be total homers for just a little bit?

PNC's my favorite, though I've had tons of fun seeing games at CBP.

west coast orange and black

01-10-2007, 02:05 PM

^^ i have had the great pleasure of visiting 20+ major league ballyards, but mays field is tops in my book. :lookitup

SoxSon

01-10-2007, 04:08 PM

this little place has some good things about it.

I'd love to visit. I've seen enough games on tv there to appreciate its aesthetic value.

Doug Miller

01-10-2007, 04:41 PM

I really liked some aspects of Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T Park. The views of the bay were great. I loved being able to go down the Coke slides! I was hoping that it wasn't just for kids. Food selection was interesting, I was surprised to see a hard liquor stand for JD in center.

Things I didn't really care for were the seats. Unlike Safeco and Minute Maid (similar age), the seats don't aim at home plate. If you're up the 1st or 3rd baseline, then you're staring out into mid field. I have to turn my body to get a full view at the plate, which I thought was just dumb.

Atmosphere wise, the park is beautiful. If Bonds is hurt and not playing, though, the crowd is weak.

Doug

west coast orange and black

01-10-2007, 05:03 PM

MSUlaxer27

01-10-2007, 05:33 PM

Oh my god, all that truss next to the Ebbets/Forbes-ripoff entryway is horrific. What were they thinking?

Um, maybe they were thinking,"No rain outs!"

MetsFan11368

01-10-2007, 06:19 PM

Where is the best place you have ever seen a baseball game, with respect to ballparks.

I'm speaking in terms of comfort, park design, sight lines, concessions, parking, convenient access.

Dodger stadium hands down, if you're willing to ignore the "convenient access" part.

I've been to about 10 ML parks, and this one ranks #1.

JordanDL3891

01-10-2007, 07:32 PM

Astros ballpark is pretty nice.

I love Yankee Stadium (im a yankees fan) and I am going to hate to see it go. Stop getting rid of our classic parks! (I hate to say it but) long live fenway!

Doug Miller

01-10-2007, 09:10 PM

from doug's blog page: an unofficial suspension?
yikes! no way, no how.

he alledgedly acknowledges using steroids (unknowingly of course)
no, bonds has not done so.

convenient timing
it is what it is / it was what it was.

Is it really "out there" to think that this might have happened .... with Barry Bonds?
yes. very much so.

I just started the blog back up. That post was from last year before Spring Training. But thanks for clicking on it. I hope to update it more frequently this year. I'll save the steroid arguements for a different post :) In the meantime, since I was obviously waaaaaaay off, I deleted it.

I'll agree with one of the posts above, I really like Dodger Stadium too. While it's not my favorite, I love the atmosphere of the park. The few games that I saw there were great -- but the dogs are really overrated.

Doug

Richmond Hill Phoenix

01-10-2007, 09:15 PM

WCOAB is one of the few here not guilty of being a homer. I too like AT&T. It looks beautiful, just perched on the bay like that.

Sean O

01-10-2007, 09:20 PM

Oh my god, all that truss next to the Ebbets/Forbes-ripoff entryway is horrific. What were they thinking?

Um, maybe they were thinking,"No rain outs!"

There's a major difference between having a roof to prevent rainouts and creating a jumble of competing concepts that leads to such an ugly exterior. Surely there are ways to integrate a retractable roof into the design without making it hideously ugly.

Elvis

01-10-2007, 11:10 PM

MSUlaxer27

01-11-2007, 07:08 AM

There's a major difference between having a roof to prevent rainouts and creating a jumble of competing concepts that leads to such an ugly exterior. Surely there are ways to integrate a retractable roof into the design without making it hideously ugly.

Agreed, but maybe in this case maybe technology hadn't caught up to design. It has to be tough to get a retractable that doesn't look like you just sliced the roof off a dome(when open). I understand your post though, if Safeco is in the "heart of downtown" it probably shouldn't be an eyesore (Miller is the middle of parking lots so I guess it's not as bad). I was just being a smartass.

I've looked at a couple of different views besides the one you posted. It doesn't look that bad. They have to have some exterior support structure for the track of the roof. It does look a little incongruous, but what design element would you use in place of the rotunda? Also with the tracks running behind the field the support structure for the roof does remind me of a elevated railroad trestle which sort of fits.

The stadium the Mets originally planned to replace shea with, had a retractable roof with an "Ebbets"like rotunda but when open, it looked like they ripped the roof off a dome. I'm sure shadows would be a big problem with this style of roof. There will be shade issues in all retractables, how is it at Safeco?

Sean O

01-11-2007, 09:07 AM

I've looked at a couple of different views besides the one you posted. It doesn't look that bad. They have to have some exterior support structure for the track of the roof. It does look a little incongruous, but what design element would you use in place of the rotunda? Also with the tracks running behind the field the support structure for the roof does remind me of a elevated railroad trestle which sort of fits.

Well, for one, they could've nixed the whole retro red brick thing. Look at these two views:

http://www.roadsidephotos.com/rp/ballparks/safeco01.jpg

and:

http://www.spikemafford.com/images/arch/Safeco-Exterior.jpg

These two parts can never go together. They should've either tried to beautify the truss, or figured out a way to wrap the retro brick look all the way around. You can't do both.

Doug Miller

01-11-2007, 12:28 PM

These two parts can never go together. They should've either tried to beautify the truss, or figured out a way to wrap the retro brick look all the way around. You can't do both.

Cost overruns prevented that from happening. I agree, I would have loved to have seen the brick all away around. Plus, as I mentioned a page or so back, it's just a shame that the "Safeco" entrance isn't the #1 entrance to the park -- it's the least used entrance to the park.

Doug

neuschler

01-12-2007, 01:43 PM

Well, incongruous design or not, Safeco is still one, beautiful park.

Here are my personal rankings of the parks I've visited:

1. Fenway Park (literally breathes baseball history)

then...

2. Great American Ball Park
3. Safeco Park
4. AT&T Park
5. Wrigley Field
6. PNC Park
7. Camden Yard
8. Yankee Stadium
9. Citizens Bank Park
10. Coors Field
11. Kauffman Stadium
12. Dodger Stadium
13. Comerica Park
14. Jacobs Field
15. Miller Park
16. U.S. Cellular
17. Oakland Coliseum
18. Shea Stadium (the only one I've actually DISLIKED)
.
.
.

MetsFan11368

01-12-2007, 07:38 PM

Agreed - Except that I think its access is convenient.

I actually meant traffic-wise, which is insignificant when you put the whole experience in perspective. I was mesmerized during the whole game there. Whatta place.:cool:

west coast orange and black

01-12-2007, 08:22 PM

MetsFan11368: Dodger stadium hands down

i have always liked and appreciated dodger stadium.
it's a fantastic ballyard.

64Cards

01-13-2007, 07:15 AM

There's no ballpark like an old ballpark. Wrigley Field. The history, the great neighborhood that has dozens of bars and restaraunts within a 10 minute walk, and it's easy to get to via the El. Inside the seats are great, you're close to the field, plus it's easy to wander around the place and not miss much of the game. Good dogs, sausages and italian beef sandwiches, plenty of beer, not too unreasonably priced, at least in comparison with some other parks I've been to lately.

Then you never forget your first love. I got to go to Sportsmans Park during its last 5 years of operation and loved going to ballgames there, but it's been gone 40 years and I confess, I don't remember a whole lot about the place, even though I saw about 25-30 games there, I guess.

Recently departed Busch was the best of the cookie cutters, looked its best during the final 10 of its 40 year run. It was ok with me, my only compaint was the some of the upper deck seats, especially past the infield were pretty far away to enjoy a ballgame.

I liked Turner Field a lot more than the new Busch.

MetsFan11368

01-13-2007, 07:43 PM

MetsFan11368: Dodger stadium hands down

i have always liked and appreciated dodger stadium.
it's a fantastic ballyard.

It definitely is. What impressed me the most was 1) how organized everything was (right down to the traffic lights in the parking lot) to the view of the LA skyline from where I parked my car. From beginning to end, the whole experience was awesome.

Say what you want about O'Malley, he sure knew what he was doing when he built the place.

Dodgerfan1

01-13-2007, 07:57 PM

All of you do realize that picking your favorite team's park makes your opinion worthless, right? Can we maybe not be total homers for just a little bit?

I was thinking the same thing a while back about this thread, although I don't know that I would say that renders their opinions worthless, just biased. This is the type of question that, while well-intentioned, is probably asking a bit much if the intent was to receive objective, unbiased opinions from everyone. In the first place, people are going to want to give a 'shout out' to their favorite teams by naming their hometown stadium and, secondly, most fans haven't been to enough different ballparks to make an educated choice.

On the other hand, Bill did narrow it down to the best place you have ever seen a game, so that confines it to a very limited few, for most of us. In that case, since most people have been to, and can picture in their mind's eye, their hometown park most often, that's apt to be the logical choice for them.

There I go again, getting too in-depth about a simple question, so I'll shut up and give my answer.

Dodger Stadium, of course!! :D

nathirish

01-15-2007, 08:04 AM

i'd say pnc in pittsburgh. inside and out just absolutely gorgeous. i also want to mention the AA reading phillies park. much nicer than most AAA parks i've seen. of course, yankee stadium is a special place(and i hate the yanks).

Disgruntaledmarinerfan

01-15-2007, 08:36 AM

if Safeco is in the "heart of downtown" it probably shouldn't be an eyesore
Safeco Field is nt located in the "heart of downdown" or any part of down town for that matter, it's located aroud 3/4- 1 1/2 miles south of down town. Safeco field is closer to the Idustrial part of Seattle Than downtown Seattle.

Bugs Raymond's sober twin

01-15-2007, 11:04 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Polo_Grounds_after_1911.JPG

Seattle1

01-15-2007, 08:09 PM

All of you do realize that picking your favorite team's park makes your opinion worthless, right? Can we maybe not be total homers for just a little bit?

Well, the word "homer" is definitely the most meaningless overused words in recent years when people talk about sports.
:rolleyes:

Bill Burgess

02-15-2007, 07:42 AM

Just in case y'all missed it, here is some work I did in the History Forum, with respect to some of the classic ballparks from yesterday. It's buried on page 14 of the Historical Archival Photographs thread.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=40306&page=14

Bill

RichardLillard1

02-15-2007, 07:53 PM

Bill,

I first saw the ballparks part of that thread some weeks ago, I love it now just as much as when I first saw it.

Ever thought of making it a seperate thread so as to have it more seen and not as buried? Maybe a sticky on the history or staidums page?

By the way post #331 of yours, first picture Wrigley during the '29 series. It should be noted that the picture is reversed. The famous "bend" in the structure on is supposed to be on the first base side.

Great work none the less.

Richard