Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408170013
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
OK, that big summer trip, the ballpark tour to Camden Yards, Jacobs Field and Fenway Park that had been in the planning stages for months, is off.
There are two ways to deal with it: Sit at home and stew over the strike, or get in the car and go see what the minors have to offer.
Of course, be ready for a big change from what's in the big leagues. Parking may be free, tickets might cost all of $2 and many seats are so close players talk to the crowd, even during games.
At that rate, no wonder some fans never make it back to the majors. Anyway, a look at some stadiums in the minors:
Historic Engel Stadium, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Lookouts, Class AA Southern League. Way out in center field is a big hill. Until about 10 years ago, when the hill was fenced off, outfielders had to run up the slope to chase balls that rolled to the 471-foot mark, the same way left fielders used to climb the terrace at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Each year, there's talk about taking down the chain-link fence and putting that curious hill back in play. But the parent Reds don't want their prospects getting hurt, so up it stays.
Sam W. Wolfson Park, Jacksonville (Fla.) Suns, Class AA Southern League. It may be the greenest field in baseball - and for good reason. Aside from the dirt cutouts around the bases and on the pitcher's mound, the field is entirely grass. It looks just like an artificial-turf surface, with the running lanes and infield arc drawn in chalk. General manager Peter Bragan Jr. - of the baseball Bragans - was skeptical when the super-draining field was proposed a few years ago, but now he's a big supporter.
Pilot Field, Buffalo (N.Y.) Bisons, Class AAA American Association. Before Camden Yards and Jacobs Field were built, the HOK design firm that planned those stadiums put up the park in Buffalo. It, too, has that old-time feel, with a brick facade, wide concourses and lots of activity. The sight lines are exceptional and the stadium is friendly, part of the reason the Bisons have broken the 1 million mark and set several minor-league attendance records.
Albuquerque Sports Stadium, Albuquerque (N.M.) Dukes, Class AAA Pacific Coast League. While drive-in theaters have disappeared, this remains a drive-in ballpark. For $2.50 per adult and $1 per child, cars can pull around beyond the outfield fences, park on a hill and watch the game. But beware - in the desert air, the ball really travels, and Mike Marshall and others have come close to hitting drives through windshields.
Sky Sox Stadium, Colorado Springs (Colo.) Sky Sox, Class AAA Pacific Coast League. Most parks have box seats and bleachers, but this stadium has a unique place to watch a game - a hot tub down the right-field line. The tub seats five, is located on top of the groundskeepers' shed and rents for $80 per game. The price includes eight box seats, free parking, a bottle of champagne and waiter or waitress service. This is the second year for the tub and - no surprise - it was sold out before the season started.
Yale Field, New Haven (Conn.) Ravens, Class AA Eastern League. This 67-year-old park is where Babe Ruth presented Yale captain George Bush a copy of his autobiography in 1948. It's also the place that one of the greatest college games ever was played, when Yale's Ron Darling lost his no-hit bid in the 12th inning to Frank Viola and St.John's at the 1981 NCAA regional tournament. This year, the Class AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies has become the first minor-league team to call it home.
John Thurman Stadium, Modesto (Calif.) A's, Class A California League. No wonder hitters like to play in this cozy, little park. It's only 370 feet to center field, with the alleys also tight. There are only two windows in the makeshift ticket booth, although that's plenty because seating capacity at the stadium is 2,500. After this year, though, a major renovation is planned.
Harry Grove Stadium, Frederick (Md.) Keys, Class A Carolina League. What makes this tidy park especially charming is what the crowd does for the seventh-inning stretch. Rather than sing the standard ``Take Me Out to the Ballgame,'' the fans of Baltimore's Class A team take out their car keys and jangle them during the break.
Jack Russell Stadium, Clearwater (Fla.) Phillies, Class A Florida State League. Used by the Philadelphia Phillies for spring training, this park has a warning track made of crushed seashells. Like a lot of small stadiums in Florida, it has a low-slung grandstand, and local kids stand outside waiting to snag foul balls, which they sell to exiting fans for $1 or so.
by CNB