Minor League Baseball Parks

Minor league baseball parks are the gateway to America's pastime for many fans. There are 30 Major League Baseball stadiums in use, but more than 200 minor league parks. They are located in major metropolitan areas such as Charlotte, North Carolina and Buffalo, New York, cities that also have major professional teams in other sports, and out-of-the-way places such as Orem, Utah, and Casper, Wyoming. The common denominator among these cities and towns are the baseball parks that serve as points of community pride.

  1. History

    • While minor league baseball was played in various forms in the 1800s, it really didn't become fully organized until 1901, when the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues was created. That organization led to the first real wave of minor league baseball stadium construction as scores of towns and cities built parks to help lure teams in the early 1900s. A baseball stadium was considered to be a source of civic pride. Cities still continue to build bigger and better stadiums to keep franchises.

    General Characteristics

    • The 200-plus minor league stadiums are smaller versions of Major League Baseball stadiums and feature: concession stands that offer fare such as hot dogs, sodas, beer and nachos; bleacher seating; fan contests such as races with mascots and air guitar battles; a loud public address system; and mezzanine seating. One major difference is the size of stadiums. Few minor league parks seat more than 15,000 and many don't have seating along the outfield walls.

    Urban vs. Suburban

    • One of the great debates in the construction of new stadiums is placement. Some cities and builders prefer suburban locations off major Interstates that allow as many people as possible to drive to games. Others prefer metro and urban locations that can serve as distinctive calling cards for a city. One example of this is Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina. This stadium is a replica of Fenway Park and has been hailed for leading an economic rebirth in that section of the city's downtown. It was built after a massive debate over its placement.

    Famous Parks

    • Some baseball stadiums become more than just places to play ball. They tend to transcend the sport and become part of a cultural lore. One example is Durham Athletic Park, which was used heavily in the making of the 1988 hit movie "Bull Durham." The stadium went from a little-known civic ballfield to one of the most recognized minor league parks in the country because of the film. A large bull monument used in the movie was later incorporated into the stadium for games. The monument was later moved to a new Durham stadium in 1995.

    Road Trips

    • One of the lures of minor league baseball stadiums is that they offer cheap seats and many can be found in the same state. That leads to some fans spending their summers making road trips from stadium to stadium to see these special places. For example, a baseball fan in South Carolina can visit ballparks in Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Fort Mill, while also seeing formerly used parks in Spartanburg, Columbia, Greenwood, Florence and Anderson. It makes for a fun-filled trip for a baseball fan.