$Unique_ID{BAS00014} $Pretitle{} $Title{Ballparks: Part 1} $Subtitle{} $Author{ Lowry, Philip J.} $Subject{Ballpark Ballparks park parks playing field fields stadium stadiums grandstand grandstands ANAHEIM ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY ORIOLE PARK CAMDEN YARDS FENWAY NEW COMISKEY WRIGLEY RIVERFRONT CLEVELAND ARLINGTON MILE HIGH TIGER ASTRODOME ROYALS DODGER JOE ROBBIE COUNTY HUBERT HUMPHREY METRODOME STADE OLYMPIQUE YANKEE SHEA OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY VETERANS THREE RIVERS BUSCH SAN DIEGO JACK MURPHY CANDLESTICK KINGDOME SKYDOME} $Log{ 1928 Crowd at World Series (Yankee Stadium)*0001501.scf 1932 Cleveland Stadium*0001701.scf Wrigley Field (1940s)*0003401.scf} Total Baseball: The History Ballparks: Part 1 Philip J. Lowry What follows are the vital statistics of each of current twenty-eight major league baseball stadiums and a selection of the storied parks of the past. My book, Green Cathedrals, from which much of this section is taken, encompasses the whole of major league history, from 1871 to the present, including the extraordinary variety of early playing sites, from cricket grounds and polo fields to agricultural fairgrounds and cow pastures. That book also covers Negro League ballparks in a depth beyond the scope possible here, including the vast array of barnstorming sites, even for official league games, that was characteristic of impoverished ballclubs looking to maximize their gate receipts in any way possible. All the same, despite the space constraints imposed upon this entry, the primary Negro League parks will be covered, as well as classic shrines such as Ebbets Field, Griffith Stadium, Forbes Field, and many others. The focus here is on ballpark geometry and the oddities in play that resulted from the unique configuration of the park. Dimensional changes are catalogued and dated, particularly in outfield fence distances and heights. This subject is crucial to an understanding of the statistical history of baseball, whether or not one is a devotee of the park-adjusted figures on display in this volume. The following leagues are covered by this study. The accompanying abbreviations may be employed for the twentieth century's principal leagues: NL National League, 1876- AL American League, 1901- FL Federal League, 1914-1915 NNL Negro National League, 1920-1931, 1933-1948 ECL Eastern Colored League, 1923-1928 NAL Negro American League, 1929, 1937-1950 NSL Negro Southern League, 1932 NEWL Negro East-West League, 1932 Before 1900, most parks were small wooden grandstands hastily constructed around recreation fields that often were not even enclosed by outfield fences. Beginning with the erection of Shibe Park and Forbes Field in 1909, however, concrete-and-steel ballparks became the rule. These palaces signaled the growing prominence of baseball and constituted to my mind the best in ballpark design; the term I have applied to this type of park is "Major League Classic." Beginning in the 1950s, multipurpose stadiums were developed. "Multipurpose" means, for this essay, that a stadium was used for both football and baseball, a marriage not made in heaven. "New Major League Classic" reflects the return to asymmetrical, baseball-only parks--in Baltimore, Cleveland, Texas, and Denver. Diagrams are by Kevin Spleid. Using the Outlines "Style" defines the structural design of the park. "A.K.A." (Also Known As) lists alternate names and nicknames used for the ballpark. "Occupant" lists teams using the park in chronological order. Inclusive dates of play within the league follow. "Event" contains neutral site and All-Star Games. "Location" lists the surrounding streets. When possible, fields and bases are associated with the streets. Geographical directions, (N) for North, (S) for South, (E) for East, and (W) for West, are provided when available. Because all older stadiums had grass "surfaces," information concerning carpet or grass is included only for modern ballparks. Under "Dimensions" the distance is given in feet from home plate to the fences, and to the backstop. Dates, in parentheses, denote the first month and/or year when the boundaries stood at the stated distance. "Fences" lists the heights of the outfield fences in feet. Dates denote the first time the fences stood at the stated height. "Former Use" describes how the site was utilized before stadium construction. Similarly, "Current Use" chronicles the development of the site after a ballpark was demolished or abandoned. "Phenomena" is a more general category for historical data. Included here will be special features of the park's physical plant, important changes over the years, and events of note throughout the years of operation. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA ANAHEIM STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. Big A 1966, Bigger A 1980 OCCUPANT AL Angels April 19, 1966 to date EVENT All Star Game 1967, 1989 LOCATION Left Field (N) Katella Avenue; 3rd Base (W) 2000 State College Boulevard, then Interstate 5; 1st Base (S) Orangewood Freeway, then Santa Ana River; Center Field (NE) Amtrak Railroad Station SURFACE Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 333; Bullpens: 362; Power Alleys: 375 (1966), 369 (1973), 374 (1974), 370 (1989); Deep Alleys: 386; Center Field: 406 (1966), 402 (1973), 404 (1974); Backstop: 55 (1966), 60.5 (1973) FENCES Majority of the Fence: 10 (wire 1966), 7.86 (wire 1973), 7.86 (padded 1981); Corners Between Foul Poles and Bullpens: 4.75 (steel 1966); Left-center Between 386 and 404 Marks: 7.5 (padded 1981); Padded Posts at the Left Sides of Both Left and Right Field; Bullpen Gates: 9 (padded 1981); Bullpen Gates: 9.95 (wire 1966) FORMER USE Four farms--Camille Allec's 39 acres of orange and eucalyptus trees, Roland Reynolds' 70 acres of alfalfa, John Knutgen's 20 acres of corn, Bill Ross and George Lenney's 19 acres of corn PHENOMENA - Power hitter's park, the ball carries well. - Huge 230-foot-high letter "A" stood behind the fence in left as a scoreboard support until 1980, then it was moved to the parking lot. The letter has a gold halo at its top. - Sections 69 and 70 in center covered by green-canvas batters' background. - Two thin black TV cables run in fair territory on the warning track from the left field corner bullpen gate to the foul pole, and then along the wall in foul territory about 50 feet toward third base, then into the stands. - Outfield enclosed and tripledecked in 1980. - 6 doors on ivy-covered wall in deep left-center behind outfield fence labeled: "warning track," "skin material," "screen clay mounds," "raw clay," "sand," "equipment." ATLANTA, GEORGIA ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. Atlanta Stadium 1965-74, Launching Pad OCCUPANT NL Braves April 12, 1966 to date EVENT All Star Game 1972 LOCATION Left Field (NE) Pullman Street and Interstate 20; 3rd Base (NW) Washington Street and Interstate 75/85 and Georgia Avenue; 1st Base (SW) 521 Capitol Avenue; Right Field (SE) Fulton Street SURFACE Prescription Artificial Turf DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 325 (1966), 330 (1967); Power Alleys: 385 (1966), 375 (1969), 385 (1974); Center Field: 402 (1966), 400 (1969), 402 (1973); Backstop: 59.92 (1973); Foul Territory: Large (1966), Medium (1977) FENCES 6 (wire 1966), 10 (4 plexiglass above 6 wire 1983), 10 (plexiglass 1985) PHENOMENA - Three statues outside the stadium honor Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, and Phil Niekro. - Used by 1965 Triple A IL Crackers. - Big Victor, a large totem-pole-styled figure, stood in the stadium in 1966. The huge head tilted and the eyes rolled whenever a Brave hit a home run. - With an altitude of more than 1,000 feet above sea level, it was--until Colorado entered the major leagues--the highest park in the majors, which results in many homers and the nickname "the Launching Pad." - Chief Noc-A-Homa's Wigwam replaced Big Victor in 1967. From 1967 to 1971 the teepee stood on a 20-foot-square platform behind the left field fence. In 1972 the teepee was moved to right field. From 1973 to 1977 it returned to left field. From 1978 to August 1982 the teepee was moved to left-center, occupying 235 seats between aisles 128 and 130, rows 18-30. From August to early September, 1982, it was removed in anticipation of additional revenue in the playoffs, "causing" a disastrous tailspin for the first-place Braves. Its replacement coincided with the Braves' comeback to win the division crown in 1982. The teepee's removal on August 11, 1983, saw another losing streak which could not be overcome by its return on September 16. It stands today, a permanent outfield installation. - 22-foot outfield wall never in play. - 80-year-old calliope organ installed 1971. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND ORIOLE PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS STYLE New Major League Classic A.K.A. Camden Yards OCCUPANT AL Orioles April 6, 1992 to date EVENT All Star Game 1993 LOCATION (N) Camden Street; (W) Russell Street; (E) Howard Street; (S) Martin Luther King Boulevard SURFACE Maryland Bluegrass ("Prescription Athletic Turf") DIMENSIONS Left Field: 333; Left Center: 410; Center Field: 400; Right Center: 373; Right Field: 318; Backstop: 57 FENCES 25 in right, 7 elsewhere FORMER USE Le Comte de Rochambeau, French general, camped his troops here on the way to Yorktown in 1781; former station of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad PHENOMENA - Camden Yards complex includes the Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse, longest building on the East Coast (1,016 feet long but only 51 feet wide). Houses Orioles offices as well as a cafeteria, sports bar, and the exclusive Camden Club. Banks of lights are mounted on roof. - Each aisle seat in the park features an 1890s Orioles logo. - Unique doubledecked bullpens in left-center field. - Hearing-impaired persons may hook into "hearing assistance channels" at their seats. - Playing field is 16 feet below street level. - Located only two blocks from Babe Ruth's birthplace; Babe's father operated Ruth's Cafe at 406 Conway Street, the site of which is now located in center field. - Site of unique three league triple header on June 6, 1992. Fans could take in a morning game at Hagerstown, Md., an afternoon contest at Frederick, Md., and end up under the lights at Camden Yards. - Built by Maryland Stadium Authority at an approximate cost of $105 million. - Faced with brick to present a traditional appearance. - Football stadium will be built adjacent to Camden Yards if an NFL team can be secured. - Warehouse is 432 feet from home plate. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS FENWAY PARK STYLE Major League Classic OCCUPANT AL Red Sox April 20,1912 to date EVENT NL Braves vs. New York April 19, May 30, 1913; August 1 and 8, September 7 to 29, 1914; 1914 World Series; April 14 to July 26, 1915; All Star Game 1946, 1961 LOCATION Left Field (N) Lansdowne Street, Boston & Albany Railroad tracks, and Mass. Turnpike/Interstate 90; 3rd Base (W) Brookline Avenue and 24 Jersey Street, renamed 24 Yawkey Way in 1976, also bowling alley building attached to park; 1st Base (S) Van Ness Street (built after park was done); Right Field (E) Ipswich Street and Fenway Garage building SURFACE Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Left Field: 324 (1921), 320.5 (1926), 320 (1930), 318 (1931), 320 (1933), 312 (1934), 315 (1936); Left-Center: 379 (1934); Deep Left-Center at Flagpole: 388 (1934); Flagpole Removed from Field of Play, in 1970; Center Field: 488 (1922), 468 (1930), 388.67 (1934), 389.67 (1954); Deepest Corner, Just Right of Center: 550 (1922), 593 (1931), 420 (1934); Right-Center, Just Right of Deepest Corner Where the Bullpen Begins: 380 (1938), 383 (1955); Right of Right Center: 405 (1939), 382 (1940), 381 (1942), 380 (1943); Right Field: 313.5 (1921), 358.5 (1926), 358 (1930), 325 (1931) 358 (1933), 334 (1934), 332 (1936), 322 (1938), 332 (1939), 304 (1940), 302 (1942); Back-stop: 68 (1912), 60 (1934); Foul Territory: Very small, smallest in the majors FENCES Left Field: 25 (wood 1912), 37.17 (tin over wood over concrete lower section 1934), 37.17 (hard plastic 1976); Left Field Wall to Center Bleacher Wall Behind Flagpole: 18 sloping to 17 (concrete 1934), (padding 1976) crash pad added from 18 inches to 6 feet on left and center field walls (1976); Center Field to Bullpen Fence: 8.75 (wood 1940); Right-Center Bullpen Fence: 5.25 (wood 1940); Right Field Wall and Railing: Bullpen 3.42 sloping to 5.37 at foul pole (steel 1940); Right Field Belly: the low railing and wall curve out sharply from the 302 marker at the right field foul pole into deep right field--many a right fielder has run toward the foul line and watched helplessly as a 310-foot pop fly falls over the railing for a home run. PHENOMENA - Seats made of oak. - 1976 electronic scoreboard significantly altered the wind currents. - 43 private 28-seat rooftop boxes added 1984. - Duffy's Cliff was a 10-foot-high mound which formed an incline in front of the left field wall from 1912 to 1933, extending from the left field foul pole to the flag pole in center--named after Red Sox left fielder Duffy Lewis, who was the acknowledged master of defensive play on the cliff. It was greatly reduced but not completely eliminated in 1934. - The Green Monster Wall in left completely dominates the field of play--now all green, it used to be covered with advertisements. - Ladder starts near upper-left corner of scoreboard, 13 feet above ground, and rises to top of the Green Monster to allow groundskeeper to remove batting practice home run balls from the netting above the Wall. - Scoreboard numbers--runs and hits: 16 inches by 16 inches, 3 pounds; errors, innings, pitcher's numbers: 12 inches by 16 inches, 2 pounds. - Bleachers in foul territory down the left field line burned down in 1926. The charred remains were removed, increasing the size of foul territory there. - No ball has ever been hit over the right field roof. - Balls that hit uprights above the Wall, and should have been homers, were declared in play by the umpires. - Wooden bleachers stood down the left field line in foul territory in the 1910s and 1920s, but burned down on May 8, 1926, and were not replaced. Wooden bleachers were completed in center and right-center by the 1912 World Series. - Infield grass was transplanted from Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds to Fenway in 1912. - During the winter of 1933-34, all the wooden grandstands were replaced with concrete and steel. A big fire on January 5, 1934, destroyed much of what had already been built, but all was finished for the 1934 season opener on April 17. - In 1936, a 23-foot seven-inch net was placed atop the wall in left to protect windows on Landsdowne Street. - Wind usually helps the batters. New pressbox built in late 1980s above home plate causes wind swirl which pushes foul balls back into fair territory. This is the park with the tiniest foul territory in the majors. - When tin covered the two-by-fours on the Wall, balls hitting the tin over two-by-fours had a live bounce, but balls hitting between the two-by-fours were dead and just dropped straight down. - In 1940, in an effort to help Ted Williams hit home runs, the Red Sox added the right field bullpens, called Williamsburg, which reduced the distance to the Fence by 23 feet. - In 1947 all advertisements were removed from the left field wall, which was painted green. - Tom A. Yawkey's and his wife Jean R. Yawkey's initials, TAY and JRY, appear in Morse code in two vertical stripes on the scoreboard in left. The 1946 roof boxes were replaced in 1982. - The screen behind home plate, designed to protect fans and allow foul balls to roll back down onto the field of play, was the first of its kind in the majors. - Left field scoreboard installed on the Wall in 1934, moved 20 feet to the right in 1976. - The low concrete base of the left and center field walls was padded after the 1975 World Series, during which Fred Lynn crashed into the concrete wall in center. - The left field foul line was measured by Art Keefe and George Sullivan, authors of The Picture History of the Boston Red Sox, in October 1975 as 309 feet 5 inches. On October 19, 1975, the Boston Globe used aerial photography and measured it at 304.779 feet. Osborn Engineering Co. blueprints document the distance at 308 feet. - Fenway--"where you can sit for hours and feel a security that does not exist anywhere else in the world." CHICAGO, ILLINOIS NEW COMISKEY PARK STYLE Superstructure with natural surface A.K.A. Comiskey II OCCUPANT AL White Sox April 18, 1991 to date LOCATION 333 West 35th Street (South); Dan Ryan Expressway (East); Shields Ave. (West) SURFACE Natural Grass (Bluegrass) DIMENSIONS Left Field: 347; Left Center: 383; Center Field 400; Right Center: 383; Right Field: 347; Backstop: 60 FENCES 8 FORMER USE Approximately 80 privately owned residential buildings PHENOMENA - Contains eighty-four luxury skyboxes on two levels, renting for $55,000 to $90,000 annually. - Unlike the Picnic Area at old Comiskey Park, entry to the new Picnic Area's buffet costs $20 over the ticket price. - Echoing the nickname of Charles Comiskey, food court contains a shop called Old Roman Pizza. - Management boasts "Ratio of washroom fixtures to fan capacity, one of the best in baseball" but fans complain of long washroom lines. - During construction was visible from former Comiskey Park, to which it was adjacent. - Large scoreboard in center field replicates one designed by Bill Veeck at former Comiskey Park. - Infield dirt transported here from old park. - Built at a cost of $134.9 million; paid for in large part by a new hotel tax. - Park's exterior is of precast colored concrete and features arched windows reminiscent of former park. - Seats in front row of the upper deck are farther from home plate than those in last row at old Comiskey. WRIGLEY FIELD STYLE Major League Classic A.K.A. North Side Ball Park, 1914; Weeghman Park, 1914-15; Cubs' Park, 1916-26; Whales Park, 1915; Eddie Dorr's House OCCUPANT FL Whales April 23, 1914 to October 3, 1915; NL Cubs April 20, 1916 to date EVENT All Star Game 1947, 1962, 1990 LOCATION Left Field (N) West Waveland Avenue; 3rd Base (W) Seminary Avenue; Home Plate (SW) North Clark Street; 1st Base (S) 1060 West Addison Street; Right Field (E) North Sheffield Avenue SURFACE Grass, mixture of Merion Bluegrass and clover DIMENSIONS Left Field: 345 (April 1914), 310 (May 1914), 327 (June 1914), 343 (1921), 325 (1923), 348 (1926), 364 (1928), 355 (1938); Left-Center Deepest: 357 (1938); Power Alleys: 364 (1914), 368 (1938); Center Field: 440 (1914), 447 (1923), 436 (1928), 400 (1938); Right-Center Deepest: 363 (1938); Right Field: 356 (April 1914), 345 (June 1914), 321 (1915), 298 (1921), 399 (1922), 318 (1923), 321 (1928), 353 (1938); Backstop: 62.42 (1930), 60.5 (1957), 62.42 (1982); Foul Territory: Very small FENCES Left Field Corner: 15.92 (11.33 brick with Boston and Bittersweet Ivy, below 4.59 plywood), 3 wire basket in front 1985 (does not change height of fence); Transition Between Left Field Corner and Bleachers: 12.5 (screen and yellow railing on top of brick wall); Left-Center to Right-Center: 8 (screen 1914), 11.33 (brick with ivy 1938); in front is wire basket (May 1970); Left Field Scoreboard: 40 (wood July 9 to September 3, 1937); Center Field Screen: 1933 (8 wire above 11.33 brick June 18, 1963 to October 1964); Right Center Triangle: 17.5 in front of catwalk steps sloping down to 15.5 (screen 1928, plywood 1979, removed 1985); Right Field Corner: 15.5 (11.33 brick with ivy, below 4.17 plywood), wire basket in front (1985) PHENOMENA - IBM Home Run Distance calculation appears on center field scoreboard after a home run. - The only remaining Federal League ballpark. - Beautiful ivy vines on the outfield wall. - After the game, a blue flag with a white W flying from the center field flag pole signifies a Cub win, a white flag with a blue L a Cub loss. - Sea breeze off the lake favors pitchers. - 452 seats added July 1985 to catwalks near foul pole, in Fair territory. - The center field 400 sign is slightly right of straight-away center. - The only park where it's more difficult to hit a homer down the foul line than to hit one 50 or so feet out in fair territory because the bleachers protrude into the outfield. - In 1923, the foul lines were shifted slightly amidst park renovations. - During the 1930s Bobby Dorr, the groundskeeper, lived in a 6 room apartment at the ballpark, adjacent to the left field corner gate; the apartment is still there. - Eight-foot-high batter's background wire fence, 64 feet wide, stood on top of the center field wall from June 18, 1963 through the end of the 1964 season. Called the Whitlow fence because Cub Athletic Director Robert Whitlow put it up. The screen prevented 10 homers, 4 by Cubs and 6 by visitors, 1 each by 500+ homer hitters Ernie Banks and Willie McCovey. - Current green Astroturf cover on center field seats used for batters' background and debuted on May 18, 1967. - In the winter of 1926-27, the left field bleachers were removed, the grandstand was doubledecked, and the playing area was lowered several feet. - For World Series in 1929, 1932, and 1935, extra bleachers were built on the street on Waveland and Sheffield. - The park was located so it would be easy for fans to get there on the Milwaukee Road train. - The 27-foot-high, 75-foot-wide scoreboard was built in 1937 by Bill Veeck. Its top is 85 feet above the field. The 10 foot diameter clock was added in 1941. - In 1937, the bleacher stairstep was created to allow potted plants and eight huge Chinese elm trees to grow, complementing the ivy. The trees eventually died. - Ivy planted on the outfield walls in 1937 by Bill Veeck. Originally 350 Japanese bittersweet plants and 200 Boston ivy plants. - During the 1937 season, new outfield bleachers were built, and the six gates in the brick wall were emplaced. They were red, repainted blue in 1981. - The bleachers were expanded to their present state in the 1940s; famous Bleacher Bums formed here in 1966 by 10 bleacher fans. - Lights were inside the park in the early 1940s ready to be installed, but Mr. Wrigley donated them to the war effort instead on December 8, 1941, thus allowing Wrigley Field to remain dark at night until 1988. - The right field wall was remodeled in 1950-51. - On April 14, 1976, Met Dave "King Kong" Kingman hit a homer 550 feet over Waveland and against a frame house 3 doors down on the east side of Kenmore Avenue. If the ball had carried 3 feet higher, it would have crashed through a window and smashed a TV screen on which Ms. Naomi Martinez was watching Mr. Kingman round the bases. - Park is affected by wind conditions more than any other major league park, with the possible exception of Candlestick. - More home runs than normal are caused by high altitude of over 600 feet above sea level, and by the heat involved in playing so many daylight games. - Water fountain moved to the Cub Hall of Fame under the first base stands, near the Friendly Confines cafe. - Arched dormers on the roof. - Outfield wall distances before 1981 were marked on plywood markers screwed into the brick. Since then they have been painted directly on the brick. - Foul pole screens have distances marked on plywood vertically "355" and "353." - The most distant current outfield measurement sign is at Wrigley Field. On the roof of a house across Sheffield Avenue in right-center, the sign says "495." - Winds blowing toward the lake take homers with them. CINCINNATI, OHIO RIVERFRONT STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose OCCUPANT NL Reds June 30, 1970 to date EVENT All Star Game 1970 LOCATION Left Field (E) Riverfront Coliseum, Central Bridge and Broadway; 3rd Base (N) 201 East Second Street, renamed Pete Rose Way on September 10, 1985; 1st Base (W) Interstate 71 Suspension Bridge Approach Ramp; Right Field (S) Mehring Way, railroad tracks, and Ohio River SURFACE Astroturf--hard, balls bounce high off it DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330; Power Alleys: 375; Center Field 404; Backstop: 51; Foul Territory: Small FENCES 12 (wood, 1970); 8 (wood, 1984) PHENOMENA - First to paint metric distances on outfield walls: 100.58 down the lines, 114.30 to the alleys, 123.13 to center. - Uses Crosley Field's home plate. - Parking garage beneath stadium. - 4,192 circle in left center commemorates Pete Rose's 4,192nd hit here on 9/10/85 vs. the Padres. - Reds and Pirates played slowest game ever here 8/30/78--80.6 minutes per inning, called off after 3 1/2 innings and 3 1/2 hours of rain delays at 12:47 A.M. - Winds help righthanded hitters. CLEVELAND, OHIO NEW CLEVELAND INDIANS BASEBALL PARK STYLE New Major League Classic OCCUPANT Cleveland Indians, April 1994 to present AKA Gateway LOCATION Left Field (SW): Ontario Avenue; First Base (SE) Carnegie Avenue; Right Field (NE) East 9th Street SURFACE Natural Grass DIMENSIONS Left Field: 325; Left Center: 368; Center Field: 410; Right Center: 375; Right Field: 325; Foul Territory: Small. FENCES Left Field: 19; Center and Right Field: 8 PHENOMENA - Original plan was for a $100 million downtown domed stadium but local voters rejected an increase in property taxes to fund the proposal. - Base of exterior facade consists of Atlantic green granite; remainder is Kasota stone, limestone, and buff-colored brick. - Picnic Plaza will be located beyond Center Field fence. - Executive Offices located in separate building in back of left field stands. - Adjacent to new home of NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, The Arena at Gateway. - Club-level-seating tickets go for $28 each. - Scoreboard located in left field. - Indians bullpen in deep right center field; visitors in right field corner; each with 3 pitching mounds. - Bullpens elevated 4'6" above playing field. - Funded by a 15-year "luxury tax" on alcohol and cigarette sales passed in a May 1990 referendum. - Part of $362 million dollar Gateway project to revitalize downtown Cleveland. - Features "Kidsland" near the family seating area. - First property for site acquired in December 1985; entire site acquired by Spring 1988. - Home plate from Cleveland Stadium transplanted at end of 1993 season. - Projected cost of $161 million. DALLAS, TEXAS THE BALLPARK AT ARLINGTON STYLE New Major League Classic OCCUPANT Texas Rangers, April 1994 to present LOCATION Northwest corner of Stadium Drive and Randol Road SURFACE Natural Grass DIMENSIONS Left Field: 332; Left Center: 388; Center Field: 400; Right Center: 403; Right Field: 325; Foul Territory: Small. FENCES Left Field: 14; Center and Right Field: 8 PHENOMENA - Granite and brick facade. - Projected cost of $165 million. - Funding authorized by a January 19, 1991 referendum which approved a one-half cent increase in the City of Arlington sales tax. - Covered pavilion in right field features pillars. - Playing field is 22 feet below street level. - Bullpens raised five feet above playing surface so fans can see who is warming up. - A total of 122 suites: 44 on the lower level; 78 on the upper level. - Construction began April 2, 1992. - Part of a complex that will include two manmade lakes and a Riverwalk area featuring shops and restaurants. - Five levels: lower deck, lower suites, club deck, upper suites and upper deck. - Picnic area in front of four-story office building in center field. - Will be site of the 1995 All-Star Game. DENVER, COLORADO MILE HIGH STADIUM STYLE Expanded Minor League A.K.A. Bears Stadium 1948-1967 OCCUPANT Colorado Rockies, April 9, 1993 to present LOCATION Interstate 25, Routes 88 and 287, and Routes 70, 287 and 40; Left Field Clay Street; 3rd Base West 20th Street; 1st Base Elliot Street SURFACE Natural Grass ("Prescription Athletic Turf") FENCES 10 (padded) DIMENSIONS Left field: 335; Left Center: 375; Center Field: 423; Right Center: 400; Right Field: 370 PHENOMENA - Temporary home of Colorado Rockies until 1995 completion of 43,800-seat Coors Field (LF: 347; LC: 390; CF: 424; RC: 375; RF: 350). - Home of American Association and Pacific Coast League's Denver Bears/Zephyrs, 1948-1992. - Also home of NFUs Denver Broncos; former home of United States Football League's Denver Gold. - Ownership assumed by City and County of Denver in 1968. - Near McNichols Sports Arena, home of NBA Nuggets. - Capacity: 19,000 (1960), 43,103 (1985), 75,123 (1985). - Features 130 luxury suites. - Entire east stands (built in 1977; capacity 21,000) are movable to accommodate both football and baseball; conversion time to football is ten hours; back to baseball, twelve hours. - Playing field is heated electrically to prevent surface freezing and to allow year-round growth. - First "fully distributed sound system" in any major US stadium--delivers "near stereo quality sound." - Largest NL regular season crowd ever--80,227--against Expos on April 9, 1993. - Rockies drew largest ever season attendance of 4,483,350 in 1993. DETROIT, MICHIGAN TIGER STADIUM STYLE Major League Classic A.K.A. Navin Field 1912 to 1937, Briggs Stadium 1938 to 1960 OCCUPANT AL Tigers April 20, 1912 to date EVENT All Star Game 1941, 1951, 1971 LOCATION Left Field (NW) Cherry Street, later Kaline Drive, and Interstate 75; 3rd Base (SW) National Avenue, later Cochrane Avenue; 1st Base (SE) Michigan Avenue; Right Field (NE) 2121 Trumbull Avenue, same site as Bennett Park but turned around 90 degrees, in the Corktown neighborhood SURFACE Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Left Field: 345 (1921), 340.58 (1926), 339 (1930), 367 (1931), 339 (1934), 340 (1938), 342 (1939), 340 (1942); Left Center: 365 (1942); Center Field: 467 (1927), 455 (1930), 464 (1931), 459 (1936), 450 (1937), 440 (1938), 450 (1939), 420 (1942), 440 (1944); Right Center: 370 (1942), 375 (1982); Right Field: 370 (1921), 370.91 (1926), 372 (1930), 367 (1931), 325 (1936), 315 (1939), 325 (1942), 302 (1954), 325 (1955); Backstop: 54.35 (1954), 66 (1955); Foul Territory: Small FENCES All Fences: 5 concrete topped by screen; Left Field 20 (1935), 30 (1937), 10 (1938), 12 (1940), 15 (1946), 12 (1953), 14 (1954), 12 (1955), 11 (1958), 9 (1962); Center Field: 9 (1940), 15 (1946), 11 (1950), 9 (1953), 14 (1954), 9 (1955); Right of Flag Pole: 7 (1946); Right Field: 8 (1940), 30 (1944), 10 (1945), 20 (1950), 8 (1953), 9 (1958), 30 (1961), 9 (1962); Flag Pole: 125 in play (5 feet in front of fence in center field, just left of dead center) PHENOMENA - First named for Frank Navin, a Tiger president. Right field second deck overhangs the lower deck by 10 feet. Screen in right in 1944 and in 1961 required balls to be hit into the second deck to be home runs. - Only doubledecked bleachers in the majors-upper deck from left-center to center, lower deck from center to right-center. - 125-foot-high flag pole in play in deep center, just to the left of the 440 mark--highest outfield obstacle ever in play in baseball history. The scoreboard now on the left field fence was originally placed at the 440 mark in dead center in 1961 but was moved when Norm Cash, Al Kaline, and Charlie Maxwell complained that it hindered the batters' view of the pitch. - There is a string of spotlights mounted under the overhang to illuminate the right field warning track which is shadowed from the normal light standards. - Cobb's Lake--area in front of plate which was always soaked with water by the groundskeepers to slow down Ty Cobb's bunts. - When slugging teams came to visit, manager Ty Cobb had the groundskeepers put in temporary bleachers in the outfield, so that long drives would be just ground-rule doubles. - Sign above entrance to visitors' clubhouse: "Visitors' Clubhouse--No Visitors Allowed." - Doubledecked in winter of 1923-24 from first to third base. - Capacity increased in winter of 1935-36 by doubledecking the right field stands, and in the winter of 1937-38 by doubledecking both the left field stands and the center field bleachers. - In the 1930s and 1940s, there was a 315 marker on the second deck in right field. - In 1942 and 1943, the center field distance was only 420. The notches just left and right of dead center were closer than 420, at 405. - Next-to-last classic old ballyard to put in lights, in 1948. - Saved in 1974 when owner John Fetzer told the Pontiac Silverdome committee, "This franchise belongs to the inner city of Detroit; I'm just the caretaker." Now that mantle of caretaker has been forfeited to the Tiger Stadium Fan Club and the Cochrane Plan, an architectural plan to preserve the ballpark. - First homer at Navin Field, on May 5, 1912, came on a fluke bounce which hopped through the side door of the left-center scoreboard. - Home plate and batters' boxes oriented towards right-center rather than straight out to the mound. This tends to give righthanded pitchers more outside corner strike calls and can disorient visiting batters. HOUSTON, TEXAS ASTRODOME STYLE Dome A.K.A. Harris County Domed Stadium 1965, Eighth Wonder of the World 1960s OCCUPANT NL Astros April 12, 1965 to date EVENT All Star Game 1968, 1986 LOCATION Center Field (E) Fannin Street; 3rd Base (N) Old Spanish Trail; Home Plate (W) Kirby Drive; 1st Base (S) South Loop Freeway/Interstate 610; Above: Domed roof of 4796 Lucite panels and steel girders SURFACE Infield: Grass (1965) Tifway 419 Bermuda grass specially selected for indoor play--died; Astroturf, fast (April 1966 to date); Outfield: Grass (April 12, 1965 to July 19, 1966)--died too; Astroturf, fast (July 19, 1966 to date) DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 340 (1965), 330 (1972), 340 (1977), 330 (1985), 325 (1992), 330 (1993); Power Alleys: 375 (1965), 390 (1966), 378 (1972), 390 (1977), 378 (1985), 375 (1992), 380 (1993); Center Field: 406 (1965), 400 (1972), 406 (1977), 400 (1985); Apex of Dome: 208; Backstop: 60.5 (1965), 67 (1990), 52 (1993) FENCES Left and Right Field: 16 (9 concrete below 3 wire, 2 concrete, and 2 wire plus railing, 1965), 12 (concrete, 1969), 10 (concrete, 1977); Center Field 12 (concrete, 1965), 10 (concrete, 1977), 10 (padded 1990) PHENOMENA - The second major league covered stadium, the first being the field under the Queensboro 59th Street Bridge in New York City used by the New York Cubans. - Maximum height of the dome is 208 feet, just beyond second base. - The roof had 4,796 clear panes of glass originally, but they caused a glare which prevented fielders from seeing the ball, thus two of the eight roof sections were painted white. This killed the grass and unfortunately introduced the world to Astroturf. - Excepting Yankee Stadium's Death Valley, the most distant power alleys in the majors at 390 feet, until changed in 1985. - Too much yellow, orange, and red. - Hard to see through the screen from behind the plate. - Site of 1992 Republican convention. - In its inaugural season of 1965, the Astrodome was the scene of a unique groundskeeping argument. The New York Mets claimed that the groundskeepers were roofkeeping as well by manipulating the air conditioning system so that the air currents helped Astro long balls and hindered visitors' long balls. - The first game on a carpet was versus the Dodgers on April 8, 1966. - Shoeshine stands behind home plate in lower deck. - On April 28, 1965, Met announcer Lindsey Nelson broadcast a game from a gondola suspended from the apex of the dome. - On June 10, 1974, Phillie Mike Schmidt hit the public address speaker 117 feet up and 329 feet from home--what would have been a 500-plus-foot homer ended up as a single as the ball dropped in center field. - On June 15, 1976, a game was rained out because of flooding in the streets. - The old location of Colt Stadium (now rebuilt in Torreon, Mexico) is just northwest of the Astrodome; Astrohall and Astroarena are just south of the Astrodome. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI ROYALS STADIUM STYLE Traditional Baseball Only A.K.A. Harry S. Truman Sports Complex, Royals Stadium 1973 to 1993 OCCUPANT AL Royals April 10, 1973 to date EVENT All Star Game 1973 LOCATION Center Field (N) Spectacular Drive, then Interstate 70; 3rd Base (W) Lancer Lane, then Dutton Brookfield Drive; Home Plate (S) Royal Way, then Chiefs Way, Arrowhead Stadium, Raytown Road, and CRI&P Railroad tracks; 1st Base (E) Red Coat Drive, then Blue Ridge Cut-Off; Stadium Drive encircles the park SURFACE Astroturf--very fast (1973-1994); Grass 1995 DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330; Power Alleys: 385; Center Field: 410; Backstop: 60; Foul Territory: Small FENCES 12 (canvas) PHENOMENA - Waterfalls and fountains run for 322 feet on the embankment overlooking right-center. - Best visibility for hitters in the majors. - Homers few here because alleys are deep and the fence cuts away sharply from the 330 foul poles. - Kenny Pippin, in his frogman suit, cleans the pond periodically in right-center. - Royals 1985 World Series cup and other trophies are on display through the sixth inning of each game at Section 107. - Upper deck fans near foul poles are in relative darkness. - Best groundskeeper in baseball has the ironic job o maintaining an ugly plastic carpet. He keeps busy maintaining the Runway and the Baja, the grassy running area and the 125-tree forest beyond the left-center fence. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA DODGER STADIUM STYLE Traditional Baseball Only A.K.A. Chavez Ravine during AL use 1962 to 1965 by Angels, Taj O'Malley, O'Malley's Golden Gulch OCCUPANT NL Dodgers April 10, 1962 to date; AL Angels April 17, 1962 to September 22, 1965 EVENT All Star Game 1980 LOCATION Left Field (NW) Glendale Boulevard; 3rd Base (SW) Sunset Boulevard; Home Plate (S) 1000 Elysian Park Avenue; 1st Base (SE)Pasadena Freeway; Right Field (NE) Los Angeles Police Academy, Elysian Park, and Golden State Freeway/Interstate; Stadium Way encircles the park; in Chavez Ravine, on a hill overlooking downtown Los Angeles SURFACE Santa Ana Bermuda grass DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330; Power Alleys: 380 (1962), 370 (1969), 385 (1983); Center Field: 410 (1962), 400 (1969); Backstop: 65 (1962), 68.19 (1963), 75 (1969); Foul Territory: Large FENCES Left-Center to Right-Center: 10 (wood 1962), 8 (1973); Foul Poles to Bullpens in Left and Right Field Corners: 3.75 (steel 1962), 3.83 (1969); The Dip: (where low corner steel wall and screen bullpen fence meet) 3.42 (1962), 3.5 (1969) FORMER USE Used by squatters and goats. PHENOMENA - A classic pitcher's park. - Cleanest ballpark, bar none. - Designed by architect Emil Praeger to be expandable to 85,000 seats. - Painted every offseason. - Infield dirt and outfield warning track made of 70 percent crushed red building brick and 30 percent mountain clay and calcium chlorate. Palm trees beyond the fence down the foul lines. - See-through windows in bullpen fence installed in 1974. - Although the center field 400 sign came down in 1980, the distance is still 400 to center; the two 395 signs are left and right of dead center. - No drinking-water fountains when first built. Original design had a huge fountain in center field, like that in right-center at Royals Stadium. - When foul poles were installed in 1962, discovered that they were positioned completely foul. Special dispensation was received from National League so they were recognized as fair, but the next year plate was moved so that poles are now actually fair. MIAMI, FLORIDA JOE ROBBIE STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. JRS OCCUPANT Florida Marlins April 5, 1993 to present LOCATION 2269 N.W. 199th Street SURFACE Natural Grass ("Bermuda 419") DIMENSIONS Left Field: 335; Power Alleys: 380; Center Field: 410; Right Field: 345; Backstop: 58 FENCES Left Center scoreboard: 33; everywhere else 8 PHENOMENA - Opening Day for football: August 16, 1987 (Bears vs. Dolphins). - First baseball game: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Baltimore Orioles on March 11, 1988. - Retrofitted for baseball at a cost of $10 million. - All the second-deck outfield seats are covered by canvas and are not used. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN COUNTY STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose OCCUPANT NL Braves April 14, 1953 to September 22, 1965; AL White Sox for nine 1968 games and eleven in 1969; games from May 15, 1968 to September 26, 1969; AL Brewers April 7, 1970 to date EVENT All Star Game 1955,1975 LOCATION Left Field (E) Menominee River and South 44th Street, later US-41 Stadium Freeway; 3rd Base (N) Story Parkway and Interstate 94; 1st Base (W) General Mitchell Boulevard; Right Field (S) West National Avenue and the National Soldiers Home SURFACE Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Left Field: 320 (1953), 315 (1975); Power Alleys: 355 (1953), 362 (1962); Deep Alleys: 397 (1953), 392 (1955); Center Field 404 (1953), 410 (1954), 402 (1955); Right Field: 320 (1953), 315.37 (1954); Backstop: 60 FENCES Left Field: 4 (1953), 8 (1955), 8.33 (1959), 10 (1985); Center Field: 4 (1953), 8 (1955), 8.33 (1959), 10 (1985); Right Field: 4 (1953), 10 (1955) FORMER USE Story Quarry PHENOMENA - Surveyor's mark on right field foul pole: "315.37." - Before the park was expanded from 1953 to 1973, hospital patients at the National Soldiers Home V.A. Hospital sat outside their rooms on Mockingbird Hill overlooking right field and watched the game for free. - Perini's Woods, spruce and fir trees behind center field fence, planted in 1954, replaced by bleachers in 1961. - Braves Reservation, a picnic area down the left field line, was inaugurated in 1961. - Bernie Brewer slides into a huge beer stein in right-center whenever a Brewer hits a homer. - Only homer ever hit over left field roof was hit by Jose Canseco. - Scene of Midwest League minor league game on August 27, 1966 between Fox Cities and Wisconsin Rapids. - Braves hosted both the Reds and the Cards on September 24, 1954. The first game was the finish of a game two days earlier whose conclusion on a disputed double play was successfully protested by the Reds. The Reds tied the game after the protested game's resumption, but the Braves won 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, and then beat the Cards 4-2. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA HUBERT H. HUMPHREY METRODOME STYLE Dome A.K.A. Minnedome, Bounce Dome, Hump Dome, Homer Dome, Hubie Dome, Sweat Box (before June 28, 1983, when air conditioning arrived), Domed Stadium, Thunderdome OCCUPANT AL Twins April 6, 1982 to date EVENT All Star Game 1985 LOCATION Left Field (SW) Fourth Street South; 3rd Base (NW) 501 Chicago Avenue South; 1st Base (NE) Sixth Street South; Right Field (SE) Tenth Avenue South; Above: Domed roof SURFACE SporTurf (1982 to 1986--liveliest bounce ever), Astroturf (1987 to date) DIMENSIONS Apex of Dome: 186; Left Field: 344 (1982), 343 (1983); Left-Center: 385; Center Field: 407 (1982), 408 (1983); Right Center: 367; Right Field: 327; Backstop: 60; Foul Territory: Small FENCES Left Field: 7 (canvas 1982), 13 (6 plexiglass above 7 canvas 1983); Center Field: 7 (canvas 1982); Right Field: 7 (canvas 1982), 13 (canvas 1983), 23 (canvas 1983) PHENOMENA - A power hitter's park. - Right field wall called Hefty Bag. - Almost an exact duplicate of the domed stadiums in Seattle, Pontiac, and Vancouver. All four were built by the same engineering firm. - Game on April 26, 1986 delayed as violent rainstorm knocked out the lights and had the scoreboard and roof swaying. - The white air-supported fabric Teflon roof makes it difficult to see the ball when hit high in the air. - Playoffs and World Series of 1987 set new decibel records for sound in tile Thunderdome. - Sections 107 to 113 are football seats which in baseball season are tilted up and back to create a 40-foot wall behind the right field fence. - The roof collapsed on April 14, 1983 from the weight of heavy snow. - Twin batter Randy Bush hit a ball off the roof in 1983. The ball was caught foul for an out by Blue Jays catcher Buck Martinez. Rob Deer hot two such fly-ball outs to shortstop on consecutive at bats on May 30, 1992. - On May 4, 1984, in the top of the fourth inning, A's batter Dave Kingman hit a ball through the roof. It should have been a homer, but Kingman got only a double. - Balls bounced very high off the carpet used from 1982 to 1986. - More home runs tend to be hit when the air conditioning is turned off. - Curvature of wall behind plate causes wild pitches and passed balls to bounce directly toward first base. MONTREAL, QUEBEC STADE OLYMPIQUE STYLE Summer Olympics Stadium/Dome A.K.A. Olympic Stadium, Big O, Big Owe OCCUPANT NL Expos April 15, 1977 to date EVENT All Star Game 1982 LOCATION Left Field (NW) rue Sherbrooke; 3rd Base (SW) boulevard Pie-1X; 1st Base (SE) 4549, avenue Pierre-de-Coubertin; Right Field (NE) boulevard Viau SURFACE Astroturf DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 325 (1977), 330 (1981), 325 (1983); Power Alleys: 375; Center Field: 404 (1977), 405 (1979), 404 (1980), 400 (1981), 404 (1983); Apex of Dome: 180; Backstop: 62 (1977), 65 (1983), 53 (1989); Foul Territory: Large FENCES 12 (wood 1977), 12 (foam 1989) PHENOMENA - Labatt's Noise-Meter high above right field is baseball's answer to the NBA Sacramento Kings' Arco Arena Noise-Meter. - Roof improves offense by keeping out extreme cold. - Built for 1976 Olympics. - Plaque inside and statue of Jackie Robinson at main entrance. Robinson starred at the Delorimer Downs for the IL Montreal Royals in 1946. Huge 623-foot-high umbrella tower in center field from section 766 in left-center to section 767 in right-center stood half finished from 1976 to 1987. Became a covered-dome stadium in 1989. The retractable dome is silver on top, and orange on the bottom, with 26 white cones which link the roof to the tower. It consists of 60,696 square feet of Kevlar, weighing 50 tons. Retractable roof not actually retractable until 1988 due to generator problems. - Parts of the concrete upper section of the stadium fell down in 1991, forcing the Expos to reschedule their September home games for the road. NEW YORK, NEW YORK YANKEE STADIUM STYLE Major League Classic A.K.A. House That Ruth Built OCCUPANT AL Yankees April 18, 1923 to September 30, 1973; NEWL Black Yankees 1932; NNL Black Yankees 1946 to 1948; Negro League World Series 3rd game, 1942; 1st game 1947; AL Yankees April 15, 1976 to date EVENT All Star Game 1939, 1960, 1977 LOCATION Left Field (NE) East 161st Street; 3rd Base (NW) Doughly Street, later Ruppert Place; Home Plate (W) Major Degan Expressway/Interstate 87 and Harlem River; 1st Base (SW) East 157th Street; Right Field (SE) River Avenue and IRT elevated tracks; In the southwest Bronx SURFACE Grass--Merion Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Left Field: 280.58 (1923), 301 (1928), 312 (1976), 318 (1988); Left Side of Bullpen Gate in Short Left-Center: 395 (1923), 402 (1928), 387 (1976), 379 (1985); Right Side of Bullpen Gate: 415 (1937); Deepest Left-Center: 500 (1923), 490 (1924), 457 (1937), 430 (1976), 411 (1985), 399 (1988); Left Side of Center Field Screen: 466 (1937); Center Field: 487 (1923), 461 (1937), 463 (1967), 417 (1976), 410 (1985), 408 (1988); Deepest Right Center: 429 (1923), 407 (1937), 385 (1976); Left Side of Bullpen Gate in Short Right Center: 350 (1923), 367 (1937), 353 (1976); Right Side of Bullpen Gate: 344 (1937); Right Field 294.75 (1923), 295 (1930), 296 (1939), 310 (1976), 314 (1988); Backstop: 82 (1942), 80 (1953), 84 (1976); Foul Territory: Large for the catcher behind home plate, but small for fielders down the foul lines FENCES Left Field-Foul Line: 3.92 (3 wire above .92 concrete 1923), 8 (canvas 1976); Left Center-Left of Visitors' Bullpen: 3.58 (3 wire above .58 concrete); Right of Visitors' Bullpen: 7.83 (3 wire above 4.83 concrete), 7 (canvas 1976); Center Field-Left Screen When Up for Hitters' Background 20 (1953), 22.25 (1959), 22.42 (1954); Screen When Down: 13.83,7 (canvas 1976); Right Center-Right of Screen: 14.5 (3 wire above 11.5 concrete 1923); Left of Home Bullpen: 7.83 (3 wire above 4.83 concrete 1923); Right of Home Bullpen: 3.58 (3 wire above .58 concrete 1923), 8 (canvas 1976), 9 (canvas 1979); Right Field-Foul Lute: 3.75 (3 wire above .75 concrete 1923), 10 (canvas 1976) PHENOMENA - Left-center field monuments and plaques: Yankee Stadium (I) Monuments in fair territory, Lou Gehrig on the left, Miller Huggins in the middle, Babe Ruth on the right; Yankee Stadium (II) Monuments beyond the fence; same as Yankee Stadium I. Plaques beyond the fence, Ed Barrow, Jacob Ruppert, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Casey Stengel, Joe McCarthy, Pope Paul VI, Thurman Munson, Pope John Paul II, Billy Martin. - A ball hitting the foul pole in the 1930s was in play, not a homer. - "Death Valley" in left-center. - Green curtain in center sometimes raised and lowered like a window shade to force visiting batters to face a background of white-shirted bleacher fans but allow Yankee hitters to face a dark green background. Removed in World Series to sell more seats. - Bleachers in right-center often called Ruthville and Gehrigville. - Warning track red cinders; later on, red brick dust. - Extra grass kept near monuments in center, in play. - Underneath second base in Yankee Stadium (I), there was a 15-foot-deep brick-lined vault with electrical, telephone, and telegraphic connections for boxing events. - As originally constructed, from May 5, 1922, to April 18, 1923, three concrete decks extended from behind home plate to each corner, with a single deck in left-center, and wooden bleachers around the rest of the outfield. - In the winter of 1927-28, second and third decks were added to left-center, and several rows of box seats were removed in left, extending the foul pole from 281 to 301. - During the 1936 season, the winter of 1936-37, and continuing through the 1937 season, the wooden bleachers were replaced with concrete ones. During the 1937 season, second and third decks were added in right-center. The bleacher changes shortened straightaway center from 490 to 461 and reduced seating capacity from the 80,000s to the 70,000s. - As the outfield bench seats were gradually replaced with chair seats, in the 1930s and 1940s, the seating capacity gradually dropped from over 70,000 to about 67,000. - Bloody Angle--between bleachers and RF foul line in 1923 season was very asymmetric and caused crazy bounces. Eliminating this in 1924 caused the plate to be moved 13 feet, and the deepest left center corner to change from 500 to 490. - Auxiliary scoreboards were built in the late 1940s, which covered up the 367 right-center sign and the 415 left-center sign. - Minor modifications were made in the winter of 1966-67. During this work, a new 463 sign and a 433 sign appeared in the power alleys, and the exterior was painted blue and white. - During 1974-75 renovation, iron third deck distinctive facade was removed, and a portion was placed in the bleachers. SHEA STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. William A. Shea Municipal Stadium OCCUPANT NL Mets April 17, 1964 to date; AL Yankees, April 6, 1974 to September 28, 1975 EVENT All Star Game 1964 LOCATION Centerfield (E) 126th Street; 3rd Base (N) Whitestone Expressway/Interstate 678, and Flushing Bay; Home Plate (W) Grand Central Parkway; 1st Base (S) Roosevelt Avenue; In Queens, near Flushing Meadow Park, site of 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs, just southeast of La Guardia Airport SURFACE Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Foul Line: 330 (marked 1964), 341 (actual 1964), 341 (1965), 338 (1979); Power Alleys: 371; Center Field 410; Backstop: 80 (1964); Foul Territory: Very large FENCES Foul Lines: 16.33 (4 wire and railing above 12.33 brick 1964), 12.33 (brick 1965), 8 (wood 1979); Power Alleys: 8 (wood); Center Field Small section 8.75 (wood), most 8 (wood) PHENOMENA - Designed to be expandable to 90,000 seats. - Noisiest outdoor ballpark; frequent La Guardia Airport air tragic noise overhead. - Named for attorney William Shea, who obtained the Mets franchise for New York by organizing the Continental League. - Right-center scoreboard is largest in majors, 86 feet high with Bulova clock on top, about 25 feet behind the outfield fence, and 175 feet long. - Practice facilities under the right field stands. - Behind fence in center just to the right of the 410 mark, is a Mets Magic Top Hat. When a Met hits a homer, a red Big Apple rises out of the black top hat, which actually looks more like a big kettle. - Foul lines from 1965 to 1978 had an orange home run line painted at the top of the 12-foot, 4-inch brick wall. Above this was a 4-foot wire screen and railing. A ball was a homer if it hit above the line. Like a similar ground rule at Crosley Field in center field, this caused many controversies, so in 1979 an inner 8-foot wooden fence was installed. - Worst visibility for hitters in the majors. - Churchlike spire beyond center field fence formerly graced by "Serval Zippers" sign. - Outfield fences also marked as 358 and 396. From 1973 to 1979, there were also distance markers, outside the field of play, on the rear bullpen walls at 428, base of left-center light tower at 442, bottom edge of right-center scoreboard at 405 on right field end and 420 on center field end. - 1964 Mets Banner Day--"Mongolia Loves The Mets" (in Mongolian) banner carried by the author; other banners included "E=mc2" (or Errors = Mets times customers squared), "Eamus Metropoli" (Let's go Mets in Latin). - Christened April 16, 1964 with Dodger Holy Water from the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn and Giant Holy Water from the Harlem River at the exact location where it passed the old Polo Grounds. OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY COLISEUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. Oakland Coliseum Complex, Oakland Mausoleum OCCUPANT AL Athletics April 17, 1968 to date EVENT All Star Game 1987 LOCATION Center Field (NE) San Leandro Street and Southern Pacific Railroad tracks; 3rd Base (NW) 66th Avenue; Home Plate (SW) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Nimitz Freeway, and San Leandro Bay; 1st Base (SE) Hegenberger Drive SURFACE Bluegrass DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330; Power Alleys: 378 (1968), 375 (1969), 372 (1981); Center Field: 410 (1968), 400 (1969), 396 (1981), 397 (1982), 400 (1990); Back-stop: 90 (1968), 60 (1969); Foul Territory: Huge, largest in the majors FENCES 8 (plywood 1968), 10 (canvas over plywood and plexiglass 1981), 8 (1986) PHENOMENA - Surrounded by beautiful green ivy slope. - Backstop is a notch cut in stands. - Possible to watch game for free from concourse behind the field seats by peering between wooden slats on cyclone fence. - Steel shell of pitcher's mound was exposed on Opening Day April 17, 1968 and had to keep being covered between innings. - Right field scoreboard installed June 1968. - Finley Fun Board put in for 1969 season--24 feet high and 126 feet long. - Named the Mausoleum in the 1970s when the scoreboard didn't work, the entire stadium was gray concrete in color, and the A's were terrible. - Huge foul territory area reduces batting average by roughly 5 to 7 points, making this the best pitcher's park in the AL. - Fun picnic atmosphere is the very best in the majors of all new concrete circular ugly ashtray stadia. - Best food in baseball. - Winds favor lefthanded batters. - Next door to Jewel Box, home of the NBA Golden State Warriors. - Scoreboard shows upcoming home stands, with A's annihilating the opposition. - Fans sitting at the foul poles can catch home run fair balls by reaching in front of the foul pole screens. - Hand-operated scoreboard showing major league line scores installed in 1986. PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA VETERANS STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. Vet OCCUPANT April 10, 1971 to date EVENT All Star Game 1976 LOCATION Left Field (NE) Packer Street and Interstate 76; 3rd Base (NW) Broad Street and Philadelphia Naval hospital; 1st Base (SW) Pattison Avenue, Spectrum, and JFK Stadium; Right Field (SE) Tenth Street SURFACE Astroturf--fast, but slower since 1977 DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330; Power Alleys: 371; Center Field: 408; Backstop: 60; Foul Territory: Large FENCES 6 (wood April 1972); 8 (wood June 1971); 12 (6 plexiglass above 6 wood 1972) PHENOMENA - The park's rounded rectangular shape is called an octorad by the architects. - Connie Mack Stadium's home plate was transplanted here. - Plastic tarp covered unfinished right field wall in April 1971. - "Liberty Bell" used to hang from center field roof in fourth level--hit only by Greg Luzinski on May 16, 1972. - First ball dropped from a helicopter on April 10, 1971. - Smallest hot dogs and loudest boos in baseball. - Statues of Connie Mack and a sliding runner outside the park. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA THREE RIVERS STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. House That Clemente Built OCCUPANT NL Pirates July 16, 1970 to date EVENT All Star Game 1974 LOCATION Left Field (E) Interstate 279 Fort Duquesne Bridge approach ramp; 3rd Base (N) Reedsdale Street; 1st Base (W) Allegheny Avenue, Ohio River, and the original point where the Monongahela River joins the Allegheny River to form the Ohio River; Right Field (S) North Shore Avenue, Roberto Clemente Memorial Park, Allegheny River; Stadium Circle encircles the park SURFACE Carpet--Tartanturf 1970 to 1982; Astroturf 1983 to date DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 340 (1970), 335 (1975); Power Alleys: 385 (1970), 375 (1975); Center Field 410 (1970), 400 (1975); Backstop: 60; Foul Territory: Large FENCES 10 (wood) PHENOMENA - On a site that was an island during the French and Indian Wars. It had been an Indian burial ground, a fact discovered when the Big Flood of 1763 uncovered many graves. Named Kilbuck Island after a friendly Delaware Indian chief. Back channels filled with silt, and it was no longer an island in 1852. - Numbers painted on seats in right field upper deck where Willie Stargell's homers landed. - Without the inner fence, the outfield would be 342 down the lines and 434 to center. - The Honus Wagner statue, which used to stand outside of Forbes Field, now stands outside of Three Rivers Stadium. - An 8- by 12-foot area of the 406 marker section of the Forbes Field brick wall, 12 Romanesque window frames, and the Babe Ruth plaque showing where his 714th home run landed are in the Allegheny Club at Three Rivers. - Original design by Erik Sirko was for a "Stadium Over the Monongahela," with stadium above two parking lot levels, all sitting above the Monongahela River with plenty of room for boats to pass beneath on the river. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI BUSCH STADIUM (II) STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. Civic Center Stadium 1966, Busch Memorial Stadium 1966 to 1983 OCCUPANT NL Cardinals May 12, 1966 to date EVENT All Star Game 1966 LOCATION Left Field (E) Broadway, Interstate 70, Gateway Arch and Mississippi River; 3rd Base (N) Walnut Street; 1st Base (W) Seventh Street and 300 Stadium Plaza; Right Field (S) Spruce Street; Stadium Plaza surrounds the park SURFACE Grass 1966 to 1969. Carpet--very fast--1970 to date. From 1970 to 1976, the entire field was carpeted except for the part of the infield that is normally dirt on a grass field. In 1977, this was carpeted except for the sliding pits. This is one of only two instances where there was a full dirt infield, with an otherwise fully carpeted field, the other being Candlestick in 1971. DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330; Power Alleys: 386 (1966), 376 (1973), 386 (1977), 383 (July 1983), 375 (1992); Center Field 414 (1966), 410 (1971), 414 (1972), 404 (1973), 414 (1977), 402 (1992); Backstop: 64 (Vin Scully's unofficial measurement during 1985 World Series showed this to be 50 rather than 64); Foul Territory: Large FENCES Left and Right Fields: 10.5 (padded concrete), 8 (padded canvas 1992); Center Field 10.5 (padded concrete 1966), 8 (wood 1973), 10.5 (padded concrete 1977), 8 (padded canvas 1992) PHENOMENA - A line drive park because of the deep alleys and deep center field and the quick turf. - Open arches surround the field just below the roof. - From 1966 to 1982 right field scoreboard lights showed a cardinal in flight when a Cardinal hit a home run; same show was put on each time Lou Brock set a new base-stealing record. - Home plate transplanted from old Busch Stadium at opener on May 12, 1966. - Next to the Gateway Arch and the Mississippi River; you can see the Arch from the top deck in right field. - Statue of "Stan the Man" Musial outside the stadium was unveiled in 1968. - Small sections of bleachers in the outfield. - Chicken wire basket (A la Wrigley Field in Chicago), installed in front of left-center and right-center bleacher sections in July 1983, is 2 feet high and reduces distance to fence by 3 feet (386 to 383 in power alleys). It does not raise the height of the 10 1/2 foot wall. No basket in center field bleacher section since it is used only for football. - At league direction, the site designated for any Cubs playoffs or World Series home games from 1986 until 1988, when Wrigley Field got lights. - Most fans at the stadium seem to be wearing Cardinal red. - Seventh inning brings the Clydesdale horses to the scoreboard. - Only ballpark where the seventh-inning stretch does not bring on "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Instead, here they play the "King of Beers" theme song on the organ. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO JACK MURPHY STADIUM STYLE Multipurpose A.K.A. San Diego Stadium 1969 to 1980, Jack Murphy Stadium thereafter OCCUPANT NL Padres April 8, 1969 to date EVENT All Star Games 1978, 1992 LOCATION Left Field (N) 9449 Friars Road; 3rd Base (W) Stadium Way and a quarry; 1st Base (S) San Diego River, Camino del Rio North, and Interstate 8; Right Field (E) Interstate 15 SURFACE Santa Ana Bermuda grass DIMENSIONS Foul Lines: 330 (1969), fence 327 (1982), foul poles 329 (1982); Power Alleys: 375 (1969), 370 (1982); Center Field: 420 (1969), 410 (1973), 420 (1978), 405 (1982); Backstop: 80 (1969), 75 (1982) FENCES Left and Right Fields: 17.5 (concrete 1969), 9 (line painted on concrete 1973), 18 (concrete 1974), 8.5 (canvas 1982); Center field 17.5 (concrete 1969), 10 (wood 1973), 18 (concrete 1978), 8.5 (canvas 1982), one section in right center 9 (canvas 1982) FORMER USE San Diego River ran through the area, which was then a marshy swampland. PHENOMENA - Named for sports editor who campaigned to bring major league baseball to San Diego. - Noticeable lack of Spanish-speaking fans and Spanish language advertisements in the only major league ballpark on the Mexican border. - The stadium is circular but open in right. - Foul poles sit two feet behind the fence, and one foot in front of the wall. - The right-center scoreboard sits directly behind the right center seats, and is so hot that fans there feel the heat on their backs. - Only park where bullpen dirt area touches the foul lines. - Only park where a foul ball can be caught out of sight of all umpires and most players. Location is in either bullpen near the foul poles. - After 1981 season, the plate was moved 5 feet back toward the backstop. - Expanded during 1983 football season by adding seat in right and right-center. - Ivy put on center field fence in 1980. - 20-foot-wide black batter's eye section on both center field wall and fence July-October 1982. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CANDLESTICK PARK STYLE Multipurpose OCCUPANT NL Giants April 12, 1960 to date EVENT All Star Game 1961, 1984 LOCATION Left Field (NW) Giants Drive; 3rd Base (SW) Jamestown Avenue and Bay View Hill; 1st Base (SE) Jamestown Avenue, Candlestick Point and San Francisco; Right Field (NE) Hunters Point Expressway and San Francisco Bay; Candlestick Point, with its rock outcroppings, was leveled to fill in the water for the parking lots. SURFACE Grass (1960), Carpet (1971), Bluegrass (1979) DIMENSIONS Left Field: 330 (1960), 335 (1968); Left-Center: 397 (1960), 365 (1961), 365 (1982); Center Field: 420 (1960), 410 (1961), 400 (1982); Right-Center: 397 (1960), 365 (1961), 365 (1982); Right Field: 330 (1965), 335 (1968), 330 (1991), 328 (1993); Backstop: 73 (1960), 70 (1961), 55 (1975), 65 (1982), 66 (1985); Foul Territory: Very large FENCES 10 (wire 1960); 8 (wire 1972); 12 (6 canvas below 6 plexiglass 1975); 9 (6 canvas below 3 plexiglass 1982); 9 (wire 1984), 9.5 (fence posts 1984); 8 (canvas 1993) PHENOMENA - Named for jagged rocks and trees which rise from the tidelands like giant candlesticks. - Bay View hill overlooks the park from behind 3rd base. - Many fans arrived by boat in 1960s. - Only hot-water-heated open-air stadium in the majors - Before the bleachers were enclosed, so many fans would stream out of the bleachers in right-center when Mays and McCovey batted and crowd up against the flimsy cyclone fence, that a white line was painted on the asphalt 20 feet behind the fence. Fans had to stand behind this line. - Fifty-nine posts every 20 feet or so on the outfield fence can cause strange bounces--their tips extend 6 inches above the 9 foot wire fence. - Wind, wind, and more wind! Before the stadium was enclosed, wind blew in from left-center and out toward right-center. Now that it is enclosed, the wind is a swirling monster, just as strong as before. - Six Giants retired numbers on white baseballs on the right field fence. - Maury's Lake--the basepath between first and second was drenched before the game to make it more difficult for Dodger Maury Wills to steal second. - Umps protested location of foul poles completely in fair territory in third inning of opening game on April 12, 1960. - Stu Miller was blown off the mound by the wind in the 1961 All-Star Game. - The stadium was enlarged and fully enclosed in the winter of 1971-72 to house the 49ers. - Architect John Bolles' boomerang-shaped concrete shell baffle behind the upper tier's last row of seats was intended to protect the park from wind; it didn't work. - In the winter of 1978-79, the Giants ripped up their carpet and replaced it with grass. - Coldest park in the majors, resulting in less home runs. - Croix de Candlestick pin awarded to fans at conclusion of night extra-inning games. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON KINGDOME STYLE Dome A.K.A. King County Stadium, The Tomb (1980s), Puget Puke (1980s) OCCUPANT AL Mariners April 6, 1977 to date EVENT All Star Game 1979 LOCATION Left Field (N) 201 South King Street; 3rd Base (W) 589 Occidental Avenue South; 1st Base (S) South Royal Brougham Way; Right Field (E) Fourth Avenue South and Burlington Northern Railroad tracks; Above: Domed roof DIMENSIONS Left Field: 315 (1977), 316 (marked 1978), 314 (actual 1978), 324 (1990), 331 (1991); Left Center: 375 (1977), 365 (1978), 357 (1981), 362 (1990), 376 (1991); Deep Left-Center: 385 (1990), 389 (1991); Center Field 405 (1977), 410 (1978), 405 (1981), 410 (1986), 405 (1991); Deep Right Center: 375 (1990), 380 (1991); Right Center 375 (1977), 365 (1978), 357 (1981), 352 (1990); Right Field 315 (1977), 316 (1978), 314 (1990), 312 (1991); Speakers in Left (3), Left Center, and Center: 110 (1977), 133.5 (1981); 11 other speakers 130; Backstop: 63; Apex of Dome: 250; Foul Territory: Large FENCES Left Field 11.5 (wood 1977), 17.5 (6 plexiglass over wood 1988), 11.5 (wood 1990); Center Field 11.5 (wood 1977); Right Field 11.5 (wood 1977), 23.25 (wood 1982), 11.5 (wood 1988) PHENOMENA - Large American flag flies above the concrete dome. - 23-foot Mini-Green Monster in right and right-center is called the Walla Walla. - Carpet is rolled out by the Rhinoceros machine, and smoothed by the Grasshopper machine after it has been zipped together. - Baby-changing areas in aisles 111, 113, 201, 203. - Domed roof looks from below like it's made of thousands of bricks. - Sick's Stadium home plate on display in Royal Brougham trophy case. - In the winter of 1980-81, the three speakers above left, left-center, and center were raised from 102 to 133.5 feet to reduce the chance of their being hit again. - Two foul balls have gone up but never come down: August 4, 1979--Ruppert Jones of Mariners hit a foul ball that stuck in the speaker above the first base dugout, thus disproving the old adage of physics that what goes up must come down. On May 20, 1983, Brewer Ricky Nelson did the same. By some arcane logic, both fly balls were ruled strikes. - Four foul balls have bounced off speakers and been caught for outs: August 3, 1979, caught by A's pitcher Matt Keough; September 3, 1979, caught by Mariners' first baseman; May 19, 1980, caught by Mariners' first baseman; April 25, 1985, caught by Mariners' pitcher Mark Langston. - Other foul balls have bounced off the Seattle Supersonics basketball speakers above first base and the basketball scoreboard above and behind home plate, without being caught. - One fair ball bounced off a roof support wire and remained in play on April 11, 1985--a ball hit by Dave Kingman of A's was caught for an out in deep left: it would have been a home run. One fair ball has struck the right field speaker--Ken Phelps of the Mariners hit a tape-measure homer on August 13, 1987--the ball landed foul. - Seven fair balls have bounced off speakers and remained in play. - Called the Tomb by visiting sportswriters because it's sickeningly gray concrete and quiet. - Roofs hanging red, white, and blue streamers can tangle up an infield fly and deflect it from the pitcher's mound to behind second base. - U.S.S. Mariner--a huge yellow sailing ship behind the center-field fence which fires a cannon after every Mariner homer. - 42 air-conditioning units, 16 in fair territory, 26 in foul territory, 8 ducts in each unit. These blow air in toward the field which means fewer home runs in what would normally be a "Homer Dome" because of the short 357 foot power alleys. - Outfield distances marked on fences in both feet and fathoms 1977-80 (1 fathom = 6 feet). - Third deck highest at third base and in right field. AL East and AL West standings posted on right field third deck facade. - Plate moved 10 feet toward first base dugout in 1990 in a change that altered outfield distances. - New classic "in-play" 123-feet by 11 1/2-foot scoreboard placed on right field wall in 1990 in dramatic facelift. - Scene of Funny Nose-Eye Glasses night. TORONTO, ONTARIO SKYDOME STYLE Retractable Dome OCCUPANT AL Blue Jays June 5, 1989 to date EVENT All Star Game 1991; World Series 1992 LOCATION Center Field (N) Front Street West; 3rd Base (W) Spadina Avenue; Home Plate (S) Gardiner Expressway; 1st Base (E) John Street and CN Tower, the world's largest free-standing structure SURFACE Astroturf DIMENSIONS Left Field 328; Left Center: 375; Center Field: 400; Right Center: 375; Right Field: 328 FENCES 10 FORMER USE Water Supply pumping station where second base is now PHENOMENA - 400-foot sign in center is actually right of dead center. - 31 stories high (Astrodome is just 18). - SkyDome's $17 million Jumbotron scoreboard is the world's biggest video display board (115 by 33 feet). - Hotel inside SkyDome has 348 rooms, 70 with a view of (and by) the stadium. - SkyDome Fitness Club boasts the world's largest indoor running track (2.2 lap per mile circuit) at the top of the stadium. - First park to draw over 4 million fans in a season. - SkyDome's retractable four-panel, 11,000-ton roof takes twenty minutes to open or close; uses $500 in electricity in doing so. - When roof is opened 91 percent of all seats are exposed to sky. - Overruns ballooned costs from an estimated $202 million to $495 million. - Facilities include a Hard Rock Cafe and the 650-seat Windows on SkyDome restaurant. - Site of first World Series games played outside United States. - Also home to the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. - Contains 161 private skyboxes on the 300 and 400 level, ranging in price from $150,000 to $225,000 yearly.