Minor League Stadiums in the Midwest

[Bonjourtoledo]

Fifth Third Field made its debut in downtown Toledo in 2002 after nearly fifty years in the suburb of Maumee. It was a huge success as it breathe life in downtown. Next summer in 2006--Toledo will be hosting the All-Stars International League Baseball festivities for the first time in history. I posted an article (down below) from our local paper in regards to ball game attendances. I like to see all of you (if you can) post your local minor league stadium pictures so we can see various kinds throughout the midwest region.

Here some pictures of the ball field and our two mascots Muddy and Muddonna:









International League notebook: After 250 games, fans still flocking to Fifth Third Field

By JOHN WAGNER
BLADE SPORTS WRITER


Monday's game against Indianapolis was the 250th game in the history of Fifth Third Field, which gave Mud Hens general manager Joe Napoli a chance to reflect on the successes of the ballpark.


"Fifth Third Field has exceeded our expectations on so many levels, one story could not cover all of them," Napoli said.

A total of 1,876,617 fans came to Fifth Third Field in those first 250 games. In the last 250 games at Skeldon Stadium, the Hen's previous home, the total attendance was 1,126,590. What's more, the three largest single-season attendance figures in Toledo's pro baseball history are the three full seasons the Hens have played at their current downtown home; in each of those first three seasons the Hens exceeded 500,000 in total attendance.

"Based on the community's size, we should draw [400,000] to 450,000 on an annual basis, " Napoli said. "The community's acceptance and enthusiastic support of a downtown Toledo ballpark has been exceptional."

In terms of single-game sellouts, the Hens hosted crowds of 8,943 (Fifth Third Field's listed seating capacity) 89 times in those first 250 games, or in 35.6 percent of their games. The Hens have had crowds of 10,300 or more (the "unofficial" capacity of the ballpark, which includes standing room) 57 times (22.8 percent).

Skeldon Stadium hosted crowds of 8,943 or greater just 27 times in its last five seasons and had just 15 crowds in excess of 10,025 (Skeldon's capacity) in those five years.

"Our ticket sales and service departments have been outstanding," Napoli said. "But our catering and concessions have been beyond our expectations, too. Those are two areas fans experience every time they come to the ballpark, and I would suggest we 'get it right' in those areas most of the time."

Napoli said that one advantage the Mud Hens had in the creation of Fifth Third Field was that, coming later in the ballpark building cycle, there was plenty of information to be gathered from other cities where new ballparks already had been built.

"The beauty of being the 90th new ballpark is that it allows our staff to do extreme research [on other ballparks]," Napoli said. "We noticed that the [honeymoon period] is typically two seasons, or at best three.

"The beauty of our business is that people are willing to tell us what we need to do to improve."

That has helped the Mud Hens avoid any type of attendance drop in this, their fourth season. Through the team's first 40 dates the Hens drew 282,109 fans, an average of 7,052 fans per opening; that's ahead of the 6,988 in 2002, when the team set the single-season attendance record for a Toledo team by drawing 547,204.

By the time the current homestand ends tonight, the team should climb over the 300,000 attendance mark for the season, earning a spot among the top 10 single-season attendance totals with 28 dates remaining.

[DMRyan]

Nice looking stadium there in Toledo, and I've always heard good things about the place.

Here's Des Moines' Prinicipal Park (formerly Sec Taylor Field) in downtown, at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. It was constructed in 1992, and is getting ready to undergo more renovations later this year. The stadium seats 11,500 people, but can be crowded to standing room only with 13,500 fans in the event that a Chicago Cubs player is doing a rehab stint in Des Moines. It is the home of the AAA Iowa Cubs.

[avissers]

Minor Leauge Stadium for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, affiliate for the Seattle Mariners. Before they were the Rattlers, the team was the Foxes. And a player on that team... Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod).

[Lmichigan]

Lansing's Oldsmobile Park, home of the Lansing Lugnuts - capacity 11,000. Completed in 1996. Affiliate: Toronto Blue Jays.

[Bonjourtoledo]

Sorry about leaving out an important information as Toledo Mud Hens is affiliated with Detroit Tigers which is about 50 miles north. Many of the Detroit Tigers fans come down to see the Mud Hens game quite a bit.

[Bonjourtoledo]

Loved the view of the State Capitol Building in Des Moines. I think the capitol building is one the most beautiful government building in the country.

[Toggie]

Midway Stadium (St. Paul Saints)

capacity 6,069
built in 1982

[cwilson758]

Victory Field, home of the AAA Indianapolis Indians.

[skate342]

sioux falls canaries, northern league. 4,461 (+ SRO)

[DTO Luv]

This is the biggest stadium in the Minor Leagues, Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium. It seats around 24,000 (crammed 27,000 this year for the College World Series.) The stadium doesn't have much of a DT view but it is right by the Henry Doorly Zoo.

The Pacific Coast League and the Royals want a new smaller stadium DT in the 10,000-15,000 range since Rosenblatt is to big. (It's that big for the CWS.) The Royals only draw about 3,500-4,000 a game with some big ones like tonight for the 4th of July Fireworks (sold out inside and another 150,000 outside the stadium). They are hoping to have any new stadium done by 2007-2008.

Rosenblatt.







Any new stadium would be in the foreground of this picture.


The empty spots are where the stadium would go.

[eomaha.com]

A little better look at the "Johnny"...



More photos

[yo]

Originally Posted by DTO Luv

This is the biggest stadium in the Minor Leagues, Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium. It seats around 24,000 (crammed 27,000 this year for the College World Series.) The stadium doesn't have much of a DT view but it is right by the Henry Doorly Zoo.


Rosenblatt.

no... this is the largest minor league stadium in the midwest...


joking just joking.... . i kid, i kid...

[SNL]

[DPruett2333]

Lawrence-Dumont Stadium
Wichita, Kansas
Home to the Wranglers. The AA team for the Royals

[Jason]

Warner Park in Madison is a joke, but it's all we've got, and though it no longer hosts a minor league team, it has hosted two A-ball teams, and an independant Northern League team. The Muskies (The A's), the Mad Hatters (the Cards) and the Black Wolf (indy). It is now the home of the Mallards (college wood bat league - "Northwoods"). It seats 7,500, and the draw is amazing more for it's party atmosphere than the baseball at hand...

[eomaha.com]

Lincoln: Hawks Field at Haymarket Park

Home to Lincoln Salt Dogs AA baseball club and the University of Nebraska

Permanent seating for 4,500... holds up to 10,000 when including the fan friendly grassy areas (which the University of Nebraska baseball team regularly drew on their way to the College World Series).

[DTO Luv]

Eww. I can't stand the Huskers.

[Bonjourtoledo]

Jon Hendricks a famous jazz musician was on hand to give National Anthem at the game on the same weekend Toledo hosted the Art Tatum Jazz festivities on the waterfront. These photos was taken by a local (Daniel Miller) and it has some cool skyline shot:

[eweezerinc]

Louisville Slugger Field, home of the Louisville Bats.

This was taken from Waterfront Park Place condo and aptmnt tower across the street-

[Bonjourtoledo]

Sunset at Fifth Third Field awhile back in Toledo: