web baseball parks

Ballpark Database

2011-02-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

I just found (was shown) Seamheads' Ballpark Database. Amazing.

It includes each park's location, first game, last game, number of seasons, games, latatude, longitude and altitude, park dimensions, capacity, park factors and occasional added info, Google sat view and links to Historic Aerials view.

Beautiful.

Ballparks Database was created by Kevin Johnson. Internet portion designed by Dan Hirsch, creator of TheBaseballGauge.com.

You can download the DB as an Access file.

Thank you!

New Marlins Ballpark

2011-02-15T12:38:00.000-08:00

"February 15, 2011- The Florida Marlins are warming up for the start of baseball season with two historic milestones Tuesday. The new Marlins Ballpark had its first seat installed followed by the first batting practice inside the stadium.
"... nineteen months into construction and officials are proudly boasting the project remains on-time and on-budget."
- CBS Miami

ballpark news

2010-11-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

Brian Borawski points out the latest ballpark news over at the Hardball Times.

In Chicago, the new owners, are looking for public money for Wrigley Field renovations. As we read in Windy City Watch,

"Its funny that Joe Ricketts is so passionate against “wasteful government spending” when his family, led by son, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts, has just asked the people of Illinois to borrow $300 million in a bond offering so that it can rehab Wrigley Field. This request follows a vote in Mesa, AZ which guaranteed the Cubs $84 million in public funds to build a new spring training stadium and facility."

Also:
In Oakland, the A's are still shopping for a city to live in.
In Baltimore, Camden Yards will get a face lift for her 20th birthday, and lose 3,000 seats.

Check back for progress reports.

Yankees Fans Unable To Save Old Gate

2009-09-23T05:28:00.000-07:00

From NY1

"The Parks Department will not be incorporating the old Yankee Stadium's historic Gate Two into the design of the new Heritage Field.
Some Yankees fans say they want to preserve the old Yankee gate to use as an entrance to Heritage Park, the 10-acre park slated to be built on the site.
Officials say it would cost too much money to restore the gate and build a proper structure for it, and they say some community groups did not want the gate restored at the expense of the public park space."

video report

Miami Vice

2009-09-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

Miami-Dade County approved financing for Marlins stadium in Miami’s Little Havana.

The county is on the hook for $342 million in short-term financing, instead of $347 million for the on the $640 million stadium and infrastructure.

The New York Times raises some questions.
"County officials faced yawning budget gaps, potential layoffs and cuts in social services. Yet they forged ahead, anyway, largely dismissing voter opposition and the lessons learned elsewhere that new stadiums sometimes fail to deliver the economic punch promised in forecasts and that the public financing for them can handcuff future generations.

“'Even as the numbers got worse, the mayors viewed it as an unacceptable political defeat, so they continued,' said Dario Moreno, the director of the Metropolitan Center, a public-policy research group."

Do you know the way?

2009-09-04T13:38:00.001-07:00

A's owner Lew Wolff

Talk of a new ballpark for the A's, stalled in committee over at MLB, has heated up with a renewed effort by team owner Lew Wolff to move the team to San Jose. The old plan in Fremont died months ago. SJ gov't issued a glowing economic projection, which is viewed with some skepticism by some. Staying in Oakland, with a terrible field and the second-worst attendance in the majors, is not an option. Stay tuned.

All-Star Parks for the Break

2009-07-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here are three ballpark stories I stumbled across: one lost park warmly remembered on it's 100th birthday, one park in ruins, and a collection of one man's current favorites

Forbes Field is long gone, but fans mark its 100th birthday

Sunday, June 28, 2009

By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This was the view from Schenley Park on July 5, 1909, when Forbes Field was only a week old.

League Park: A connection to Cleveland's past and future
June 22, 8:35 PM
Cory Felegy Cleveland Sports Examiner

Ariel view of the original League Park. (Photo from ballparks.com)

The 10 Best Major League Stadiums
by Andrew Jordan
I don't agree with all his picks -- where's Pac Bell, Andrew? But he hits his stride after a while and it's nice to see the effort.

Judge lifts Tiger Stadium's stay of execution

2009-06-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

While I was posting, the case was decided ...

Judge lifts Tiger Stadium's stay of execution

By BEN LEUBSDORF – 26 minutes ago

DETROIT (AP) — A judge has lifted Tiger Stadium's stay of execution.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards rejected a request Monday morning by a nonprofit group to issue an injunction preventing further demolition of the historic Detroit ballpark.

Edwards agreed with attorneys for the city that the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has little chance of raising enough money for a proposed $33.4 million redevelopment project.

Detroit Economic Growth Corp. executive vice president Waymon Guillebeaux (GEE'-ah-boh) said that demolition would resume immediately...

oh woe, hoe, whoah

2009-06-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

A backhoe drops a concrete block to break up the seating area at Tiger Stadium in Detroit on Friday, June 5, 2009.

... The demolition of Tiger Stadium was halted by a judge Friday, just hours after crews began tearing down what's left of the historic ballpark. Wayne County Circuit Judge Isidore Torres issued a temporary restraining order, said Robert Rossbach, spokesman for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. The injunction was requested by the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy, a nonprofit group ... AP

Remainder Of Tiger Stadium To Be Demolished

2009-06-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Sad news, just in. T/C: Brian Borawski

Posted: Tuesday, 02 June 2009 12:46PM

Remainder Of Tiger Stadium To Be Demolished

Detroit (WWJ) -- The effort to save a portion of Tiger Stadium has been thrown out by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Members voted 7-to-1 Tuesday morning in favor of tearing down what's left of the ballpark at Michigan and Trumbull.

Speaking live on WWJ, Gary Gillette of the Tiger Stadium Conservancy, says the vote is a bombshell, adding that Michigan Senator Carl Levin was able to get federal money to help turn part of the park into a museum.

more ...

A good deal for tickets

2009-05-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this on a NY newspaper's website?

Reader Gary Cicio, NYC podiatrist, did the research, and asks us to choose one of the two options to see a Mariners-Yankees game this season, and from the very best seats:

Option 1: Two tickets to Tuesday night, June 30, Mariners at Yanks, cost for just the tickets, $5,000.

Option 2: Two round-trip airline tickets to Seattle, Friday, Aug. 14, return Sunday the 16th, rental car for three days, two-night double occupancy stay in four-star hotel, two top tickets to both the Saturday and Sunday Yanks-Mariners games, two best-restaurant-in-town dinners for two. Total cost, $2,800. Plus-frequent flyer miles.

Opening Day is coming

2009-04-03T04:55:00.000-07:00

Link list for Friday:

We'll get more info on these stories soon.

Citi Field Virtual Tour

2009-04-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

The Mets ~~still offer only a Virtual Tour of a Virtual Citi Field, the computer model. They also have a time-lapse construction video.~~
now have panoramic views of Citi Field from a great variety of locations around the park. Pretty cool.

Here's the terrific Flickr group.

The Streetview is here.

Yankee Stadium

The Yanks offer a 3d seat selector for the new Yankee Stadium that's a little cooler. They also have ~~a video tour.~~ a selection of panoramic views of the old Stadium as it looked in 2008.

The Flickr group of this new park is excellent, too.

When will the satellite mappers catch up with construction so we can see Bird's Eye and Street Views ?

View Larger Map

Selig appoints committee to study Oakland A's

2009-03-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

"The A's cannot and will not continue indefinitely in their current situation." Selig continues his master plan. March 30, AP

Fish Tank

2009-03-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

Miami just voted to fund the Marlins new ballpark.

Images are here.

Some are not happy.

This Bud's For You

2009-03-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

Although the A's plan for a new park in Freemont, CA is apparently dead, Bud Selig's unannounced master plan, the "extortion tour" to get a new park for almost every major league team during his tenure continues. With more than $6 Billion tax dollars spent. Is this a "Baseball Bailout?"

MLB website
"Under his leadership as Executive Council Chairman and Commissioner, new stadiums have opened in Arizona, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Texas and Washington, D.C. .... Two new ballparks will open in New York City in 2009, an open-air stadium will open in Minnesota as the home of the Twins in 2010 and other clubs have new ballpark plans in development."

Financing info here

That's 20. "Other clubs?" 10 to go.

21. Well, maybe not LA. They have a cult about it being perfect just the way it is. And annual upgrades to Dodger Stadium have been completed in each of the last few years. Anaheim had their renovation in 1998, installing the rockpile, the only renovation to remove seats.

22. Boston seems set. Fenway has had $100 M invested in it.

23. Wrigley will probably get the same treatment once they work out their ownership issues.

24. Kansas City is spending @250 M on renovations. I guess they're off the hook.

25. Toronto - This is interesting, are Canadians foolish enough to fall for this line? Opened in 1989.

26. Chicago White Sox. Insurance park opened in 1991 and it seemed ready to replace on the first day. You could fit the old park entirely inside the new one. But no plans yet ...

27. Baltimore isn't in the Selig hit list, yet, and was the first of the new parks that was actually pretty nice. But it opened in 1992, that's 17 years now ...

28. Miami
August 16, 2007
On the Florida Marlins' plans for a new ballpark, Selig said: "We need to make progress there. This team needs a new stadium. I've said many times I like South Florida. I think it's a major league market. But it's a major league market only if they get a new ballpark".

Two votes are coming up: March 19 and 23.

29. Tampa
June 17, 2008
Tampa Bay has been the league's success story in the first half, but it has not translated to better attendance. What is your level of concern for the future of baseball in Tampa?
"Look, they're really pushing on a new ballpark. I think if they can get it done, it will really help them, no question about it. They've got a good club. They've done a great job scouting and drafting. Their attendance is up 4,500, but it's not enough. They can't make it in that ballpark. Have you been there?"
Many times.
"Do I need to tell you any more than that? And so, they need a new stadium. The demographics of the Tampa-St. Pete area are good enough for baseball."
On the St. Pete side, though?
"Well, they're going to have to make that judgment. If they can get rights … I know there are people who think it needs to be on the Tampa side, but I'm going to leave that to (principal owner) Stu Sternberg. If they can get a new ballpark built, yes, I think they can be a very successful franchise."

30. And, of course, Oakland
January 14, 2009
"I cannot stress enough that the need for the A's to have a viable and modern stadium is a paramount objective for your organization and for the game overall," Selig wrote.

Pac Bell, AT&T, SBC

2009-03-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the Giants beautiful home, panaramic views from all over the park, including the press box, dugout and clubhouse, from their website.

For an outside look, use Street View. This is a live window, so click around.

View Larger Map

This is the O'Doul Gate, Third St, with Marichal's statue in the plaza and the Cove walk behind.

Citi Field in Google Street View

2009-03-06T05:38:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map
Google Street view is a little clunky, and it's always a bit behind the times, but it's a terrific way to look at all the major league parks.

Just go to your Google search bar and type "map [ballpark name]" and you're on your way. In map view, there's a great mashup of info about the park and user reviews, photos ann videos.

This is a look at Citi Field, obviously from last year, but how cool is that?

~~I haven't figured out how to link to a ballpark street view yet, and~~ there isn't yet a definitive list of current and former big league parks, so I might have to spend some time to put that together. Or maybe one of you will do it for me ...

Google 3D Warehouse

2009-02-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Baseball fans have been busy building and adding ballpark models to Google Earth. It's easy to find them in the Google 3D Warehouse. All the current parks are there, as well as some old ones.

Start here to find the old parks, but if you find more, let me know:
sketchup.google.com

Here's the list of what I found today:
Shibe Park
Wrigley Field (1914)
Yankee Stadium (1940s-60s)
Yankee Stadium
Shea Stadium
Veterans Stadium (1990s)
Tiger Stadium
Olympic Stadium
Riverfront Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium

Also, slightly off topic:
Baseball Hall of Fame

Cisco's Future for Oakland

2008-11-20T05:08:00.000-08:00

They may not have the money to do it, but here are some plans for the new park in near Oakland.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fan_forum/cisco/virtual_ballpark.jsp

ballpark flix

2008-10-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Ballparks of Baseball has added a great video page.

Great job, folks.

You Maniacs!

2008-10-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

What's left of Tiger Stadium

We finally really did it. You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!

Mets - Citi Field

2008-05-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Dan M was nice enough to post great photos of Citi Field on the web.

Check out his collection of the Nationals park photos, too.

You can also take the virtual tour:

Yankee Stadium Construction

2008-05-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of the old Stadium right next to the construction site

virtualglobetrotting.com

The History of SF Ballparks

2008-02-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

Nice job by WaterByTheBay415 [but his account is now closed]

Here's a nice memoir of Seals' Stadium

3D Tours of MLB Ballparks

2008-01-29T05:22:00.000-08:00

This is a good recorded tour recorded in Google Earth, though it's low-res.

This tour mixes Google Earth and a video game. Pretty cool. This is part 2, just the NL.

End of the Old Parks

2008-01-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

Check out Home Run Derby's collected YouTube videos of ballpark demolitions. Sad endings for the old fields, some great, some not-so-great.

Comiskey Park - original

2008-01-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

There are some great videos of old Comiskey Park on Youtube. Here's one

There are more linked from there, as well as many videos on other ballparks. Lots for me to catch up on.

See recent views at
Space Ghosts

Braves Field

2007-02-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

Braves Field
Braves, Red Sox (World Series)

local.live

Huntington Avenue Grounds

2007-02-04T10:08:00.000-08:00

Huntington Avenue Grounds

Huntington (Ave of the Arts) & Rogers (Forsyth)
Live Local

Three Rivers Stadium

2007-02-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

Three Rivers Stadium
1970 - 2001 (before the baseball season)

virtualglobetrotting.com

Riverfront Stadium

2007-02-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

Riverfront Stadium, Cinergy Field
Reds
1970 - 2002

virtualglobetrotting.com

Milwaukee County Stadium

2007-02-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Milwaukee County Stadium
Braves, Brewers
1953 to 2000

virtualglobetrotting.com

Busch Memorial Stadium

2007-02-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

Busch Stadium II
Cardinals
1970 - 2005

virtualglobetrotting.com

Polo Grounds

2007-02-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

155th St & Frederick Douglass Boulevard, New York, NY

Location of the Polo Grounds III and IV, next door to PG II

Giants, Yankees, Mets

Demolished in 1964 with the same wrecking ball that demolished Ebbets Field

more history

virtualglobetrotting.com

model

drawing

location

Brooklyn, NY - Ebbets Field

2007-02-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

Sullivan & McKeever, Brooklyn, NY
There's the name, on the wall at the back of the parking lot.

virtualglobetrotting.com

Philadelphia, PA - Baker Bowl

2007-02-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

N 15th St & W Lehigh Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19132

live.com

Philadelphia, PA - Shibe Park

2007-02-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

N 21st St & W Lehigh Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19132
later called Connie Mack Stadium

... was just down Lehigh Ave from Baker Bowl

live.com

Pittsburgh, PA - Forbes Field

2007-02-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

Forbes & S Bouquet St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
The outfield wall is still in place at the intersection of Clemente and Schenley.

live.com

Cleveland, OH - League Park

2007-02-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

E 66th St & Lexington Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103

live.com

Take Me Out to the Ball Game - songs and videos

2007-01-31T10:45:00.000-08:00

Check out my favorite songs and videos available on the Web ...

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2007-01-31T05:58:00.000-08:00

free player from mysplayer.com

ROCKIES

2007-01-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

Denver, Colorado
Coors Field

MLB IPIX
virtualglobetrotting

REDS

2007-01-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

Cincinnati, Ohio
Great American Ballpark

virtualglobetrotting

PIRATES

2007-01-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
PNC Park

MLB IPIX
virtualglobetrotting
Construction high-speed mpeg
Cam

PHILLIES

2007-01-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Citizens Bank Park

virtualglobetrotting

PADRES

2007-01-28T11:11:00.000-08:00

San Diego, California
Petco Park

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting
Cam

NATIONALS

2007-01-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

Washington, D.C.
RFK Stadium (Robert F. Kennedy), D.C. Stadium

3dwarehouse
MLB tour photos
Construction cam
virtualglobetrotting

METS

2007-01-28T10:58:00.000-08:00

New York, New York (Flushing, Queens)
Shea Stadium

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting

MARLINS

2007-01-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Miami, Florida
Dolphin Stadium, Pro Player Stadium, Joe Robbie Stadium

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting

Thanks to Rob for the baseball configuration screen grab

GIANTS

2007-01-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

San Francisco, California
AT&T Park, SBC Park, Pac Bell Park

3dwarehouse
MLB IPIX
virtualglobetrotting

DODGERS

2007-01-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, California
Dodger Stadium

MLB IPIX
virtualglobetrotting

DIAMONDBACKS

2007-01-28T10:26:00.000-08:00

Phoenix, Arizona
Chase Field, Bank One Ballpark

virtualglobetrotting

CUBS

2007-01-28T10:23:00.000-08:00

Chicago, Illinois
Wrigley Field

virtualglobetrotting

CARDINALS

2007-01-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

St. Louis, Missouri
Busch Stadium

3dwarehouse
MLB IPIX
Google maps
Cam

BREWERS

2007-01-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Miller Park

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting

BRAVES

2007-01-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

Atlanta, Georgia
Turner Field

virtualglobetrotting

ASTROS

2007-01-28T09:59:00.000-08:00

Houston, Texas
Minute Maid Field, Astros Field, Enron Field

virtualglobetrotting

YANKEES

2007-01-28T09:10:00.000-08:00

New York, New York (Bronx)
Yankee Stadium "The house that George built"

3dwarehouse
quicktime vr
virtualglobetrotting

WHITE SOX

2007-01-28T09:04:00.000-08:00

Chicago, Illinois
U.S. Cellular Field, Comiskey Park (II)

virtualglobetrotting

TWINS

2007-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting

TIGERS

2007-01-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Detroit, Michigan
Comerica Park

virtualglobetrotting

ROYALS

2007-01-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Kansas City, Missouri
Kaufmann Stadium

virtualglobetrotting

RED SOX

2007-01-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

Boston Massachusetts
Fenway Park

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting

RANGERS

2007-01-28T08:09:00.000-08:00

Arlington, Texas
Ameriquest Field in Arlington, The Ballpark at Arlington

virtualglobetrotting

ORIOLES

2007-01-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

Baltimore Maryland
Oriole Park at Camden Yards

virtualglobetrotting

MARINERS

2007-01-28T07:36:00.000-08:00

Seattle, Washington
Safeco Field

virtualglobetrotting

INDIANS

2007-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

Cleveland, Ohio
Jacobs Field, "the Jake"

virtualglobetrotting
mlb photo tour

DEVIL RAYS

2007-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

St. Petersburg, FL
Tropicana Field, "Thunderdome"

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting.com

BLUE JAYS

2007-01-28T07:08:00.000-08:00

Toronto Ontario
Rogers Centre, SkyDome

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting
Java virtual tour

ATHLETICS

2007-01-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

Oakland California
McAfee Coliseum, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

MLB IPIX
3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting

ANGELS

2007-01-28T06:32:00.000-08:00

Anaheim California
Angels Stadium, Edison International Field, Anaheim Stadium, "The Big A"

3dwarehouse
virtualglobetrotting
l-local