A baseball park, baseball stadium, or ball park / ballpark is the field of play in the game of baseball and the spectator seating areas (if any) and any other features connected with it. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each

The flexible rules about baseball fields (aside from the rigid rules of sizes of basepaths and pitcher's mound) allow ballparks to have their own individual character and quirks. This is true at all levels of baseball, amateur and professional, in countless cities and towns where the game is played. This article focuses on Major League Baseball venues, which typically have the largest seating areas and receive the broadest media coverage.

Contents 1 General characteristics 2 Variations 3 Current Major League Ballparks 3.1 Ballpark Dimensions 4 Types of baseball parks 4.1 Names 4.2 Settings 4.3 Wooden ballparks 4.4 Jewel Box Parks 4.5 Multi-purpose stadiums 4.6 Modern stadiums 4.7 Indoor parks 4.8 Retractable roof parks 4.9 Retro-classic ballparks 4.10 Retro-indoor Parks 5 List of Baseball Parks 5.1 Wooden ballparks 5.2 Jewel Box Parks 5.3 Multi-purpose stadiums 5.4 Modern stadiums 5.5 Indoor parks 5.6 Retractable roof parks 5.7 Retro-classic ballparks 5.8 Retro-indoor Parks 5.9 Converted Ball Parks 6 Unique features and quirks of current major league parks 7 External links 8 See also

General characteristics

The infield is a rigidly structured "diamond" (actually a square) containing the bases, home plate, and the pitcher's mound. A baseball field or baseball diamond is the field upon which the game of Baseball is played Two white foul lines run perpendicular along two of the sides from the plate, forming the boundaries of what's in play and what's out of play.

Next to first and third base, are two coach's boxes, where the first and third base coaches guide the baserunners. Farther on the other side of the foul lines are the dugouts where the teams and coaches sit when they're not out on the field.

Beyond the infield, and between the foul lines, is a large grass outfield, generally twice the depth of the infield. The other side of the outfield is set by the outfield fences, which end the field of play. There are also fences in foul territory, although these are significantly lower in most places, especially around the infield.

In modern days, a ballpark is mostly surrounded by a multi-tiered seating structure, a grandstand. This often ends a short distance into fair territory, the area beyond the outfield fences being a more open area, perhaps with a view of the buildings beyond. This open area may contain shorter disconnected grandstands, bleacher seats, scoreboards, fountains, or open-air museums, just to name a few. In some Jewelbox and multi-purpose parks, the grandstand completely surrounds the field.

Starting with Yankee Stadium in 1923 (as an actual footrace track) and now present in all ballparks, there is a dirt (or in some parks, rubberized track surface) area roughly 10 feet wide which runs all about the perimeter of the field, called the "warning track". The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. As the name indicates, this track is intended to warn fielders (especially outfielders) that they are approaching a boundary wall of the playing field. Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in Baseball farthest from the batter

The term "ballpark" is sometimes used ambiguously, as either the entire structure or just the playing field. A home run which occurs within the confines of the playing field is typically called an "inside-the-park" home run, as opposed to a home run over a fence and into the seats (if any). That might be referred to as a home run "out of the ballpark". That phrase is more often used to mean a home run which clears the stands and lands outside the building.

Variations

The structure of the infield is very rigid. However, like its British relative cricket, there is significant amount of flexibility in the shape and size of the rest of the playing area. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries This is distinctive from "goal" games such as football, soccer, and basketball, in which the entire playing area is fixed in size. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m In order to prevent "cheap" home runs, ballparks at particular levels of play usually specify a minimum distance from home plate to the outfield fences, along with recommendations for the size of the foul ground. Generally, the higher up the skill level, the deeper the minimum dimensions must be. In the major leagues, a rule was passed in 1958 (official rules) that compelled any new fields built after that point to have a minimum distance of 325 feet from home plate to the fences in left and right field, and 400 feet to center. (Rule 1. 04, Note(a)). Despite this rule (which was passed to prevent any more situations like the Los Angeles Coliseum), the modern parks have sometimes received "special dispensation" to skirt these rules somewhat. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports Stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles California at Exposition The older parks such as Fenway Park were "grandfathered. "

As there is merely a minimum, and no set distance (and even the minumums aren't strictly enforced), there is a great amount of flexibility. These distances vary from park to park, and can even change drastically in the same park. This can be seen in Yankee Stadium, whose odd-shaped plot of land caused right field to be over 100 feet shorter than left, although this has lessened over the years. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. The Polo Grounds had very short fences on the lines. The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different Stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City used by Baseball 's New York Giants It was 258 feet to right and 280 to left, and the upper deck hung over into the infield in left. In contrast, the deepest part of center field in the bathtub-shaped Polo Grounds was nearly 500 feet from home plate.

The heights of the fences can also change greatly, the best example being the 37-foot high Green Monster in Fenway Park's left field. The Green Monster is the nickname of the thirty-seven-foot two-inch (11 Such tall fences were often used to stop easy home runs in a section where the fences were shorter, or there was little space between the fence and street beyond, although this practice has lessened in more recent years. Some in-play scoreboards and high fences reached 50 to 60 feet, whereas a few outfields were even lined with hedges rather than normal fences or walls. The Metrodome, the current home of the Minnesota Twins, has a 23-foot right field "fence" which is actually a relatively thin blue plastic sheet covering folded-up football seats. The Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports Stadium in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is often called the "Baggie" or the "Hefty bag".

Some parks don't even have regularly shaped fences. While some parks may have round swooping fences or rigidly angled fences, some may have a big change in direction or irregular angle. Some retro parks, such as Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, throw in a sudden inward turn (often referred to as a jog) just to give a little quirkiness to the design. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is a ballpark in Arlington Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth Texas.

Originally, and mostly in the Jewelbox Parks, these variations where the result of the shape of the property on which the park was constructed. If there was a street beyond left field, left field would be shorter, and if the distance was too short, the fence would be higher. Now, these variations are mostly influenced by the specifications and the whims of the designers. The retro parks, which try to recapture the feel of the Jewelboxes, are designed to have these quirks and variations.

Current Major League Ballparks

Ballpark Dimensions

The numbers mean the number of feet from home plate to the wall of that part of the field. Left and Right Field normally refer to the distances along the foul lines. Left Center and Right Center are the approximate power alley figures. Center Field could mean straightaway center field or it could mean to the deepest part of the center field area. Backstop refers to the distance behind home plate to the backstop screen. These numbers [1] are one researcher's opinion of the true values and may differ from the numbers marked on the wall/fence by as much as 30 feet. Capacity[2] figures may also vary.

Stadium	Team	City	Capacity	Left Field	Left Center Field	Center Field	Right Center Field	Right Field	Backstop
Angel Stadium of Anaheim	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	Anaheim, California	45,050	330’	382’	400’	365’	330’	59’
AT&T Park	San Francisco Giants	San Francisco, California	41,503	339’	368’	399’	378 ‘	309’	48’
Busch Stadium	St. Louis Cardinals	St. Louis, Missouri	46,861	335’	375’	400’	375 ‘	335’	55’
Chase Field	Arizona Diamondbacks	Phoenix, Arizona	49,033	330’	376’	407’	376 ‘	335’	58’
Citizens Bank Park	Philadelphia Phillies	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	43,647	329’	355’	401’	357 ‘	330’	60’
Comerica Park	Detroit Tigers	Detroit, Michigan	41,070	345’	370’	420’	388 ‘	330’	62’
Coors Field	Colorado Rockies	Denver, Colorado	50,445	347’	390’	415’	382 ‘	350’	54’
Dodger Stadium	Los Angeles Dodgers	Los Angeles, California	56,000	330’	368’	400’	368 ‘	330’	53’
Dolphin Stadium	Florida Marlins	Miami, Florida	36,331*	330’	360’	434’	373 ‘	345’	55’
Fenway Park	Boston Red Sox	Boston, Massachusetts	39,605****	310’	335’	390’†	380 ‘	302’	54’
Great American Ball Park	Cincinnati Reds	Cincinnati, Ohio	40,008	328’	365’	404’	365 ‘	325’	52’
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	Minnesota Twins	Minneapolis, Minnesota	46,564**	343’	370’	408’	352 ‘	327’	60’
Progressive Field	Cleveland Indians	Cleveland, Ohio	43,345	325’	360’	405’	375‘	325’	60’
Kauffman Stadium	Kansas City Royals	Kansas City, Missouri	40,625	330’	375’	410’	375‘	330’	50’
McAfee Coliseum	Oakland Athletics	Oakland, California	34,007***	330’	362’	400’	362 ‘	330’	66’
Miller Park	Milwaukee Brewers	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	42,200	344’	370’	400’	374‘	345’	54’
Minute Maid Park	Houston Astros	Houston, Texas	42,000	315’	335’	436’	365 ‘	326’	56’
Nationals Park	Washington Nationals	Washington, D.C.	41,888	336’	377’	402’	370’	335’	53’2"
Oriole Park at Camden Yards	Baltimore Orioles	Baltimore, Maryland	48,262	333’	364’	410’	373‘	318’	58’
PETCO Park	San Diego Padres	San Diego, California	42,445	334’	378’	396’	387 ‘	322’	45’
PNC Park	Pittsburgh Pirates	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	38,217	325’	389’	399’	364 ‘	320’	55’
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington	Texas Rangers	Arlington, Texas	49,170	330’	380’	400’	380 ‘	330’	60’
Rogers Centre	Toronto Blue Jays	Toronto, Ontario	50,516	328'	375'	404'	375'	328'	60'
Safeco Field	Seattle Mariners	Seattle, Washington	47,116	331’	375’	405’	365‘	326’	62’
Shea Stadium	New York Mets	New York City	57,333	338’	371’	410’	371 ‘	338’	58’
Tropicana Field	Tampa Bay Rays	Tampa Bay, Florida	36,048	315’	370’	404’	370‘	322’	50’
Turner Field	Atlanta Braves	Atlanta, Georgia	50,062	335’	380’	400’	390‘	330’	55’
U.S. Cellular Field	Chicago White Sox	Chicago, Illinois	40,615	335’	375’	400’	375 ‘	330’	60’
Wrigley Field	Chicago Cubs	Chicago, Illinois	41,118	355’	368’	400’	368 ‘	353’	60’
Yankee Stadium	New York Yankees	New York City	57,545	318’	388’	408’	372‘	314’	75’

*Dolphin Stadium is expandable to 68,000. Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a modern-style ballpark located The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. AT&T Park is an open-air ballpark, home to the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in, that currently play in the National League West Division. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as " New Busch Stadium " or " Busch Stadium III " is the home of the St The St Louis Cardinals (also referred to as "the Cards " or "the Redbirds " are a professional Baseball team based in St Chase Field is a Baseball Stadium located in downtown Phoenix Arizona, and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the The Arizona Diamondbacks (also referred to as the D-backs) are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix Arizona. Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo, Citizens Bank Park is a 43647-seat Baseball -only Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that opened on April 3, 2004 The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Comerica Park is an open air ballpark located in downtown Detroit Michigan. The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA Coors Field, located in Denver Colorado, is the home field of the National League 's Colorado Rockies. The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Dodger Stadium is a large outdoor ballpark in Los Angeles California at Chávez Ravine. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Dolphin Stadium (previously known as Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, and Dolphins Stadium) is a football The Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens Florida. The Boston Red Sox are a Professional baseball team based in Boston Massachusetts, and are the reigning (2007 World Series Champions. Great American Ball Park is the home of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati Ohio, USA The Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports Stadium in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of the American The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Ewing M Kauffman Stadium (ˈkɔfmən formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball Stadium located in Kansas City Missouri, and The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City Missouri only Items for the metro area Kansas City Kansas or North Kansas City MO should go on their respective pages The Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which plays in the Central Division of the National League Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas The Houston Astros are a Professional baseball team based in Houston Texas. Nationals Park is the current ballpark for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. The Washington Nationals is an American professional baseball team based in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a ballpark located in Baltimore Maryland, which was completed in 1992 to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. PETCO Park is an open-air Stadium in downtown San Diego, California. The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego California since their founding in 1969 PNC Park is a Baseball park located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is a ballpark in Arlington Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth Texas. The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington Texas, United States, representing the Dallas-Ft Arlington is a Suburb of Fort Worth in Tarrant County, Texas ( USA) within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area SkyDome redirects here for other uses see SkyDome (disambiguation The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington, United States. William A Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea (ʃeɪ̪ is a Stadium located in the New York City borough "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis. The City of New York Tropicana Field is a Domed stadium in St Petersburg Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball 's Tampa Bay Rays since The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St Tampa Bay is a large natural Harbor and Estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the western coast of Florida, comprising Old Tampa Bay Turner Field is a ballpark in Atlanta Georgia, home to Major League Baseball 's Atlanta Braves since 1997 US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago Illinois. The Chicago White Sox are a professional Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago The Chicago Cubs are a Professional Baseball franchise based in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. The City of New York **The Metrodome is expandable to 55,883. ***McAfee Coliseum is expandable to 60,000. ****Fenway Park is 39,195 during day games.

†At Fenway Park, straightaway center is 390 feet, but there is a corner in the fence just right of center that juts out to 420 feet.

Types of baseball parks

Names

The first baseball parks were literally open fields or public parks. The genesis of modern baseball is conventionally connected with the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey, a large public park where the businessmen of New York City gathered from time to time to play organized baseball games and cricket matches, starting around the mid-1840s. Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey is believed to be the site of the first organized Baseball game giving Hoboken a strong claim to be the birthplace Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. The name "Field" or "Park" was typically attached to the names of the early ballparks.

With the beginnings of professional baseball, the ballfield became part of a complex including fixed spectator seating areas, and an enclosure to restrict access to paying customers, as with a fairgrounds. The name "Grounds" began to be attached to ballparks, starting with the Union Grounds in 1862. Union Grounds was a Baseball park located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn New York. The suffixes "Field" and "Park" were still used, but many professional ballparks were "Grounds". The last surviving major league "Grounds" was the Polo Grounds in New York City, which was razed in 1964. The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different Stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City used by Baseball 's New York Giants

The term "Stadium" had been used since ancient times, typically for a running track and its seating area. As college football gained in popularity, the smaller college playing fields and/or running tracks (which also frequently had the suffix "Field") gave way to large stadiums, many of them built during the sports "boom" of the 1920s. Major league baseball enjoyed a similar boom. One of the first major league ballparks to be called a "Stadium" was actually the Polo Grounds, which was temporarily renamed Brush Stadium from its reconstruction in 1911 until the death of owner John T. Brush in the 1920s. By then, the most famous baseball "Stadium" of them all had been constructed: Yankee Stadium. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. From that point until the retro building boom of the 1990s, the suffix "Stadium" was used for almost every new major league ballpark, and was sometimes applied to the old ones, such as Shibe Park, which was renamed Connie Mack Stadium in 1954. Shibe Park, known for the last one-third of its existence as Connie Mack Stadium, was a Major League Baseball park in Philadelphia,

The suffix "Dome" was also used for the domed stadiums constructed in the 1960s-1970s-1980s. The official names of those arenas also often included the word "Stadium", such as the Houston Astrodome, whose formal name was "Harris County Domed Stadium" in 1965; the Kingdome, whose formal name was "King County Domed Stadium," and the Metrodome, for which the Minneapolis highway signs direct the driver to "Metrodome Stadium". For the aeronautical use see Astrodome (aviation Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome The Kingdome was an indoor sports and entertainment arena owned by King County Washington and located in Seattle Washington. The Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports Stadium in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota. The retro era of the 1990s and early 2000s saw a return to the original arboreal terms, even to the huge domed structures, such as Safeco Field and Miller Park. Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington

There appears to have been no consistency in which suffix to choose, "Field" or "Park". It is apparently a decision based on which suffix "sounds" better for a given ballpark name. For example, Chicago's Wrigley Field had been previously called "Cubs Park". Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Also Minute Maid Park was once known as "Enron Field". Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas During the classic era, there did seem to be a tendency for more National League sites to be called "Field" and for more American League sites to be called "Park", but this was not totally consistent either.

Settings

Organized baseball has been a popular spectator sport from the beginning. The construction of seating areas to an expected need is complemented with answers to questions about where to put the ballpark and how fans will get to the ballpark.

The earliest ballparks, such as Elysian Fields, were in a location far from the city center. Each game was an event, and fans would make the effort to travel by ferry to watch the game.

With the growth of professional leagues, and consequent growth in the quantity of games, each game became less of an event, and fan convenience became an important factor. Many professional ballparks were built either near the city center or in working-class neighborhoods, based on the expected economic level of the average fan.

Consequently, the classic ballparks typically had little space for automobiles, as it was expected that most fans would take mass transit to the games, a situation that still prevails at Chicago's Wrigley Field, for example. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Some early ballparks, such as Brooklyn's Eastern Park, were abandoned because the trolley lines did not go out far enough and the team was not performing well enough for people to tolerate the inconvenience. Eastern Park was a Baseball park in Brooklyn, New York in the 1890s

As fans became more affluent, and especially as they moved to the suburbs and bought cars, the lack of parking became an important issue. Some ballparks remedied this problem through the construction of parking garages in the vicinity, or building new ballparks with ample parking. Others built ballparks in the suburbs, typically with large parking areas. The ballpark/stadium thus became an "island" in an "ocean" of parking space.

The modern "retro" trend seeks to cover all the bases: an urban location, with plenty of parking and public transportation available.

Wooden ballparks

The original major league parks were large wooden ballparks with the seats mounted on wood platforms, although wooden parks some had iron columns for better support. There was usually only one deck, which was sometimes topped by either a flat roof or a small upper tier. The outfield was bordered by tall walls or fences covered with advertisements, sometimes fronted with bleacher seats ("bleaching boards"). Wood was a short-life but inexpensive material, and there was not necessarily any expectation that professional baseball was a long-term business.

However, the use of wood as the primary material set up a potentially major problem, especially as baseball continued to thrive and the wooden stands aged and dried. Many parks caught fire, and some were levelled completely. This problem, along with the realization that professional baseball was here to stay, were major factors that drove the change to steel and concrete construction. Some famous wooden parks, such as the Polo Grounds, burned to the ground and were rebuilt in fire-resistant materials. The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different Stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City used by Baseball 's New York Giants Others were simply abandoned in favor of new structures built elsewhere. Their replacements often lasted many decades and (retrospectively) came to be called "Jewel Boxes". The last of the primarily-wooden ballparks in the major leagues was Robison Field, which was closed in 1920. Robison Field is the best-known of several names given to a former Major League Baseball park in St

Other examples of wooden ballparks include Huntington Avenue Grounds, South End Grounds, Hilltop Park, Bennett Park, Exposition Park, West Side Park, Hanlan's Point Stadium, Sunlight Park and South Side Park. Huntington Avenue American League Base Ball Grounds is the full name of the Baseball Stadium that formerly stood in Boston Massachusetts and was home South End Grounds refers to any one of three Baseball parks on one site in Boston Massachusetts. Hilltop Park was the nickname of a Baseball park that formerly stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. West Side Park was the name used for two different Baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago Illinois. Hanlan's Point Stadium was a Baseball Stadium in Toronto. It was erected in 1897 at Hanlan's Point on the Toronto Islands for the minor Sunlight Park was the first baseball park in Toronto. The all wood stadium was built in 1886 for the International League baseball team the Torontos South Side Park was the name used for three different Baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago Illinois at different times and whose sites were all just a few blocks

Jewel Box Parks

The parks built or rebuilt in concrete and steel (albeit with wooden seats) after the days of the wooden ballpark are now known as the Jewel Box Parks or classic parks. These parks are said by many to embody the golden age of baseball. They are known for their green seats, large roofs, intimate feel, and major use of exposed steel, brick, and stone.

One other characteristic of these parks came about almost by accident. Most of them were built to fit the constraints of actual city blocks, resulting in asymmetrical outfield dimensions.

Although other sports, such as soccer and football were often played at these sites, the focus was on baseball, unlike the later multi-purpose parks, and so the seats were generally angled in a configuration suitable for baseball. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with The "retro" ballparks built in the 1990s and beyond are an attempt to capture the feel of the Jewel Box Parks.

Many (as well as their wooden predecessors) have plaques or monuments on their sites. Remnants of some Jewel Boxes still exist, such as Forbes Field, League Park and Braves Field. Forbes Field was a Baseball park in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from 1909 to 1971 League Park was a Baseball stadium located in Cleveland Ohio. Braves Field was a Baseball park that formerly stood on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston Massachusetts. The only Jewel Boxes still in use for major league baseball are Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium, although some may argue about the latter after its 1970s renovations. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City.

Other examples of Jewel Boxes include the Polo Grounds, Ebbets Field, Crosley Field, the fourth version of Sportsman's Park, Comiskey Park, Maple Leaf Stadium and Tiger Stadium. The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different Stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City used by Baseball 's New York Giants Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA. Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. For the race track outside Chicago known as Sportsman's Park see Chicago Motor Speedway. Comiskey Park (35th Street & Shields Avenue Chicago, Illinois) was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990 Maple Leaf Stadium was a baseball stadium in Toronto built in 1926 by Lol Solman for his Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team of the International League Tiger Stadium (formerly Navin Field then Briggs Stadium is a Stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan.

Multi-purpose stadiums

Main article: Multi-purpose stadium

From the 1960s to the 1990s, baseball was dominated by multi-purpose stadiums. Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of Stadium designed for use by multiple teams playing Baseball, American football, soccer, and in some The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Also known as "concrete donuts", "cookie-cutters", or "giant ashtrays", they were usually tall circular or square structures made entirely of reinforced concrete (one notable exception is Shea Stadium). William A Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea (ʃeɪ̪ is a Stadium located in the New York City borough The parks were built to hold baseball as well as football, soccer, and other sports. Cleveland Stadium, built in 1932, is considered an ancestor to this type of design. Cleveland Stadium (also known as Lakefront Stadium and Cleveland Municipal Stadium) was a Baseball and American football stadium located in Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar.

However, these stadiums posed many problems for baseball. With few exceptions, seats were pointed toward the center of the field rather than home plate. Luxury boxes--in some cases, several levels deep--pushed the upper deck far from the action (as far as 600 feet from the plate in some cases). Luxury box or luxury suite is the North American term for a special seating section in Arenas Stadiums and other sports venues Often, seating capacity was so large (especially at Cleveland Stadium) that even crowds of 40,000 seemed sparse because baseball games don't draw as many people per game as the other tenants. Often, the only times that these stadiums were filled to anywhere near capacity were for opening day and the playoffs. Due to the need to accommodate other sports, outfield dimensions were almost always symmetrical; in many cases, even the seats right at field level were pushed back from the action. While cost effective to put all teams in one park, these problems eventually caused the parks to become unfashionable.

One other modification—cantilevered upper decks—did not work nearly as well as hoped. A cantilever is a beam supported on only one end The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and Shear stress. Many of the Jewel Box parks had badly obstructed views due to support poles for the upper deck. Cantilevering was thought to be the solution. In practice, this sometimes had the effect of putting fans in the upper deck farther from the field (especially when luxury boxes hung below them), and limited their protection from the elements.

Some multi-purpose parks, such as Dolphin Stadium, were originally built for football. Dolphin Stadium (previously known as Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, and Dolphins Stadium) is a football Others, such as Candlestick Park, began as baseball-only parks. Candlestick Park (also commonly referred to as Candlestick or The Stick) is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco California

A subset of the multipurpose stadiums were the so called cookie-cutter stadiums which were all very similar in design. Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of Stadium designed for use by multiple teams playing Baseball, American football, soccer, and in some They featured a completely circular or nearly circular design, football fields that were placed home plate to center field over the baseball field, tall outer structures and often used artificial turf. Artificial turf, or synthetic turf, is a man-made surface manufactured from synthetic materials made to look like natural Grass. The first of these stadiums was RFK Stadium. Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium, better known as RFK Stadium or RFK, is a professional sports Stadium in Washington D It was followed during the 1960s and 1970's by Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Riverfront Stadium, Busch Memorial Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, and Veterans Stadium. Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, sometimes shortened to "Fulton County Stadium" was a multi-use ( Baseball, football, Soccer, Rock concert Riverfront Stadium, later known as Cinergy Field, (2002 was the home of the Cincinnati Reds National League Baseball team and the Busch Memorial Stadium, or Busch Stadium was the home of the St Three Rivers Stadium was a Multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000 Philadelphia Veterans Stadium (informally called "The Vet") was a professional sports facility located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison The Astrodome and the Kingdome are also often considered part of the cookie-cutter subset due to their design conforming to the standard with the addition of a roof. For the aeronautical use see Astrodome (aviation Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome The Kingdome was an indoor sports and entertainment arena owned by King County Washington and located in Seattle Washington. Shea Stadium is also often included in the cookie-cutter subset due to shared design characteristics with the standard cookie-cutter parks. William A Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea (ʃeɪ̪ is a Stadium located in the New York City borough All of these stadiums have either been replaced, refitted to be football-only or, in the case of Shea Stadium, due to be replaced with baseball-only parks in the near future.

Today, the only multi-purpose stadiums still in use for baseball are the Metrodome, Dolphin Stadium, Shea Stadium, McAfee Coliseum, and Rogers Centre. RFK Stadium still stands, but is no longer in use for baseball.

Modern stadiums

While most teams turned to multi-purpose parks, some instead chose to build baseball-only parks. While these modern stadiums went away from the Jewel Box Parks, and incorporated aspects from the multi-purpose parks (such as seating colors other than green and fairly plain concrete exteriors), they had a more intimate feel to them, and, more importantly, were built for baseball. While the multi-purpose parks have become all but extinct, some modern parks, such as Dodger Stadium and Kauffman Stadium, have been hailed for aging beautifully over the decades. Dodger Stadium is a large outdoor ballpark in Los Angeles California at Chávez Ravine. Ewing M Kauffman Stadium (ˈkɔfmən formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball Stadium located in Kansas City Missouri, and Modern parks can be often be identified by cantilevered upper decks, which forgo the larger roofs of Jewel Box Parks with steel columns for smaller roofs that only cover the top rows.

Candlestick Park is considered the first modern park, as it was the first to be built entirely of reinforced concrete. Candlestick Park (also commonly referred to as Candlestick or The Stick) is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco California It was expanded in 1971 to accommodate football and is now considered a multipurpose stadium. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.

In the 70's, Yankee Stadium, a Jewel Box Park, was rebuilt. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. As a result, it is now considered a modern park, though it retains many of the characteristics of a Jewel Box.

Examples include Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium, Kauffman Stadium, U.S. Cellular Field, and Yankee Stadium (post-renovation). Dodger Stadium is a large outdoor ballpark in Los Angeles California at Chávez Ravine. Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a modern-style ballpark located Ewing M Kauffman Stadium (ˈkɔfmən formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball Stadium located in Kansas City Missouri, and US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago Illinois. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City.

Indoor parks

Although mostly multi-purpose parks, a unique and important type of ballpark is the indoor park. Mostly domes, these parks were covered with a fixed roof. Reasons for this varied. The Astrodome was built to escape parching heat, while the Kingdome was built to escape constant rains. There was little to no outside light, and this caused one of the most distinguishing aspects of an indoor park, the use of artificial turf rather than grass.

A park of note is Olympic Stadium in Montreal. The Olympic Stadium (Stade olympique is a Multi-purpose stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 The park was designed with a large tower over it, cables coming down to connect to the large oval center of the roof which was supposed to raise when the weather outside was pleasant. However, it never worked, and so what was supposed to be a retractable roof park became an indoor one. The Expos abandoned Canada after the 2004 season, relocating to Washington, D.C. as the Nationals. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D

Examples include the Astrodome, the Kingdome, Olympic Stadium, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, and Tropicana Field. Tropicana Field is a Domed stadium in St Petersburg Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball 's Tampa Bay Rays since

Retractable roof parks

As mentioned before, the indoor parks were built for several different reasons, chief among those weather. However, as multi-purpose parks became unfashionable, so did the drab indoor parks. Therefore, retractable roof parks were born. These parks allowed shelter from the elements, but could be opened on a nice day. To be able to support the roof, most of these parks were closed in on all sides, although the walls feature openings or windows. Because the roofs need to go somewhere when retracted, most retractable roof parks have a large structure on one side of the park itself, which is used for things such as retail or parking. Notable exceptions include Rogers Centre and Miller Park, whose roofs fold upon themselves in a way that takes up little space when open. SkyDome redirects here for other uses see SkyDome (disambiguation The roofs often still hang over the sides of the park, and cast large shadows on the field or stands. This is countered at Miller Park by large panes of glass under the roof.

While most of these parks seal up airtight when the roof is closed, others are at least partially open. The most recently-built parks use natural grass.

Retractable roof parks can either be utilitarian and unadorned, such as Rogers Centre, or infused with retro elements, such as Minute Maid Park. Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas

Examples include Rogers Centre, Chase Field, Safeco Field, Minute Maid Park, and Miller Park. Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington

Retro-classic ballparks

In 1992, Oriole Park at Camden Yards opened in Baltimore as the new home of the Baltimore Orioles. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a ballpark located in Baltimore Maryland, which was completed in 1992 to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Going in a different direction than the multi-purpose and modern stadiums, Camden Yards harkened back to the old Jewel Box Parks. This began the building of a series of parks known as the retro-classic or simply retro ballparks.

The retro parks shifted back to the use of green seats, use of exposed steel, brick, and stone, and quirky dimensions and features common in the Jewel Box era. The 325/400-foot rule mentioned above has been rarely enforced during this time.

Teams with multi-purpose parks longed for the beautiful and classic look, and began systematically demolishing them and moving to either retro or retractable roof parks. Since Camden Yards opened, 2/3rds of all major league teams have opened new ballparks, each of which contain unique features. Also, each of them were made to be baseball-only.

U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, was the last modern park, and was built a year before Camden Yards was built. US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago Illinois. The Chicago White Sox are a professional Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Just missing the retro movement, it was now viewed as obsolete, and a series of renovations were done, including the changing from a centilever to a flat roof with columns, and the change from a symmetrical outfield to an asymmetrical one.

Examples include Camden Yards, Coors Field, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, AT&T Park, Comerica Park, PNC Park, Citizens Bank Park, and Busch Stadium. Coors Field, located in Denver Colorado, is the home field of the National League 's Colorado Rockies. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is a ballpark in Arlington Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth Texas. AT&T Park is an open-air ballpark, home to the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Comerica Park is an open air ballpark located in downtown Detroit Michigan. PNC Park is a Baseball park located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Citizens Bank Park is a 43647-seat Baseball -only Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that opened on April 3, 2004 Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as " New Busch Stadium " or " Busch Stadium III " is the home of the St

Retro-indoor Parks

More recent ballparks have been designed to look like the old style ball parks, but they have various modern features not available to traditional park design (retractable roof).

Examples include: Chase Field, Safeco Field, Minute Maid Park, and Miller Park. Chase Field is a Baseball Stadium located in downtown Phoenix Arizona, and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas

List of Baseball Parks

A list of parks by type/style:

Wooden ballparks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Polo Grounds	Manhattan	demolished 1964; now site of public housing project
Robison Field	St. Louis	demolished 1926
Huntington Avenue Grounds	Boston	demolished 1912; now site of Solomon Court at Cabot Center
South End Grounds	Boston	demolished 1914
Hilltop Park	Manhattan	demolished 1914
Bennett Park	Detroit	demolished 1911-1912 - site of Tiger Stadium (Detroit) (Navind Field)
Exposition Park	Pittsburgh	closed 1909; demolished after 1915, later a railroad yard and now a parking lot for PNC Park
West Side Park	Chicago	demolished 1915 - now site of University of Illinois College of Medicine Medical Center
Hanlan's Point Stadium	Toronto	destroyed by fire 1903; now Hanlan's Point Park
Sunlight Park	Toronto	abandoned 1896; now park and highway ramp
South Side Park	Chicago	demolished 1940 - now the Chicago Housing Authority's Wentworth Gardens

Jewel Box Parks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Forbes Field	Pittsburgh	demolished 1971
League Park	Cleveland	demolished 1951 - now public park with baseball diamond
Braves Field	Boston	demolished 1955 - rebuilt as Nickerson Field
Fenway Park	Boston	active
Wrigley Field	Chicago	active
Yankee Stadium	The Bronx	active - to be demolished 2009, but field will remain
Polo Grounds	Manhattan	demolished 1964
Ebbets Field	Brooklyn	demolished 1960
Crosley Field	Cincinnati	demolished 1972
Sportsman's Park	St. Louis	demolished 1966; now home to Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club
Comiskey Park	Chicago	demolished 1991 - now parking lot to U.S. Cellular Field
Maple Leaf Stadium	Toronto	demolished 1960 - now site of apartments
Tiger Stadium	Detroit	closed - to be demolished 2008

Multi-purpose stadiums

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Angel Stadium	Anaheim	active
The Astrodome	Houston	closed 2004
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium	Atlanta	demolished 1997; now parking lot for Turner Field
Busch Memorial Stadium	St. Louis	demolished 2005; site partially occupied by Busch Stadium
Candlestick Park	San Francisco	active - now football stadium
Cleveland Stadium	Cleveland	demolished 1996; now site of Cleveland Browns Stadium
Dolphin Stadium	Miami Gardens	active
Kingdome	Seattle	demolished 2000; site of Qwest Field
Metrodome	Minneapolis	active
Riverfront Stadium	Cincinnati	demolished 2002; site of Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium	Washington, DC	active - no baseball since 2007
Rogers Centre	Toronto	active
Shea Stadium	Flushing	to be closed and demolished after 2008; replaced by Citi Field
Three Rivers Stadium	Pittsburgh	demolished 2001; open area
Veterans Stadium	Philadelphia	demolished 2004; now parking lot and sporting facilities

Modern stadiums

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Dodger Stadium	Los Angeles	active
Kauffman Stadium	Kansas City	active
Candlestick Park	San Francisco	active - football only
rebuilt Yankee Stadium	The Bronx	active - to close after 2008 season
Angel Stadium	Anaheim	active
U.S. Cellular Field	Chicago	active

Indoor parks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Astrodome	Houston	closed 2004;
Kingdome	Seattle	demolished 2000; site of Qwest Field
Metrodome	Minneapolis	active
Olympic Stadium	Montreal	active - no longer for baseball
Tropicana Field	St. Petersburg	active

Retractable roof parks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Rogers Centre	Toronto	active
Miller Park	Milwaukee	active
Minute Maid Park	Houston	active
Chase Field	Phoenix	active
Safeco Field	Seattle	active

Retro-classic ballparks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Oriole Park at Camden Yards	Baltimore	active
Progressive Field	Cleveland	active
Coors Field	Denver	active
Rangers Ballpark in Arlington	Arlington	active
Turner Field	Atlanta	active
AT&T Park	San Francisco	active
Comerica Park	Detroit	active
PNC Park	Pittsburgh	active
Great American Ballpark	Cincinnati	active
Citizens Bank Park	Philadelphia	active
PETCO Park	San Diego	active
Busch Stadium	St. Louis	active
Nationals Park	Washington, DC	active

Retro-indoor Parks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Chase Field	Phoenix	active
Safeco Field	Seattle	active
Minute Maid Park	Houston	active
Miller Park	Milwaukee	active

Converted Ball Parks

Stadium	Location	Current Status
Exhibition Stadium	Toronto	demolished 1999 - now home to BMO Field
Jarry Park Stadium	Montreal	active - converted as a tennis facility. The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different Stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City used by Baseball 's New York Giants Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Robison Field is the best-known of several names given to a former Major League Baseball park in St Huntington Avenue American League Base Ball Grounds is the full name of the Baseball Stadium that formerly stood in Boston Massachusetts and was home Solomon Court at Cabot Center is the home of several indoor athletic teams of Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts. South End Grounds refers to any one of three Baseball parks on one site in Boston Massachusetts. Hilltop Park was the nickname of a Baseball park that formerly stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Bennett Park was a ballpark, named after Charlie Bennett, that formerly existed in Detroit Michigan, at Michigan and Trumbull Tiger Stadium (formerly Navin Field then Briggs Stadium is a Stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. Exposition Park was a Baseball park that formerly stood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of Railroad tracks for storing sorting or loading/unloading Railroad cars and/or Locomotives PNC Park is a Baseball park located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. West Side Park was the name used for two different Baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago Illinois. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The University of Illinois College of Medicine, part of the University of Illinois system, is the largest Medical school in the United States with over 2600 students Hanlan's Point Stadium was a Baseball Stadium in Toronto. It was erected in 1897 at Hanlan's Point on the Toronto Islands for the minor Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Sunlight Park was the first baseball park in Toronto. The all wood stadium was built in 1886 for the International League baseball team the Torontos Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario In the field of Road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically South Side Park was the name used for three different Baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago Illinois at different times and whose sites were all just a few blocks Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA is a municipal corporation established by the State of Illinois in 1937 with jurisdiction for the administrative oversight of public housing within Forbes Field was a Baseball park in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from 1909 to 1971 League Park was a Baseball stadium located in Cleveland Ohio. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Braves Field was a Baseball park that formerly stood on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston Massachusetts. Nickerson Field is a stadium on the site of Braves Field, in Boston Massachusetts the former home of the National League Boston Braves Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different Stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City used by Baseball 's New York Giants Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. For the race track outside Chicago known as Sportsman's Park see Chicago Motor Speedway. Comiskey Park (35th Street & Shields Avenue Chicago, Illinois) was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990 Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago Illinois. Maple Leaf Stadium was a baseball stadium in Toronto built in 1926 by Lol Solman for his Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team of the International League Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Tiger Stadium (formerly Navin Field then Briggs Stadium is a Stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a modern-style ballpark located For the aeronautical use see Astrodome (aviation Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, sometimes shortened to "Fulton County Stadium" was a multi-use ( Baseball, football, Soccer, Rock concert Turner Field is a ballpark in Atlanta Georgia, home to Major League Baseball 's Atlanta Braves since 1997 Busch Memorial Stadium, or Busch Stadium was the home of the St Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as " New Busch Stadium " or " Busch Stadium III " is the home of the St Candlestick Park (also commonly referred to as Candlestick or The Stick) is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco California The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Cleveland Stadium (also known as Lakefront Stadium and Cleveland Municipal Stadium) was a Baseball and American football stadium located in Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Cleveland Browns Stadium is a football Stadium located at North Coast Harbor in Cleveland Ohio ( Dolphin Stadium (previously known as Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, and Dolphins Stadium) is a football This article is about the city in Miami-Dade County Florida. For the census-designated place in Broward County Florida, please see Miami Gardens Broward The Kingdome was an indoor sports and entertainment arena owned by King County Washington and located in Seattle Washington. Qwest Field is a multipurpose Stadium located in Seattle Washington, USA The Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports Stadium in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota. Riverfront Stadium, later known as Cinergy Field, (2002 was the home of the Cincinnati Reds National League Baseball team and the The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is an entity established by Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds franchise that pays homage to the team's past through Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium, better known as RFK Stadium or RFK, is a professional sports Stadium in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D SkyDome redirects here for other uses see SkyDome (disambiguation Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario William A Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea (ʃeɪ̪ is a Stadium located in the New York City borough Flushing, founded in 1645 is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, ten miles (16 km east of Manhattan Citi Field is the new Baseball park for the New York Mets that is being built in Willets Point in the New York City borough of Three Rivers Stadium was a Multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000 Philadelphia Veterans Stadium (informally called "The Vet") was a professional sports facility located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Dodger Stadium is a large outdoor ballpark in Los Angeles California at Chávez Ravine. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Ewing M Kauffman Stadium (ˈkɔfmən formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball Stadium located in Kansas City Missouri, and Kansas City Missouri only Items for the metro area Kansas City Kansas or North Kansas City MO should go on their respective pages Candlestick Park (also commonly referred to as Candlestick or The Stick) is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco California The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a modern-style ballpark located US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago Illinois. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. For the aeronautical use see Astrodome (aviation Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome The Kingdome was an indoor sports and entertainment arena owned by King County Washington and located in Seattle Washington. Qwest Field is a multipurpose Stadium located in Seattle Washington, USA The Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports Stadium in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota. The Olympic Stadium (Stade olympique is a Multi-purpose stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Tropicana Field is a Domed stadium in St Petersburg Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball 's Tampa Bay Rays since St Petersburg (often shortened to St Pete) is a city in Pinellas County Florida, United States. SkyDome redirects here for other uses see SkyDome (disambiguation Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas Chase Field is a Baseball Stadium located in downtown Phoenix Arizona, and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo, Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a ballpark located in Baltimore Maryland, which was completed in 1992 to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of the American Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Coors Field, located in Denver Colorado, is the home field of the National League 's Colorado Rockies. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is a ballpark in Arlington Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth Texas. Arlington is a Suburb of Fort Worth in Tarrant County, Texas ( USA) within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area Turner Field is a ballpark in Atlanta Georgia, home to Major League Baseball 's Atlanta Braves since 1997 AT&T Park is an open-air ballpark, home to the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Comerica Park is an open air ballpark located in downtown Detroit Michigan. PNC Park is a Baseball park located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Great American Ball Park is the home of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. Citizens Bank Park is a 43647-seat Baseball -only Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that opened on April 3, 2004 Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə PETCO Park is an open-air Stadium in downtown San Diego, California. Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as " New Busch Stadium " or " Busch Stadium III " is the home of the St Nationals Park is the current ballpark for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Chase Field is a Baseball Stadium located in downtown Phoenix Arizona, and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo, Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas Canadian National Exhibition Stadium (commonly known as Exhibition Stadium, CNE Stadium or The Ex) was a Multi-purpose stadium that formerly Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario BMO Field (ˈbiːmoʊ "BEE-moe" is a Soccer-specific stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. Jarry Park Stadium ( Parc Jarry) is a former Baseball park in Montreal which served as home to the Montreal Expos, Major Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec

Unique features and quirks of current major league parks

• Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox) - Quite possibly the most notoriously quirky ballpark. The Boston Red Sox are a Professional baseball team based in Boston Massachusetts, and are the reigning (2007 World Series Champions. The aforementioned 37-foot Green Monster — which includes a field-level scoreboard and an elevated ladder (which has no use because of the new seats on top) — leads to unpredicatable ricochets, as do the oddly-angled boundaries in right and center field. The Green Monster is the nickname of the thirty-seven-foot two-inch (11 Fenway used to have a mound of dirt in left field that caused an outfielder to have to run uphill. It was called "Duffy's Cliff" after left fielder Duffy Lewis. George Edward "Duffy" Lewis ( April 18, 1888 - June 17, 1979) born in San Francisco California, was a Left fielder Fenway's right field is also notable, with "Pesky's Pole" (named for former Red Sox, Johnny Pesky) just 302 feet from home plate, but then the fence runs virtually straight away from home to 380 in deep right. John Michael Pesky (born John Michael Paveskovich, September 27 1919 in Portland Oregon) nicknamed "The Needle" is a former

• Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs) - The brick wall surrounding the outfield is covered with ivy, a perennial that leafs out in early-mid May and drops its leaves in early October. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago The Chicago Cubs are a Professional Baseball franchise based in Chicago, Illinois. Hedera (English name ivy, plural ivies) is a genus of 15 species of climbing or ground-creeping Evergreen woody plants in the family The rest of the year, the vines are bare. From time to time, a batted ball will become lodged in the vines, or even its bare branches, and become a Ground rule double. In Baseball, a ground rule double is any award of two bases from the Time of pitch to the batter the base runners are pushed by the previous runner The park's close proximity to Lake Michigan affects the wind currents from day to day or even hour to hour. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. When the wind is blowing in, the park becomes a pitcher's park despite its cozy power alleys. When the wind is blowing out, however, it becomes a hitter's park. The lack of a second deck in the outfield seating enhances the wind effects. It also allows residents of the flats across the streets to get relatively unobstructed views of the field, and some owners have even installed small grandstands on top of their buildings. Wrigley Field was the last MLB park to install field lights; the first night home game for the Cubs took place in 1988.

• Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees) - Yankee Stadium is famed for the "short porch" in right, which started out over 100 feet shorter than left, although changes over the years have made the difference less. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. Beyond the left field fences, between the bullpens is Monument Park, containing monuments and plaques honoring Yankee greats as well as others who have had an impact on the team or city. Before 1973, the three original monuments were in the field of play. Another distinguishing characteristic is the Facade, a series of archways that originally ran across the stadium's roof, and now tops the wall behind the outfield bleacher seats. The 4 train, which runs diagonally behind this wall, gets a peek in through a large gap.

• Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles Dodgers) - The view beyond the outfield is dominated by hills, and on one of these hills sits large block letters that spell out "THINK BLUE". Dodger Stadium is a large outdoor ballpark in Los Angeles California at Chávez Ravine. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA There is also a large pillar sticking out beyond home plate atop the upper level seats, that bears the Dodgers logo. The setting sun reflects off those hills and can give the pitchers a distinct advantage, which the Dodgers have capitalized upon frequently.

• Shea Stadium (New York Mets) - The exterior is dominated by large neon baseball players. William A Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea (ʃeɪ̪ is a Stadium located in the New York City borough "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis. Shea is a perfect circle, with a section cut out with it. Originally, the circle was to be completed, but these plans were abandoned, and thus the area beyond the outfield fences is sparse, and gives the stadium a very open feel. In this area is a large scoreboard, topped with a silhouette of the New York City skyline, and a large top hat with an apple that pops out when a home run is hit by the Mets.

• Angel Stadium of Anaheim (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) - Beyond the left field fence is a rock outcropping with water running down the center of it. Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a modern-style ballpark located The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. At the top is three logs forming an "A". The roof over the dugouts continues, connecting the two to form a dugout-level seating. The parking lot contains a large "A" with a halo, which once held the stadium's scoreboard. There are also two giant red caps at the front gate.

• McAfee Coliseum (Oakland Athletics) - McAfee Coliseum is absolutely dominated by a section of seating derisively known as "Mount Davis". The Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. In order to lure the Raiders football team from Los Angeles back to Oakland, seats needed to be added to satisfy owner Al Davis. The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland California. Allen "Al" Davis (born July 4 1929 in Brockton Massachusetts) is a Jewish-American Football executive, who currently serves as the Thus, the 6-floor seating area was added, blocking the view of the mountains beyond.

• Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City Royals) - The stadium is noted for having the best hitters background in the American League and for having a 322-foot fountain, the largest privately-funded fountain in the world. Ewing M Kauffman Stadium (ˈkɔfmən formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball Stadium located in Kansas City Missouri, and The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. Great Royal players such as Amos Otis, Frank White, Hal McRae, Bret Saberhagen, and George Brett gained fame as players playing in this ballpark. Amos Joseph Otis (born April 26, 1947 in Mobile Alabama) is a former Center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Frank White Jr (born September 4, 1950 in Greenville Mississippi) is a former Major League Baseball player, and coach Harold Abraham McRae (born July 10 1945 in Avon Park Florida) is a former Left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Bret William Saberhagen (ˈseɪ̪bɚˌheɪ̪ɡɨn born April 11, 1964 in Chicago Heights Illinois) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953 in Glen Dale West Virginia) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals

• The Metrodome (Minnesota Twins) - In addition to the blue plastic screen in right, the Metrodome once had a giant inflated mockup of a Land O'Lakes gallon milk bottle just outside of the right field fence. The Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports Stadium in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota. The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Land O'Lakes is a US Agricultural cooperative based in Arden Hills Minnesota, focusing on the Dairy industry The stadium also has speakers hanging from the roof which sometimes figure into play. Over the years the roof has become more and more soiled, and can be a nightmare for outfielders unfamiliar with it that are trying to follow the flight of a batted ball. Designed with primarily football in mind, the result is a rectangular, rather an a square or oval, outfield.

• Rogers Centre (Toronto Blue Jays)- The first retractable roof over a baseball stadium rests here, and is a unique system, with the larger section folding into a smaller semi-circle that looms over the field. SkyDome redirects here for other uses see SkyDome (disambiguation The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Under this sits glassed-in seating and one of the world's largest Jumbotron screens. A JumboTron is a Large-screen television technology developed by Sony, typically used in Sports stadiums and concert venues to show close up shots of the The CN Tower stands tall over the park, which was built next to its base. The CN Tower, located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a communications and tourist Tower standing tall This stadium is the last of the "squared-circle" designs that were similar to the abandoned Qualcomm Stadium and the now-demolished Veterans Stadium. Qualcomm Stadium (aka " The Q " " The Murph " formerly known as San Diego Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium Philadelphia Veterans Stadium (informally called "The Vet") was a professional sports facility located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison

• U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox) - The old Comiskey Park was well known for what was known as the "Exploding Scoreboard". US Cellular Field (formerly Comiskey Park is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago Illinois. The Chicago White Sox are a professional Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Comiskey Park (35th Street & Shields Avenue Chicago, Illinois) was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990 This scoreboard was re-incarnated in the new park, although in a smaller version. Holding a huge video screen, the scoreboard features sound effects and fireworks that go off after wins and home runs, and is topped by iconic spinning pinwheels.

• Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles) - Camden Yards is the park that began the retro ballpark craze. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a ballpark located in Baltimore Maryland, which was completed in 1992 to replace the aging Memorial Stadium. The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Its green seats, its brick and steel finish, and its irregular grandstand configuration all hearken back to the old days. Beyond the bleachers in left and left center is a wall of brick columns with black iron gates. Beyond that looms the large B&O warehouse, a very prominent feature of the park. The B&O Warehouse is a building in Baltimore Maryland, adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

• Dolphin Stadium (Florida Marlins)- Designed for football, with modifications to allow a baseball field. Dolphin Stadium (previously known as Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, and Dolphins Stadium) is a football The Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens Florida. Left field is necessarily cozy, neutralized somewhat by a 33-foot high fence across most, though not all, of left field. The fence is known as the "Teal Tower" and often knocks down potential home runs in the power alley.

• Progressive Field (Cleveland Indians) - Cleveland has a 19-foot left field wall, known as "The Little Green Monster," complete with a digital scoreboard embedded in the wall, installed in 2004. Progressive Field is a ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and is the home of the Cleveland Indians of the American The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

• Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (Texas Rangers) - The exterior is a solid one of brick and features stone longhorn steer heads. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is a ballpark in Arlington Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth Texas. The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington Texas, United States, representing the Dallas-Ft The Texas longhorn is a breed of Cattle known for its The stadium is completely closed in, with offices walling in the space beyond the outfield. This can create a swirling wind effect that gives some hits a bit of lift they would not get otherwise. Right-center field fence has an inward "jog", a feature of artificial quirkiness that several recent ballparks have included.

• Coors Field (Colorado Rockies) - While most stadiums' batter's eyes are dark colored walls or patches of grass, Coors Field takes the opportunity to feature a scene of Colorado nature. Coors Field, located in Denver Colorado, is the home field of the National League 's Colorado Rockies. The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. The area, which sits in front of a tall green wall, is a large rock outcropping with a few ponds and waterfalls, and a number of evergreen trees. Atop this "rockpile" is a standalone and very distant bleacher section. The higher altitude and lower air density of Denver, as with other higher-altitude cities such as Atlanta, also figure into the uniqueness of the ballpark.

• Turner Field (Atlanta Braves) - It started out as the stadium for the 1996 Olympics, and soon afterward was turned (as planned) into the new stadium for the Braves. Turner Field is a ballpark in Atlanta Georgia, home to Major League Baseball 's Atlanta Braves since 1997 The 1996 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an International The outline of the stands that once extended far beyond the outfield fences is expressed by a line of columns, the extra area forming the Grand Entry Plaza that welcomes many Braves fans.

• Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Rays) - Tropicana Field is a field that has had its share of criticisms. Tropicana Field is a Domed stadium in St Petersburg Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball 's Tampa Bay Rays since The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St The major one has to do with its catwalks. Four catwalks encircle the dome's interior, with the two towards the infield being in play. A ball hit off of them can be caught for an out. The two towards the outfield are out of play, and, when hit, are either a home run or a foul ball, depending on where it hits in relation to the foul poles.

• Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks) - Due to the hot Phoenix weather, Chase is fully air conditioned. Chase Field is a Baseball Stadium located in downtown Phoenix Arizona, and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the The Arizona Diamondbacks (also referred to as the D-backs) are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix Arizona. It is the only park in baseball to mix a retractable roof, air conditioning, and a grass playing field. It also has a pool in the outfield, which can be rented by spectators. The field itself is graced by a distinctive dirt strip between home plate and the pitching mound. Once uniformly common in early baseball parks, this strip is present in only two modern parks.

• Safeco Field (Seattle Mariners) - Safeco has a retractable roof. Safeco Field, sometimes referred to as Safeco or The Safe, is a Retractable roof Baseball stadium located in Seattle Washington The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington, United States. While most retractable roofs form a complete enclosure, Safeco's forms more of an umbrella. The roof is supported by large steel structures that run on tracks, and these structures are very open, barely obscuring the view to the outside. The stadium is shielded from the rain, but is still very open.

• AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants) - An arm of San Francisco Bay is just outside of the right field fence. AT&T Park is an open-air ballpark, home to the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in, that currently play in the National League West Division. San Francisco Bay is a shallow productive Estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento The area is called McCovey Cove (named for former Giants slugger Willie McCovey), and is often filled with boaters hoping to catch baseballs hit out of the park (a baseball will float in the water initially), just as fans used to empty the right field bleachers at Candlestick Park and gather on the flat ground when McCovey would come to bat. Willie Lee McCovey (born January 10 1938 in) nicknamed "Big Mac" and "Stretch", is a former Major League Baseball Candlestick Park (also commonly referred to as Candlestick or The Stick) is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco California The right field line is rather close, and although the wall angles away sharply, a "jog" in right-center neutralizes that angle somewhat. There is a special scoreboard near the right field wall that counts how many fair balls have been hit into the bay during game play by the San Francisco Giants (called "Splash Hits"). Many of those have been hit by Barry Bonds, the left-handed slugger whose presence strongly influenced the design of the ballpark, as legend says Yankee Stadium's short porch was for Ruth. Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24 1964 is a Major League Baseball Outfielder who is currently a Free agent. George Herman Ruth Jr (February 6 1895 &ndash August 16 1948 also popularly known as " Babe " " The Bambino " and " The Sultan of

• Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers) - Two brick walls flank the batter's eye, the names of those important to the organization and the Tigers' retired numbers painted in white on them. Comerica Park is an open air ballpark located in downtown Detroit Michigan. The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA Above the left field wall, Comerica has its own monument park filled with large statues to the Tiger greats. Over the left field stands, one can see Ford Field looming, which was built in the same project as the park. Ford Field is an indoor football Stadium located in Detroit Michigan that is the home of the Detroit Lions of the NFL. The scoreboard is topped by two large tigers, and when a home run is hit, their eyes light up and the sound of a tiger growl is played over the speakers. Beyond the outfield is a great view of downtown Detroit, including the Wyland Whale mural, although this was covered with a Verizon ad during the 2006 postseason. The problem with this is that downtown is south of the stadium, and therefore gives the majority of the spectators and the batter an eyeful of sunlight as the sun sets. The park started its life with an extremely deep left-center field, but the fences have since been changed.

• Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) - A train filled with giant oranges runs forward and back along the left outfield when home runs are hit. Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas The Houston Astros are a Professional baseball team based in Houston Texas. Also, center field features an uphill incline known as "Tal's Hill", much like old Crosley Field in Cincinnati and the former Duffy's Cliff at Fenway Park in Boston except that it was created as a decoration as opposed to being required due to the grade of the land. Minute Maid Park (formerly The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, and Astros Field) is a ballpark in Houston, Texas Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Green Monster is the nickname of the thirty-seven-foot two-inch (11 It is the only park in major league baseball with a flagpole in play, another purely decorative feature borrowed from the old Tiger Stadium in Detroit. A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification Tiger Stadium (formerly Navin Field then Briggs Stadium is a Stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. First baseman Richie Sexson, then of the Milwaukee Brewers, is the only player to have hit the flagpole during a game. Richmond Lockwood "Richie" Sexson (born December 29, 1974 in Portland Oregon) is an American First baseman who is currently The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which plays in the Central Division of the National League Its cozy dimensions, especially in left field, have led to its being called the "Juice Box". The Astros have been competitive in the early years of the ballpark, and the stadium fans can be very noisy when the roof is closed.

• Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers) - Like Safeco Field, Miller Park has a retractable roof. The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which plays in the Central Division of the National League In the left field corner houses "Bernie's Dugout", which is the home of the Brewers mascot, Bernie Brewer. Bernie Brewer is the official Mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball team At the beginning of the game, after every Brewers home run, and if the Brewers win, fireworks go off and Bernie slides down his slide. He also hangs "K"s to signify strikeouts. In 2006, a picnic area was added in right field. The retractable roof is unique in that it folds and unfolds like a fan, from a single pivot point, rather than sliding in parallel sections as most do. The arc-shaped trusses needed to support this roof make the ballpark nearly twice as high as it would be without a roof, dominating its surroundings.

• PNC Park (Pittsburgh Pirates) - The park was built on the Allegheny River, and its low walls behind the outfield seats allow for a stunning view of the river and skyline of downtown Pittsburgh that rests on the other side. PNC Park is a Baseball park located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Allegheny River is a principal Tributary of the Ohio River and is located in the Eastern United States.

• Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati Reds) - Sitting on the Ohio River, the park has the same relationship to the water that AT&T and PNC have. Great American Ball Park is the home of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati Ohio, USA The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. Beyond the right-center fence sits two large steamboat smokestacks that belch smoke, flash lights, and shoot fireworks to incite the crowd or celebrate an act of the home team. The most prominent feature is a large gap in the grandstand. As the outfield is towards the river, and away from downtown Cincinnati, there is a large gap in the grandstands that allow a view out to the city from the park, and vice-versa. To one side of the gap, there are three seating levels, and on the other, there are two.

• Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies) - Citizens Bank Park has a giant Liberty Bell that lights up and rings as it moves from side to side. Citizens Bank Park is a 43647-seat Baseball -only Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that opened on April 3, 2004 The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Outfield fence has a "jog" similar to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, except it's in left-center.

• PETCO Park (San Diego Padres) - A challenging factor in the design of this stadium was the presence of a historic structure, the Western Metal Supply Company Building, on the proposed ballpark site. PETCO Park is an open-air Stadium in downtown San Diego, California. The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego California since their founding in 1969 Instead of being demolished, the building was integrated into the stadium, with the team store on the first floor and the other floors converted to suites. In fact, its southeast corner serves as the left field foul pole.

• Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals) - The stadium is very open, allowing a great view of St. Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as " New Busch Stadium " or " Busch Stadium III " is the home of the St The St Louis Cardinals (also referred to as "the Cards " or "the Redbirds " are a professional Baseball team based in St Louis, including its iconic arch. The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is located in St Louis Missouri near The old manual scoreboards that showed the scores around the league, were installed up on the walls of the inside concourse, still in the same configuration they were in the day the Cardinals played their last game in the old stadium.

• Nationals Park (Washington Nationals) - The park, located on the Anacostia River, provides views of the river as well as the dome of the Capitol Building and Washington Monument. Nationals Park is the current ballpark for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. The Washington Nationals is an American professional baseball team based in Washington D The Washington Monument is a large tall sand-colored Obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington D The seats in left field are lined along the rear with cherry trees.

External links

• Baseball Stadium Art at goodsportsart.com
• Baseball Park facts, figures, photos, and more at Ballparks.com
• Satellite and Aerial Photography of American League Stadiums
• Satellite and Aerial Photos of National League Stadiums

See also

• List of Major League Baseball stadiums
• List of Jewel Box Parks

The following is a list of current and former Major League Baseball stadiums. Jewel Box is a term sometimes used in reference to the group of Major League Baseball ballparks built (or re-built after the wooden ballpark era and before the modern

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