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Ballparks
Register
2003
Park Effects
2002
Park Effects
2001
Park Effects
Our
favorite parks: 1. Wrigley
Field, Chicago IL 2. Fenway
Park, Boston MA
3.
Yankee Stadium, New York NY 4.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore MD 5.
Pacific Bell Park,
San Francisco CA 6.
The Ballpark at Arlington, TX 7.
PNC Park, Pittsburgh PA
Most
of us were probably sitting at home watching television when McGwire cracked his 62nd home
run. We
saw the event, sure. But there's
something about being there - the click of the turnstile, the
feel of wooden slats beneath you, the whiff of stale beer, the crispness
of a Dodger Dog, that television can't digitize.
The best
ballparks aren't just a passive stage for the game of baseball - they
inspire the action, affect the play, and become a part of the game. They
can be awe-inspiring
experiences on a sunny afternoon. They are unique, telltale hearts
- for instance, there is no doubt about what city you're in when you see
the Green Monster. Fenway Park is as much an attraction as the
Boston Red Sox.
The following is a collection of information about the ballparks of
major league baseball, but it is also a condemnation of the
cookie-cutter entertainment venues that blight cityscapes across
the nation. Of the newer stadiums you'll see here, pay special
attention to Oriole
Park at Camden Yards, The Ballpark at
Arlington, and Bank One Ballpark.
Take a look at Busch
Stadium, which has been transformed from a place where baseball is
played into a true ballpark - a story of redemption.
Also, see what not to do when building a
ballpark - Network Associates Coliseum, Qualcomm
Stadium, Veteran's Stadium, and Milwaukee's County Stadium
of course, but also a few of the newer ballparks: Tropicana
Field, for instance, or Montreal's Olympic
Stadium.
Each park is a little different, and affects the play
substantially. Learning about the various park effects is a great
tool for picking the right fantasy player, adjusting performance
statistics for MVP debates, and for understanding baseball.
Ballparks Register
- comparison and summary of current ballparks, with seating capacity,
dimensions, and ballpark factors.
Hi-Lo Index
- the ballparks with the highest run and home run single season and
lifetime park indices of all time.
For a
primer on "Park Factor" and "Park Index," click here:
Park Factor Primer
The data in this section is pulled together from a variety of source. I am
indebted to Oscar Palacios and his wonderful tome, Ballpark
Sourcebook: Diamond Diagrams, for the park factors and altitudes, as
well as for many of the facts and anecdotes. Historical dimensions and
capacities, plus general information, were taken from the Total Baseball
almanac; The
Ballpark Book: A Journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic, by
Ron Smith; Green
Cathedrals by Philip Lowry, if you can find it anywhere, get it;
Lost
Ballparks, by Lawrence S. Ritter; and Ballparks
of North America: A Comprehensive Historical Reference to Baseball
Grounds, Yards and Stadiums, 1845 to Present, by Michael
Benson.
Also check out www.ballparks.com,
a great site with more pictures, as well as comprehensive information on ballparks, football stadia, and ice
hockey venues.
Finally, the diamond diagrams for the present ballparks come courtesy of
ESPN.com.
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