Amateur | Stadium Journey

Amateur

INDIANA

The Little League Softball and Baseball International Tournament is played around the world. In the USA, they start with local district competition followed by state championships; the next step is Regional play located at five facilities around the country. There, 53 teams (50 states plus Washington DC, and a second team each from California and Texas) vie for the chance to move on to the World Series held at Williamsport, PA. The ten regional champs compete to become the USA champion.

MINNESOTA TOWN BALL

Belle Plaine Tigers

Tiger Park is a little facility possessing all of the elements of an iconic town ballpark. If in attendance, take some time to breathe in the crisp blue skies of a Minnesota summer, talk with a few locals, and enjoy those tasty franks and beef jerky from the concession stands.

Cannon Falls Bears

John Burch Field in the town of Cannon Falls, Minnesota is one of the most curious-looking ballparks. The grandstand is wedged into a hill and hovers ten feet above the playing field, while the left field borders against a river. The Cannon Falls Bears have been playing baseball on this site since 1938, but its current grandstand was constructed in 1984.

Chaska Cubs

I will not be the one who disagrees with anyone who calls Athletic Park “one of the jewels of town ballparks in Minnesota.”It is a classic baseball stadium, one that is in superb condition and still servicing baseball fans for almost seven decades.The town of Chaska is fortunate to have this historic venue still residing in their town. Its location to the Twin Cities makes it extremely easy and affordable to visit and soak in all of that beautiful nostalgia.

Jordan Brewers

The Mini Met in Jordan, Minnesota is considered one of the finest town ball ballparks in the state and one of the most unusual-looking baseball facilities in the country. The home of the Jordan Brewers (Class C) team of the River Valley League has been a fixture in the city since 1935.

Miesville Mudhens

Take one look at Jack Ruhr Field and it all begins to seep in; the small ballpark located off a state road in tiny Miesville, Minnesota, is just off the beaten path, but close enough to the Twin Cities for a quick visit for any ballpark traveler. It’s the one town ballpark that everyone seems to mention as their favorite, even author Todd Mueller described it as the ‘ground zero for Minnesota baseball” in his book Town Ballparks of Baseball.

Minneapolis Blue Sox

Parade Stadium is the home to the Minneapolis Blue Sox baseball club and perhaps offers one of the best views not only in the Twin Cities but in all of Minnesota. The ballpark is located in the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis and adjacent to the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The Minneapolis Blue Sox are a townball league and members of the Section 5B Park National division with several other teams from within the city. The ballpark is also used by Augsburg Universi

MINNESOTA TOWN BALL

Belle Plaine Tigers

Tiger Park is a little facility possessing all of the elements of an iconic town ballpark. If in attendance, take some time to breathe in the crisp blue skies of a Minnesota summer, talk with a few locals, and enjoy those tasty franks and beef jerky from the concession stands.

Cannon Falls Bears

John Burch Field in the town of Cannon Falls, Minnesota is one of the most curious-looking ballparks. The grandstand is wedged into a hill and hovers ten feet above the playing field, while the left field borders against a river. The Cannon Falls Bears have been playing baseball on this site since 1938, but its current grandstand was constructed in 1984.

Chaska Cubs

I will not be the one who disagrees with anyone who calls Athletic Park “one of the jewels of town ballparks in Minnesota.”It is a classic baseball stadium, one that is in superb condition and still servicing baseball fans for almost seven decades.The town of Chaska is fortunate to have this historic venue still residing in their town. Its location to the Twin Cities makes it extremely easy and affordable to visit and soak in all of that beautiful nostalgia.

Jordan Brewers

The Mini Met in Jordan, Minnesota is considered one of the finest town ball ballparks in the state and one of the most unusual-looking baseball facilities in the country. The home of the Jordan Brewers (Class C) team of the River Valley League has been a fixture in the city since 1935.

Miesville Mudhens

Take one look at Jack Ruhr Field and it all begins to seep in; the small ballpark located off a state road in tiny Miesville, Minnesota, is just off the beaten path, but close enough to the Twin Cities for a quick visit for any ballpark traveler. It’s the one town ballpark that everyone seems to mention as their favorite, even author Todd Mueller described it as the ‘ground zero for Minnesota baseball” in his book Town Ballparks of Baseball.

Minneapolis Blue Sox

Parade Stadium is the home to the Minneapolis Blue Sox baseball club and perhaps offers one of the best views not only in the Twin Cities but in all of Minnesota. The ballpark is located in the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis and adjacent to the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The Minneapolis Blue Sox are a townball league and members of the Section 5B Park National division with several other teams from within the city. The ballpark is also used by Augsburg Universi

MISSISSIPPI

Dixie Youth Baseball World Series

he drive from the Mississippi Gulf Coast to Hattiesburg is about an hour and a half north on rural Highway 49. As soon as you get to the 'Burg and take the turn onto Hardy Street, the city's major east-west highway, you will see the Southern Miss campus on the right with a giant banner that says, "Welcome to Baseburg" – by 2023 the Hub City nickname was unofficially replaced by Baseburg thanks in part to the city's recent success in the sport. Southern Miss recently finished 2023 with a second

OHIO

Cincinnati Spikes

Prasco Park is one of the best-kept secrets in baseball. When you can allow fans into the facility for free and then offer free food and drink, you have something special. The design or the right-field viewing deck is worth the price of admission if the team charged admission.

ONTARIO (INTERCOUNTY BASEBALL LEAGUE)

Barrie Baycats

On the doorstep of Ontario’s Cottage Country, the City of Barrie lays claim to the seven-time Intercounty Baseball League Champion, Barrie Baycats.

Brantford Red Sox

A trip to the Brantford Red Sox will bring fans back to baseball’s simpler times.

Chatham-Kent Barnstormers

Chatham, Ontario is the home of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins. Arguably the greatest Canadian baseball player ever, Fergie Jenkins’ mark on his hometown is significant. His link to Chatham baseball is even deeper as his father played for the 1934 Chatham Coloured All-Stars, which became the first black baseball team to win the Ontario baseball championship. In 2024, baseball in Chatham kicked it up a notch with its entry into the Intercounty Baseball League; the Chatham-Kent

Guelph Royals

It is nothing but a positive to have one of the cornerstone franchises of the Intercounty Baseball League back on the diamond. The Guelph Royals have been welcomed back with open arms after a covid hiatus.

Hamilton Cardinals

There has been a Hamilton team as part of the independent Intercounty Baseball League in Ontario since 1958. For the lion’s share of that duration, the team was named the Cardinals. Originally known as the Hamilton Beavers, Hamilton has also been known as the Red Wings, Marlins, Real McCoys, and Thunderbirds.

Kitchener Panthers

The Kitchener Panthers are one of the founding franchises in the Intercounty Baseball League, which services Southern Ontario.

London Majors

It is hard to argue with the staying power that the London Majors have demonstrated along with the Intercounty Baseball League. Getting to see a game at Labatt Memorial Park is a treat and those hardcore baseball travelers who want to see a piece of history should definitely take advantage of an opportunity to catch the Majors.

Welland Jackfish

Moving to Welland from Burlington and rebranding in 2019, the Jackfish are attempting to break the mold from the traditional aspects of Intercounty Baseball.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs are a community team that does not sell tickets. It is free for fans to walk up and stay for a while.

PENNSYLVANIA

Boyertown Bears

The year 1982 was a magical year for the town of Boyertown. The small town about an hour north of Philadelphia debuted a brand-new ballpark on August 17 that was unlike anything seen before in the area. Later on that season the stadium hosted the American Legion World Series and wouldn’t you know it, the local team captured its first championship in front of a hometown crowd of 6,563 who packed the building for the 14-8 victory of Lafayette, California, in the decisive game.

Limeport Stadium

Limeport Stadium is somewhat off the radar of ballparks for many a sports traveler. However, this could be a good thing, since the atmosphere, location, and setting does not feel altered from when Mr. Fegley first played baseball at this site. The ballpark is a pure treat for anyone who enters through its doors and takes a seat underneath its roof. If he were alive today, you could bet he would be smiling that his stadium is still being put to good use. I am sure somewhere he is grinning at this

OREGON (MAVERICKS LEAGUE)

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes

Nicknamed “Oregon’s Field Of Dreams,” Volcanoes Stadium is the home of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, the San Francisco Giants Short-Season Class A baseball team in the Northwest League. The team began operations in 1997, the same year the stadium opened. The organization was transferred from Bellingham and return minor league baseball to Salem after an eight-year absence. The city’s first professional team were the Salem Senators who played from 1940-1965 under a few different names/affiliations.

PENNSYLVANIA (BLUE MOUNTAIN LEAGUE)

Limeport Stadium

Somewhere through the rolling hills and farmland hides Limeport Stadium, an 85-year-old ballpark has been the home to both amateur and high school baseball since 1933. Its capacity is 1,100 and was the brainchild of Howard “Lefty” Fegley, a local dairy farmer who had such a passion for the game that he employed 75-100 workers at a rate of 10-14 cents an hour to construct a ballpark adjacent to his home and dairy farm. The final cost of the stadium has been debated at between $22,000 to $75,000.

VIRGINIA (ROCKINGHAM COUNTY BASEBALL LEAGUE)

Broadway Bruins

Like the rest of the RCBL, a Broadway Bruins game is small town baseball at its finest, an experience for the whole community to enjoy.

Clover Hill Bucks

Buck Bowman Park, known locally as the Clover Dome, is the home of the Clover Hill Bucks of the Rockingham County Baseball League. One of the last remaining parks with a wooden grandstand, the Clover Dome is rich in history and a trip not to be missed for baseball fans in Virginia.

Elkton Blue Sox

Small town baseball is alive and well in Elkton, as the Elkton Blue Sox play their home games in Stonewall Memorial Park.

Grottoes Cardinals

Grottoes Cardinals baseball is a fine example of what small town baseball is like in the Rockingham County Baseball League. seems like the whole town comes out to enjoy the game, and while that's an exaggeration, it isn't exaggerating by much. Most baseball fans outside Rockingham County don't know the league exists, even if they're from nearby locations in Virginia. But fans in Grottoes love the Cardinals, and the community baseball here is a great fan experience.

Massanutten Mountaineers

The Massanutten Mountaineers are the newest franchise in the RCBL, having joined in the 2024 season. They play their home games at Spotswood High School in Penn Laird, at the foot of Massanutten Mountain, which is visible behind home plate. In 2023, the RCBL Shockers played at Spotswood after relocating from New Market, where they had shared Rebel Park with the New Market Rebels of the Valley Baseball League for many years. However, officially the Mountaineers are a new franchise.

VIRGINIA (OTHER)

Salem Kiwanis Field

Originally known as Salem Memorial Ballpark, the ballpark debuted in 1932 and offers a seating capacity of 5,000. It served home to numerous minor league franchises that included the Salem Friends, Rebels, Pirates, Redbirds, Buccaneers, and the Avalanche. The stadium’s current name was changed in 1995 since the new stadium’s site was previously owned by the Kiwanis Club; the old park took the Kiwanis name shortly after Memorial Stadium debuted

Tappahannock Tides

The Tappahannock Tides play in the NABA (National Adult Baseball Association) Richmond league. The NABA is an 18 and over wood bat competitive league featuring former college and high school baseball players. The NABA Richmond is comprised of teams throughout the city of Richmond and nearby towns Tappahannock and Deltaville. The typical season runs May through August, and each team plays an average of 15 games plus playoffs.

WISCONSIN

Green Bay Blue Ribbons

Attending a game at Joannes Stadium to watch a Wisconsin State League game is an interesting experience. The games are miles away from what you would expect at either a nearby Midwest or Northwoods League game, but the concession prices are affordable and there is great local beer sold on draft. The Dodger management will no doubt make the experience somewhat more alluring when it rebrands as the Blue Ribbons in 2020 and perhaps will make a nice alternative for your baseball dollar in Green Bay.