MLB stadiums have a unique way to become a defining part of a franchise and a city, but which are the best of all time?
More so than in any of the four major sports, baseball stadiums have an ability to become intricately woven into the identity of the home team and their fanbase. Every NFL field is 100 yards, with 10 yards for the end zones. NBA courts and hockey rinks have set dimensions. That is not the case with baseball. Every field can be a different size, an over the years there have been wild fluctuations in dimensions from team to team.
Baseball teams are constructed around their home stadium. Teams with large outfields will load up on speedy players and power arms. Band boxes will lead to teams with more lumbering sluggers who can hit the ball out of the park while the pitching staff closes their eyes and hopes for the best. MLB stadiums engender a certain love and passion in the fans that pack them in a way that just does not happen in other sports. How else to explain 100-year old parks that have certainly outlived their useful lives? That’s just baseball, and it’s special.
Breaking down the 30 best MLB stadiums of all time is no easy task. These are historical stadiums that must be considered that would not hold a candle to some of the temples around the league today, but their merits are undeniable. Where will your favorite stadium rank? Read on to find out.
30. Comerica Park
- Year Opened: 2000
- Capacity: 41,299
- Defining Features: integration with downtown Detroit, tiger statues, dirt strip, ferris wheel , triangular home plate cutout
When replacing an iconic stadium that has been a part of a franchise and city’s identity for close to a century, you have to go big or go home. That’s exactly what the Tigers did when replacing old Tiger Stadium. Comerica Park is a home run on all fronts.
When he owned the team, Mike Ilitch was all about the city of Detroit, and the location of Comeria Park embraces the Motor City. The entrance is located near the historic Fox Theatre and two famous churches. A lesser owner would have abandoned the struggling downtown of Detroit, but Ilitch embraced the challenge and built his new stadium with a view of the skyline. He was also instrumental in bringing a new urban football stadium and a new hockey and basketball arena to Detroit.
Comerica Park lives up to the reputation Tiger Stadium built over the years as one of the best places in the league to see a game. Detroit is looking at an exciting future with all four of their sports teams playing in newer venues in the same central location.
29. Rogers Centre
- Year Opened: 1989
- Capacity: 49,282
- Defining Features: Skydome hotel, Views from the 6ix
The Rogers Centre, previously known as the Skydome, is everything that was right about the excess of the 1980s. Put a hotel in a baseball stadium? Sure, why not! Build a stadium to hold 50,000 in a country that is only just getting into baseball? Sure, why not! Astroturf? Of course!
If you can get past the fact that the stadium become dark and dingy when the roof is closed or that the concourses are outdated, the Rogers Centre is a very striking stadium in which to watch a baseball game. Sitting in the upper deck gives impressive views of the city and the CN Tower on a nice day. Say what you will about domed structures, there is no denying the fact that the Rogers Centre dome is quite a sight to behold when it is open to the sky.
The entire complex is very interesting, with the CN Tower looming in the background. Cool lake breezes float in during the summer, making it very pleasant to watch a baseball game with a light sweatshirt.It may be time for the city of Toronto to consider a new stadium, but during its heyday, the Rogers Centre was the place to be in Toronto during the summer. It is still an impressive structure, but it has aged out of modern trends. With an upswing in fan interest in Toronto, right now may be the time to strike and get to work on a new ballpark.
28. Crosley Field
- Year Opened: 1912
- Year Demolished: 1972
- Capacity: 29,488
- Defining Features: lights for night games, The Terrace
Always one of the smallest — in terms of capacity and dimensions — Crosley Field was the home to baseball’s first night games and permanent lights. On May 24, 1935, the REds hosted the Phillies for the first night game in MLB history. The move to night games was an attempt to help drum up attendance during the Great Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt flipped the switch that illuminated Crosley Field, and the rest was history.
Night games proved to be a hit, and they stuck in Cincinnati before moving onto the rest of the league. There were some notable holdouts — Chicago and Detroit — but there was no real reason to fight the arrival of evening baseball. Crosley Field and the Reds were able to parlay the night games into additional revenue and popularity, which was a big deal for a franchise that had always struggled to stay relevant..
One of the more interesting features was found in Crosley Field — a 15-degree slope in left field known simply as the Terrace. These were more common during the early days of Major League Baseball, when filed dimensions and bleacher locations were fluid. Some players hated the slope, but Frank Robinson loved it.
Crosley Field eventually fell on tough times in the 1950s with the rise of the automobile. There was no parking around the stadium, and the neighborhood it was located in had slid into dangerous territory. Attendance woes prompted the move to a new stadium, but if you have ever caught a ballgame after work on a weekday, thank the Reds.
27. Globe Life Park
- Year Opened: 1994
- Capacity: 48,114
- Defining Features: old-style grandstands, grassy berm, vintage bunting
It is only out of pure craziness and greed that the Texas Rangers are leaving a perfectly good ballpark in Globe Life Park for a new tax-payer funded park in a few years. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this stadium, and it has some of the most unique design characteristics in baseball.
Globe Life Park is perfectly aligned with the retro craze that swept baseball in the 1990s. The pavilion roofs over the right field stands are reminiscent of the columns and roofs that marked most stadiums built in the 1920s and 30s. An office building is built into the stadium in center field, but its architectural features fit perfectly with the stadium.
When home runs are hit to dead center, fans can spill out of the bleachers to chase the ball on the grassy berm that makes up the batter’s eye. So far, no children have been bowled over and injured by over aggressive man boys trying to get their hands on a souvenir. There are plenty of home runs to chase, as the stadium turns into a launching pad in the hot summer air of Arlington.
With the Dallas-Arlington-Fort Worth Metroplex flush with cash, someone would have paid up to build a new stadium if the team pushed for a move hard enough. Arlington buckled in the end, and the Rangers will get a new stadium even though they do not need one.
26. Citizens Bank Park
- Year Opened: 2004
- Capacity: 43,651
- Defining Features: Ashburn Alley, rooftop bleachers, Liberty Bell
There are certain Philadelphia sports fans who would have been happy swilling beer in the upper deck of Veterans Stadium until the end of time. Most, however, realized the rat-infested concrete bowl was way past its prime. Citizen’s Bank Park could not be further from the soulless Vet.
Offering views of the Philadelphia skyline, CBP is one of the nicer new ballparks in the league. It is located adjacent to the Eagles stadium and the arena for the Sixers and Flyers. Philadelphia is one of the few cities in the country that still uses the multi-sport site and parking lot approach, but it works because Ashburn Alley gives fans options for entertainment and eats before the game.
Ashburn Alley is named for Phillies legend Richie Ashburn who patrolled center field for years and laid down bunts into the overgrown grass at Shibe Field. There are dozens of local restaurants located behind left and center field, as well as activities for the younger fans. Have a cheesesteak and grab some crab fries from Chickies and Pete’s to get the full Philadelphia experience.
The brick facades of Citizens Bank Park are adorned with old-time lettering and ornamentation. These can be hard to spot with the untrained eye, and are not necessarily a focal point, but are a throwback to the old Shibe Park, which will be touched on later in this list. Citizens Bank Park would rank much higher on the list of all-time great stadiums if it were located closer to the heart of the city.
25. Memorial Stadium
- Year Opened: 1949
- Year Demolished: 2002
- Capacity: 53,371
- Defining Features: iconic Memorial facade
Memorial Stadium had been in operation under different names for decades before it was upgraded in an attempt to lure an MLB team to Baltimore in the 1950s. The original structure was built in 1921, and was home to professional football teams, minor league baseball teams, and college athletics for years. The minor league Orioles of the International League were so popular and successful that Baltimore went all in to attract the St. Louis Browns to move east. For some reason, Baltimore may have been a part of more controversial team relocations than any other city in America.
The new Memorial Stadium was an immediate hit with sports fans in Baltimore. They were so crazy for the Colts that the stadium was dubbed the “World’s Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum.” Orioles fans were just as crazy, and the O’s were MLB’s best team for most of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. With Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Earl Weaver, Jim Palmer, and Cal Ripken leading the way, the Orioles and the Oriole Way defined consistent excellence, and it all went down at Memorial Stadium.
It’s hard to believe that at the time the move downtown to Camden Yards was announced that the citizens of Baltimore initially rebelled. Memorial Stadium would be used on and off for a decade, but was eventually demolished. Today, its former site is home to a youth baseball field and several apartment buildings.
24. Busch Stadium
- Year Opened: 2006
- Capacity: 45,529
- Defining Features: views of the Gateway Arch
This is now the third iteration of Busch Stadium in St. Louis, but it is the best by a wide margin. Busch Stadium III does what Busch Stadium II could not — provide stunning views of the Gateway Arch, the most striking landmark in St. Louis.
The previous Busch Stadium was a multi-purpose cookie cutter that did not allow fans to look out to the skyline and the arch. The top of the upper deck was ringed by arches, but there were no exterior views. You could have been sitting in any city in America. This new park is a huge upgrade for one of baseball’s proudest franchises.
Stan Musial’s bronze statue is located at one of the entrances. The other statues that were located at the old stadium have been moved to a separate location. Musial warrants that type of singular treatment. On most nights, Busch Stadium is alive with baseball talk from educated and passionate fans (although good luck convincing them that Yadier Molina is not the greatest catcher who ever lived).
The former site of Busch Stadium is being converted to residential buildings in a ballpark village. Sure, the price tag might be hefty, but it’s worth it to be that close to the park.
23. Comiskey Park
- Year Opened: 1910
- Year Demolished: 1991
- Capacity: 43,951
- Defining Features: exploding pinwheels, Andy the Clown, colorful owners
Comiskey Park held the title as the oldest MLB park when it was closed in 1991. Over its 80 years of existence, the home of the White Sox was a colorful place to watch a baseball game thanks to owners Charlie Comiskey and Bill Veeck. The Black Sox threw the World Series in 1919 over their own personal squabbles with the owner, and who could forget all of the stunts Veeck pulled over his long career in the major leagues.
Comiskey Park was the largest stadium in baseball when it opened. Stadiums simply were not made to hold over 30,000 fans in that day and age. It was briefly dubbed “The Baseball Place of the World.” As has been the case for most of their existence, the White Sox and Comiskey were overshadowed by their neighbors to the North at Wrigley Field.
Veeck had some of his most creative ideas while running the White Sox. He installed the famous exploding pinwheel scoreboard in center field, created a picnic area in left field, building shower heads into the speaker horns in center field, and of course, approved Disco Demolition Night.
Unfortunately for the White Sox and their fans, Comiskey Park was replaced in 1991, just before the rise in the retro ballparks that are now the most popular in the league. Guaranteed Rate Field is just lacking something extra to put it on par with the rest of the new stadiums in the league.
22. Howard J. Lamade Stadium
- Year Opened: 1959
- Capacity: over 40,000
- Defining Features: hill sledding, international flair, kids playing the game the right way
Let’s take a quick break from discussing the standard MLB stadiums and give some love to Howard J. Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series. Yes, the field is 2/3 the size of a standard MLB field, but dozens of big leaguers have passed through the most famous youth sports facility in the United States.
No one would have ever predicted that over 40,000 fans would pack the hills of a small Central Pennsylvania mountain town to watch 11 and 12-year olds play baseball every summer, but the LLWS has taken off in popularity, especially after it was expanded to an international format.
Lamade Stadium has a special atmosphere, and you should have it on your bucket-list baseball trip. If you’re over the age of 13, still swallow your pride and take a ride down the hill on a cardboard sled. That’s Americana at its finest.
Williamsport and the surrounding areas live for the yearly tournament that takes place in August. ESPN and ABC have commercialized it, but everything that makes the LLWS special remains in place. There are international chants, the ping of aluminum bats, youthful exuberance, and an innocence of the simplicity of a game of baseball. This summer, the Pirates and Cardinals will play a regular-season game in Williamsport in conjunction with the Little League World Series.
21. Coors Field
- Year Opened: 1995
- Capacity: 50,398
- Defining Features: Mile High offense, Rox Pile, mountain views, purple seats to mark 5,280 feet
Every baseball fan knows Coors Field for its reputation as a hitter’s paradise. If 11-9 games are your thing, buy a ticket to a Rockies home game. Although efforts have been made to tamp down home runs with humidors, the ball still flies differently at 5,280 feet above sea level.
The architectural design of Coors Field is in line with the other retro-modern ballparks that were the style of the 1990s. It has elements of Camden Yards, but does seem to be too large for the market. The Rockies packed the stadium during their initial seasons, but have since struggled to fill the 50,00-seat stadium. The upper deck could have been scaled down to make a better experience for every fan.
The Rox Pile in deep center field is a fun installation that makes up for the fact that the jagged mountain peaks of Colorado have not been fully utilized in the design. The 20th row of bleachers in the upper deck mark the Mile-High point.
Coors Field, as you would expect from the naming rights, is home to its own brewery. The Blue Moon Brewery at the Sandlot is located behind the right field bleachers. Here the Coors Brewing company experiments with small batches of craft beers. This brewery has won numerous awards at beer festivals. Blue Moon was refined in this brewery, and is now one of the most popular craft beers in the country.
20. Citi Field
- Year Opened: 2009
- Capacity: 41,922
- Defining Features: Ebbets Field facade, orange foul poles, green seats
Citi Field manages to honor the two previous homes of the Mets — Shea Stadium and the Polo Grounds — while also paying tribute to Ebbets Field. The grand rotunda at the entrance to Citi Field is a dead ringer for the famous marble rotunda at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The Mets brought their orange foul poles over from Shea Stadium, and have green seats just like the Polo Grounds.
With the Mets and Yankees both opening up new stadiums around the same time, there is an interesting opportunity to study the design approaches. The Yankees went with a modern update to their original park, while the Mets went with a completely different approach. Being that both stadiums are located in New York, there is no avoiding the corporate feel, but the Mets did a much better job of creating an intimate ballpark.
Citi Field has several features that can be found in different historical ballparks. The Pepsi Porch in right field overhangs the field of play, and is inspired by Detroit’s Tiger Stadium. The interior of the park is meant to mirror PNC Park in Pittsburgh, and the design of the park has a bridge theme.
The Home Run Apple made its way over from Shea Stadium and is located in the center field batter’s eye. The rotunda at the home plate entrance pays tribute to Jackie Robinson. Overall, the Mets have done a great job to honor the history of baseball in nearby Brooklyn while also keeping plenty of “Mets-themed” features in the design.
19. Shibe Park
- Year Opened: 1909
- Year Demolished: 1976
- Capacity: 33,000
- Defining Features: French Renaissance design, A’s cartouches, terra cotta sculptures, copper roof,
The home of the great Connie Mack and the Philadelphia A’s, Shibe Park had some of the more unique adornments ever seen on a baseball stadium, and perhaps will never be equaled in terms of creativity and design. It was the first stadium to be constructed out of reinforced concrete, and was built by the same company that designed Philadelphia’s first skyscraper.
The backstory to the construction of Shibe Park is quite interesting. Athletics owner Ben Shibe had to buy up undeveloped land in a primitive area of Philadelphia, where few public streets had been constructed. He was able to learn that a hospital that had been used for smallpox patients was about to close, which would bring development to that part of town. Shibe began sneakily buying up parcels of cheap land, keeping his intentions to build a stadium hidden so as to keep the price down.
When Shibe Park was eventually constructed, it was a spectacle of Renaissance architecture, with arches, vaultings, and pillars making up the facade. The grandstand was built out of brick, and was adorned with terra cotta sculptures with baseball themes. Above each entrance, the Athletics logo was elaborately attached in a cartouche. Giant busts of Shibe and Mack looked over the main entrances.
The Shibe and Mack families would continuously attempt to expand the stadium and increase capacity. Different additions were made almost every few years, and the original look of the stadium was not preserved. Bad business dealings put the A’s franchise into financial difficulties, and they eventually left for Kansas City after Mack’s death. The Phillies played at Shibe Park for several years, but eventually left for their own park. Shibe Park did not age as gracefully as it could have, but it started off with a bang.
18. Target Field
- Year Opened: 2010
- Capacity: 38,885
- Defining Features: Minnie and Paul logo, Golden Glove, wind veil, MLB’s only bonfire
You can debate just how much common sense went into building an open-air ballpark in Minnesota. April snowstorms are more probable than not. What is not debatable is the fact that Target Field is a beauty, and a massive upgrade from the Metrodome.
Target Field pays homage to almost every big historical happening in Twins history. Home plate is the same home plate that was used for the final game at the dome in the 2009 ALDS. Each gate is named and numbered for a Twins legend. Tony Oliva has left field, Harmon KIllebrew has center, Kirby Puckett has right field, Rod Carew is honored at a separate gate in right field, and Kent Hrbek has the home plate gate.
Target Plaza, behind right field, is a mini museum for the Twins franchise. All the legends have bronze statues, a massive Golden Glove honors all of the Twins to win the Gold Glove, and there is a monument documenting all of the Minnesota baseball stadiums and teams of the past. The team’s flagpoles in right field are also the originals from old Metropolian Stadium. They had been in use at a VFW Hall after the Met was demolished.
Target Field manages to look hulking and intimate at the same time. The upper decks are steep, but do not fully enclose the stadium or block out the views of the skyline of downtown Minneapolis. All of the facades are constructed out of local sandstone, which has a unique color. Thanks to plenty of Midwestern hospitality, Target Field has consistently ranked among the top stadiums for fan experience in the league. It’s worth braving the frigid Minnesota spring weather to take in a baseball game and sit next to a flaming bonfire in the outfield.
17. Astrodome
- Year Opened: 1965
- Capacity: 67,925
- Defining Features: AstroTurf, first domed sports stadium
When it opened in 1965, the Astrodome was an engineering marvel. It was the first domed multi-sports arena in the world (unless you believe the Romans actually had a roof on the Colosseum as has been speculated). The dome was also the first stadium to use fake grass — AstroTurf. Though fake grass and domed stadiums would come to be seen as everything that was wrong with sporting architecture in the 1960s and 1970s, there is no denying the fact that the Astrodome was an impressive building in its time.
The Astrodome offered Houston fans a climate-controlled experience, while also helping to drum up rumors that the team allowed the air conditioning to fluctuate depending on which team was up to bat. There was no getting around the fact that playing baseball in 100-degree Houston summer weather was not a sustainable way to build an MLB franchise. For a time, the Astrodome was a cutting edge stadium that spawned domes all over the USA across different sports leagues.
The Dome was over 200 feet tall at its apex, and had an animated scoreboard, which was also the first of its kind. Everyone loved the Astrodome when it was opened, but it became obsolete by the 1990s. Since its closure in 2008, there have been various plans to find a use for it. Revitalization has been on the table, and the Astrodome was at the center of Houston’s bid for the 2012 Olympics. Plans to turn it into a luxury hotel also fell flat. Today, it is a state landmark, and cannot be demolished. Alas, the Eighth Wonder of the World sits in limbo while economic development agencies and legislators attempt to drum up enough funding to turn it into something useful.
16. Baker Bowl
- Year Opened: 1887
- Year Demolished: 1950
- Capacity: 18,800
- Defining Features: The Baker Wall, steel and brick construction, wide foul ground
The Baker Bowl may have been the original band box stadium. It was a tiny stadium built onto a single city block in North Philly. At the time of its construction, the Baker Bowl was a state-of-the-art facility, and the first stadium to use steel and brick for most of its construction. It was also the first sports stadium to use a cantilevered upper deck.
Philly’s Baker Bowl had the original Green Monster, and Boston’s wall pales in comparison to the 60-foot wall that rose in right field of the Baker Bowl. Only 280 feet down the line, the wall saved more than a few pitchers’ ERAs, as did the 60-foot wide foul territory, which was unheard of at the time the stadium was constructed. Fans typically had been allowed to press in as close as possible in that day and age.
The Baker Bowl was not without its fair share of structural issues, as was the case of most stadiums built before modern civil engineering practices. A fire wiped out most of the original bleachers in 1894. In 1903, a fight between a few drunken fans (sound familiar, Philly?), prompted a stampede in left field. The bleachers collapsed, and 12 people were killed. There was another collapse in 1927 when rotting wooden piles caused the right-field grandstand to crumble.
So, while it may seem as though the Baker Bowl was a complete disaster, just as the Phillies were during most of their time in the stadium, it was actually ahead of its time from a structural engineering standpoint, helping to pave the way for future stadiums.
15. Kauffman Stadium
- Year Opened: 1973
- Capacity: 37,903
- Defining Features: waterfalls in left field, crowned “Royal” scoreboard, severely sloping upper bowl
Next to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Kauffman Stadium is held up as one of the best modern stadiums in baseball. It is the only stadium in the league named after a person — Ewing Kauffman — and is one of only 10 that does not have a corporate sponsor. Since 2007, over $250 million has been spent to renovate the 40-year-old ballpark, and the results have been stunning. Kuffman is one of the finest stadiums in the league despite its age.
The Kansas City A’s and Chiefs were both slated to get new stadiums at the same time in the late 1960s. At the time, it was not common practice for cities to build separate stadiums for both football and baseball, but the A’s hastily moved to Oakland in 1968. Kansas City desperately wanted a team, and Missouri legislators threatened to press to revoke MLB’s anti-trust status. Thus, the Royals were born and given a gleaming ballpark all their own.
The K, as it is called in Kansas City, several striking features. The most famous is the Water Spectacular in right field. It is the largest privately funded water fountain in the world at 322 feet. The waterfalls flow constantly throughout the game, while the fountains blast off before and after the game as well as between innings.
Kauffman Stadium, though not a cookie cutter park, does share some similarities with the multi-use stadiums of its time. The upper deck slopes severely, and the seating bowl tapers off into nothing in the outfield corners. The K’s upper deck has one of the more unique appearances in the league.
14. Shea Stadium
- Year Opened: 1964
- Year Demolished: 2009
- Capacity: 57,333
- Defining Features: Home run apple, blue and orange paneling and neon ballplayers on the facade, orange foul poles
Although it was constructed during the rise of the multi-purpose cookie cutters, Shea Stadium stood out for its unique design characteristics and finishing touches. The Mets first official home (because a scrapped together and run down Polo Grounds doesn’t really count) had more character and lasting power than some of its contemporaries like County Stadium in Atlanta, RFK in Washington, or Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Shea Stadium was in fact a multi-purpose stadium, but it is known most for baseball. The circular bowl did not fully enclose the field, leaving empty space behind the outfield fences in center field. The 57,000-seat stadium was wide and airy underneath the seating bowl, and had 21 escalators to help carry fans around the park. There was a massive scoreboard, measuring over 15,000 square feet in the outfield.
In its heyday, Shea Stadium had several of the more unique features in baseball. Rather than the standard light towers, the bowl was ringed by hundreds of lamps that illuminated the field like a long row of headlights. The famous home-run apple that rose every time the Mets hit one out was preserved and taken to the new Citi Field.
There were a few issues with Shea Stadium, most notably its location in the backyard of LaGuardia Airport. In the early years, the sound of passing airplanes was so loud that is was picked up on radio and television broadcasts. Eventually, flight paths were changed to deal with this issue. Overall, Shea Stadium was a park that stood out from its contemporaries and was the home of the Mets when they rose to MLB relevance after being known as the Lovable Losers early in their existence.
13. Progressive Field
- Year Opened: 1994
- Capacity: 35,051
- Defining Features: white vertical light towers, Little Green Monster, Heritage Park
To many in the city of Cleveland, Progressive Field will always be known simply as “The Jake.” The stadium was originally named after owner Richard Jacobs, but his claim on the naming rights ran out after the 2006 season. Progressive insurance company bought the naming rights in 2008, but the original nickname lives on.
For a time in the mid-1990s, the Jake was the best place in the league to watch a game. From June 12, 1995 to April 4, 2001, the Indians sold out 455 straight games. With players like Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Albert Belle, and Carlos Baerga, the Tribe had one of the most exciting offenses in baseball, and the city of Cleveland embraced the winning ballclub. With the downturn in the local economy, the Indians have had to reduce capacity over the past 10 years, and the seating bowl is now under 40,000 with large parts of the upper deck abandoned during the middle of the season.
Progressive Field is lit by massive white light structures that are completely unique to the rest of the league. The towering structures can be seen from all over the city. The lights are over 200 feet tall, and resemble giant toothbrushes. At one point, the massive scoreboard that looms over left field was the largest at a sports venue in the entire world. It is 36 feet tall and nearly 150 feet wide. The scoreboard overlooks a 19-foot section of wall in left field that has been dubbed the Little Green Monster.
At one time, Progressive Field was voted the top stadium in the league to see a game. Even without the same rollicking atmosphere every night, it keeps its hold on one of the top spots in the league today.
12. Safeco Field
- Year Opened: 1999
- Capacity: 47,943
- Defining Features: Downtown views, retractable roof, extensive food and local beer selection
Leaving the dingy Kingdome behind and moving to Safeco Field at the turn of the century, the Seattle Mariners have one of the finest parks in baseball today. Safeco is the highest-rated domed stadium on this list, but it is a necessity in the rainy city in the Pacific Northwest. The umbrella roof does not enclose the entire building, and is a spectacular feat of engineering.
Safeco Field allows for incredible views of the city of Seattle, and the views are preserved even when the roof is closed. The stadium is built along the same template of the retro-modern stadiums that dominated the 1990s and early 2000s, and has an intimate seating bowl and a field with quirky dimensions.
Seattle is known for its exciting food scene, and Safeco Field was one of the first in baseball to get behind the local food and beer craze and serve things besides hot dogs, hamburgers, and french fries in the concession stands. This year, the Mariners debuted toasted chili-lime grasshoppers, and they are the talk of baseball. Safeco is on board with the crazy ballpark eats trend for now, but there are also more mainstream options that go outside the realm of typical ballpark fare.
Unfortunately, the Mariners have only reached the playoffs once since the new stadium opened almost 20 years ago. The new front office is working hard to build an athletic team that can play winning baseball in a pitcher-friendly park, and the Mariners are expected to make a run at contention in 2017.
11. Tiger Stadium
- Year Opened: 1912
- Year Demolished: 2009
- Capacity: 52,416
- Defining Features: in-play flagpole, right field bleachers overhanging field
The Tigers played in the same stadium for nearly 90 years under three different names, and actually began playing at the corner of Trumbull and Michigan Avenues as far back as 1895. The park that would become known as Tiger Stadium was opened as Navin Field in 1912, became Briggs Stadium in 1938, and was finally christened Tiger Stadium in 1960. The intimate stadium was always a favorite among MLB players, and its tiny dimensions led to many high-scoring games.
The defining feature of this old stadium was the 125-foot flagpole in center field. The pole was actually in the field of play, but was 440 feet away from home plate, so never much of a nuisance or danger. The Houston Astros played with a similar flag pole in their center field for several years, but removed it over safety concerns. When the Tigers moved to a new stadium, their new home included a flag pole in left field, but it slid behind the wall when the fences were brought in.
Tiger Stadium’s upper deck extended into right field by about 10 feet. This was done in an effort to squeeze in as many seats as possible. With the fence positioned under the upper deck, batters were able to hook soft fly balls into the seats for a home run. There were lights attached to the bottom of the seating bowl to illuminate the warning track below.
After the Tigers moved to Comerica Park, the park lay dormant and crumbling for 10 years while the city tried to figure out how best to redevelop the parcel of land. The stadium was eventually demolished, but the playing field was maintained and used for youth and vintage baseball events. A $33-million development project is currently in the works, and will bring retail and residential units to the former site of Tiger Stadium.
10. Dodger Stadium
- Year Opened: 1962
- Capacity: 56,000
- Defining Features: Chavez Ravine, dugout level seats, wavy outfield roofs, innovative parking design
Dodger Stadium is the third-oldest active MLB stadium, and the oldest on the West Coast. It was designed and constructed just before the rise of the characterless multi-use concrete bowls. The stadium is constructed in beautiful Chavez Ravine on the outskirts of downtown Los Angeles, and offers striking views of the surrounding hills. Unfortunately, its location and the ever-present LA traffic can make it difficult to get to games on time, and it is not uncommon to see the bowl gradually filling up by the third inning.
With an official capacity of 56,000, Dodger Stadium is the largest stadium in the big leagues today. A local ordinance caps the capacity at the original 56,000, and every time the Dodgers want to add seats to one location of the stadium, they must remove seats from a different area. The actual seating capacity today is slightly less than 56,000, but ownership will not provide an exact number. The seats are different colors by level, giving an interesting look when empty.
The Dodgers were the first team to include dugout-level seats in their stadium. Owner Walter O’Malley got the idea after seeing similar seats in Tokyo during a goodwill tour while the Dodgers still played in Brooklyn. These seats are now often occupied by A-listers. The outfield features two sets of pavilion bleachers topped by wavy roofs. The parking lots that surround the stadium feature a unique tiered design. Fans park in different levels based on the location of their tickets.
Dodger Stadium is tirelessly maintained — everything from the paint to the landscaping to the seats. Despite its advancing age, the park does not feel over 50 years old.
9. Polo Grounds
- Year Opened: 1890, Renovated in 1911
- Year Demolished: 1964
- Capacity:55,000
- Defining Features: 483 feet to center field, distinct bathtub shape, in-play clubhouse
Located on Coogan’s Bluff in Upper Manhattan, the Polo Grounds were one of the most uniquely-shaped ballparks of all time. Center field was a distant 483 feet away, but right field was only 258 feet. The Polo Grounds combined one of the deepest dimensions in MLB history with one of the smallest, and the park had a unique oval shape — almost like a bathtub when viewed from the sky. Mel Ott, who hit over 500 home runs in his career, took great advantage of the short porch in right field, though he bristled at the notion that many of his home runs were cheapies.
The ballpark’s clubhouses were located in straight-away center field, and were in play. The windows to the clubhouse were frequently left open, and any ball flying through a window would be a ground-rule double, not a home run. This rule was never tested. After the Polo Grounds went through a major renovation in 1923, only four players hit a home run into the deepest part of the center field bleachers.
One of the most iconic catches in baseball history was made possible by the deep center field. Willie Mays made “The Catch” in the 1954 World Series, a miraculous over-the-shoulder basket catch in the deepest part of the diamond.
Unfortunately, the Polo Grounds did not age gracefully. By the time the Giants fled town for San Francisco in 1957, the stadium was obsolete and dilapidated. The surrounding neighborhoods were becoming increasingly run down, and ticket sales were way down. The New York Mets would eventually play their first two seasons at the Polo Grounds. Today, the only remaining piece of the stadium is a staircase that runs down from the top of Coogan’s Bluff to Harlem River Drive.
8. Petco Park
- Year Opened: 2004
- Capacity: 40,209
- Defining Features: Western Metal Building, Park at the Park, unique sandstone and stucco construction
By sheer virtue of being located in America’s Finest City, whatever the Padres came up with for their new stadium design would have been among the best in baseball. Hard to argue with a summer full of 80-degree days and sea breezes. Petco Park is an absolute home run on all fronts.
The new park mirrors many of the retro parks around the league without being a full-on copycat. Instead of the standard green seats and brick that are popular around the league, Petco Park is constructed out of sandstone bricks and stucco, to pay tribute to the beautiful cliffs and hills that surround the city of San Diego. The exposed steel in this park is painted white, and the seats are blue, for the team’s colors.
Though not quite as big or imposing as the B&O Warehouse in Baltimore, the Padres incorporated the existing Western Metal Building in left field, and brought it right into the seating bowl. It’s a functional and unique use of an existing building. The Padres also located most of the team’s offices and other buildings away from the concourse to create a stadium that is more open to the city.
Petco Park is oriented with home plate looking out due north. Batters typically face northeast in most MLB stadiums, but locating the stadium this way maximized views of downtown San Diego. The Park in the Park is located in center field, and is a large grassy berm that is open to the public on off days.
Petco is an extreme pitcher’s park, but if you can’t enjoy a 2-1 game while enjoying stunning views of San Diego, then maybe baseball isn’t the sport for you.
7. PNC Park
- Year Opened: 2001
- Capacity: 38,362
- Defining Features: spectacular views of the Roberto Clemente bridge and downtown Pittsburgh, river walk, statues of iconic players
PNC Park is the stadium the city of Pittsburgh deserved after dealing with Three Rivers Stadium for far too long. The Pirates set out to design an intimate ballpark that played to Pittsburgh’s strengths. The view of the skyline and the yellow suspension bridge — now named after Roberto Clemente — are second to none. On gamedays, the bridge is closed to traffic, creating one of the more unique modes of getting to the game in the league. This increase in foot traffic has helped to revitalize the Northside of Pittsburgh.
The smartest thing the Pirates did when designing their new stadium was to keep the seating capacity low. Pittsburgh will never be mistaken for a major market, and would never be able to consistently pack a 45,000-seat stadium. By keeping PNC Park under 40,000, the Pirates were able to create an even more intimate setting with no bad seats. They also elevated the pressbox to the top of the seating bowl, leaving even more good seats for the pyaing customers.
It takes a real moonshot to clear the elevated bleachers in right field and hit the river behind the stadium, but it has happened. Pedro Alvarez once homered into a boat sitting in the river. Overall, it is a very enjoyable experience to wander around along the river behind the stadium checking out some of the better options for ballpark food. The Pirates nailed every part of this design.
6. Ebbets Field
- Year Opened: 1913
- Year Demolished: 1960
- Capacity: 35,000
- Defining Features: home plate entrance, baseball’s first full-time organist, brick and arch facade, blue seats
It’s hard not to feel as though baseball fans were robbed of an all-time great gem with the demise of Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Constructed around the same time as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, Ebbets could have aged into an iconic ballpark beloved by generations of Dodgers fans. But alas, Walter O’Malley wanted a bigger and better stadium, and he moved the team to Los Angeles.
The most memorable feature of Ebbets Field was its 80-foot rotunda surround home plate. Built from Italian marble, this would become the most striking part of the ballpark, and it is what comes to mind immediately when thinking of Ebbets Field. The rest of the exterior was also quite appealing to the eye, made of brick and soaring arches.
Ebbets Field was squeezed into the middle of Brooklyn, and had its own interesting dimensions. The right-field fence was less than 297 feet away, prompting sportswriters of the day to label the stadium a “bandbox.” At Ebbets Field, the Dodgers were among the best teams in the National League, winning nine pennants. They finally broke through for their first World Series title in 1955.
Despite its historic status, the Dodgers may have been justified in seeking a new stadium. They were wildly popular, and a 35,000-seat stadium just wasn’t big enough to compete with Yankee Stadium in a market like New York City. Ebbets Field also had its fair share of structural problems by the time the team moved, and its tiny seats, narrow isles, and plumbing problems may not have allowed the park to stand the test of time. Still, it was one of the iconic ballparks of baseball’s golden age.
5. Oriole Park at Camden Yards
- Year Opened: 1992
- Capacity: 45,971
- Defining Features: B&O Warehouse, Eutaw Street, skyline views
It’s hard to believe this gem of a ballpark is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2017. Oriole Park at Camden Yards has been labeled “the park that started it all,” and that could not be more true. When it was constructed, Oriole Park ushered in a new era of ballpark design, leaving behind the cookie-cutter multi-purpose bowls that dominated the 1970s and 1980s.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a throwback to another era — the era of the downtown ballparks that incorporated surrounding landmarks into the entire stadium experience. The park is backed by the iconic brick B&O Warehouse. With Eutaw Street running right through the stadium, the Orioles were able to create a one-of-a-kind concourse. Though not quite as exclusive as the McCovey Cove splashdown in San Francisco, home runs that land out on Eutaw Street are impressive. The Orioles are still waiting for the first ball to hit the warehouse on the fly, but Ken Griffey came close during the Home Run Derby.
The downtown location of Camden Yards helped revitalized the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, and has become one of the biggest drivers of the economy in the city. Bowls ringed by parking lots as far as the eye can see simply do not have the same impact on a city. It’s no coincidence that many of the new-age ballparks built after Camden Yards have incorporated many of its design concepts, like keeping local architecture or creating large open-air spaces in the outfield.
Camden Yards also showcases the skyline of the city, including the famous Bromo-Seltzer clock tower, but those views have been encroached on a bit by the rise of the Hilton hotel in left field. Oriole Park at Camden Yards has aged beautifully, and is still one of the best places in the country to watch a baseball game.
4. AT&T Park
- Year Opened: 2000
- Capacity: 41,915
- Defining Features: McCovey Cove and the kayakers, spectacular sightlines, giant Coke bottle and glove in left
Take everything that’s great about Camden Yards and drop it right next to the beautiful San Francisco Bay. AT&T Park has a very similar appearance to the home of the Baltimore Orioles, but is in a much more beautiful setting. Not that this is earth-shattering news, but downtown Bodymore will lose out to San Francisco 101 times out of 100.
AT&T Park is a nice reward to Giants fans who suffered through 40 years of cold at the rainy, windy, and foggy Candlestick Park. Special steps were taken during the design process to reduce the wind currents that would swirl around AT&T, but there is really no avoiding that type of weather in April and September in San Francisco.
McCovey Cove is the most famous feature at AT&T Park, and it is the one stadium in Major League Baseball today where a splash hit is imminently possible. There have now been 71 home runs to reach the drink, including 34 by Barry Bonds. The water is an inviting target for a hitter, with the right-field fence located only 309 feet down the line. To splash down, a hitter does have to clear a 24-foot brick wall with a retro scoreboard. Even with the short porch, home runs into McCovey Cove are relatively rare because a hitter has to pull the ball so sharply to reach the bay. The rarity of splash hits has hardly deterred the thousands of fans who have parked their kayaks in hopes of catching a ball over the years.
With its stunning views, beautiful design, and passionate and educated fanbase, AT&T Park is a deserving choice for top modern park in Major League Baseball. It is the perfect combination of retro architecture with all of the modern amenities you would expect to find in Silicon Valley.
3. Fenway Park
- Year Opened: 1912
- Capacity: 37,731
- Defining Features: The Green Monster, the Pesky Pole, The Triangle, the Citgo sign, the red seat
Fenway Park is the oldest active ballpark left in the major leagues. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is in the process of being named a Boston Landmark. This historical status will regulate the types of changes that can be done to the park’s appearance in the coming years. Fenway blends seamlessly into its surroundings, perhaps because it was designed to do just that.
Fenway is known for its quirky dimensions, which were a product of its location in the tightly-packed Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston. The Green Monster rises only 310 feet away in left field. The giant wooden and tin wall only got its green paint in 1947 after previously being used for advertisements. The Triangle is located 420 feet in deep center field. Its unique corners have led to plenty of cheap triples over the years. Rounding out the outfield, the Pesky Pole sits a scant 302 feet away down the right field line. Hitters can sneak home runs around the foul pole, but that happens rarely because the wall curves away sharply into the corner.
There is one red seat deep in the right field bleachers to mark a 500-foot home run hit by Ted Williams. It is the farthest home run recorded at Fenway Park. Babe Ruth and Manny Ramirez may have also hit 500-foot home runs in Boston.
There was a plan in place at one point to replace Fenway with a modernized replica, but that was quickly shot down. Fenway Park might go another 100 years at this point. The famed Citgo sign that overlooks left field has not marked an active gas station for decades, but it remains because it is associated with Carlton Fisk’s iconic home run. Fenway Park is Boston, and its legend will only continue to grow.
2. Old Yankee Stadium
- Year Opened: 1923
- Year Demolished: 2010
- Capacity: 56,953
- Defining Features: Monument Park, striking white facade, three-tiered bowl
The Original Yankee Stadium was before its time — the first ballpark to be referred to as a “stadium.” It was opened in 1923, and was the first three-tiered seating bowl ever constructed. It was initially designed as a multi-sport facility, leading to the very triangular aerial appearance. Over the years, the Stadium hosted track and field events, boxing matches, and football games. The Yankees were also the first team to install an electronic scoreboard in the outfield.
Yankee Stadium will forever be remembered as the House that Ruth Built, and the Babe took advantage of the short porch in right field many times during his career. Dozens of Hall of Famers called this stadium home over the years, including Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, eventually Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, and countless others. It was impossible to set foot into this old stadium without feeling the history. The Yankees won 26 world titles in their old home.
The most famous feature of Yankee Stadium was Monument Park, a shrine to all of the best Yankees. The park has carried over to the new stadium, built just across the street from the original. The new Yankee Stadium is a glistening temple, but it lacks the character of the old ballpark. Old Yankee Stadium was a place to immerse yourself in the game of baseball and its history, but the new park has become an expensive meeting place for lawyers, doctors, and stockbrokers.
1. Wrigley Field
- Year Opened: 1914
- Capacity: 41,268
- Defining Features: the ivy, rooftop bleachers, day games in the summer, flying the W
Wrigley Field has it all — decades of history, an intimate neighborhood feel, and quirky ballpark features. Major efforts have been made to modernize the 100-year-old stadium in recent years, and Wrigley looks better than ever.
The ivy gets all of the love at Wrigley, but there is so much more to celebrate about 1060 W. Addison Street. The ivy was added in 1937 in an effort to beautify the park — mission accomplished. Wrigley is now the last park in the league with ivy-covered walls. The Cubs are one of the last teams in the league to still use a hand-operated scoreboard, and their center-field board is iconic, as is the red Wrigley Field marquee outside the park. Even the obstructed-view seats with their massive columns have a bit of throwback charm. Inside the stadium, there are dozens of unique Cubs traditions.
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Wrigleyville itself, where the stadium is located, has become its own little mini-city centered around baseball. There has been a shift to a more corporate air around Wrigley Field with the new ownership group, and the ongoing fights over the rooftop bleachers has taken away some of the charm. All that being said, this part of Chicago is the best neighborhood in the country to take in a game, revel in the sport, catch batting practice home runs on the street, and enjoy a pre or postgame beer with friends.