A Look at the Lone World Series Ballpark

As the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays prepare to meet in Game 1 of the 2020 World Series on Tuesday night, Joe Mock from BaseballParks.com has posted his annual comparison of the two ballparks — albeit with a COVID twist.  Yes, because of the global pandemic. it’s just two MLB teams, and one ballpark — Globe Life Field.  Read more here.  View World Series game schedule here.

Mock Talks Bubble Baseball

In this article penned for USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Joe Mock of BaseballParks.com provides us with an in-depth look at the “bubble” MLB playoffs that are now underway.  Read more here.  View playoff schedule here.

Skylands Stadium Jack O’Lantern Experience

The Sussex County Miners’ Jack O’Lantern Experience & Fall Festival is underway at Skylands Stadium. The Halloween extravaganza runs from Sept. 25 through Nov. 1. Thanks to John Cerone for the heads up.  Read more here.

The Field of Dreams Game that Would Have Been

Joe Mock of  BaseballParks.com was all set to cover the “MLB at Field of Dreams Game” in Dyersville (IA), when MLB headquarters cancelled the event.  Because he already put together an article for USA TODAY previewing the game and ballpark built at the famous movie site, he has graciously posted it here.  Enjoy!

Designing and building a new ballpark at the iconic Field of Dreams movie site is what baseball fantasies are made of. While we won’t see the inaugural game played today, we’re keeping the ballfield in anticipation of next year’s planned event.@MLB @BaAMProductions @BrightView pic.twitter.com/pJs6601A4g

— Populous (@Populous) August 13, 2020

Little League Cancels 2020 World Series and Region Tournaments

Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Little League International has made the difficult and disappointing decision to cancel its World Series and Region Tournaments for first time in organization history.  Read more here.

Coastal Plain League Announces Season Delayed Until July 1

PRESS RELEASE – The Coastal Plain League and its 15 franchises released the following official statement on Wednesday, April 29th in regards to their upcoming 2020 season.

Goldpanners Cancel Season, Midnight Sun Game

The Alaska Goldpanners (Summer Collegiate) have canceled their 2020 season due to coronavirus, marking the first summer since 1960 without Goldpanner baseball in Fairbanks (AK).  The 115th annual Midnight Sun Game, a baseball game played the night of the summer solstice without the use of artificial light, also has been canceled.  Read more here.

Fred Nats Host Virtual Opening Day

In case you missed it, the Fredericksburg Nationals (Single-A, Carolina League) hosted a virtual Opening Day last Thursday, which included a tour of their new ballpark.  Read more here.

Timber Rattlers to Host Summer Collegiate Teams for Inaugural Showcase

The summer collegiate Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and the Madison Mallards will play in the inaugural Northwoods League “Road to the Show Minor League Classic” at Neuroscience Group Field, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Single-A, Midwest League), on Wednesday, June 24.  This will be the first Northwoods League game played in a current minor league stadium.  Read more and watch news report here.

Field of Dreams Dreaming of MLB’s Return After 2020

When the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox finish their special game at the Field of Dreams movie site on Aug. 13, the two teams will pack their bags and head out of Iowa.  But the hope is that MLB will be back at the iconic site again.  Read more here

24th Annual Rickwood Classic Slated for June 8th

PRESS RELEASE – The Birmingham Barons and Friends of Rickwood welcome fans back to legendary Rickwood Field for the 24th Annual Rickwood Classic presented by Levy’s Fine Jewelry, Stewart Lubricants and Service Company, and Drummond Company, Inc.

Kino Sports Complex to Host Qualifying Round of World Baseball Classic

Twelve teams from across the world, including Brazil, Germany, New Zealand, and Spain will play at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tuscon (AZ) March 10-26, in a qualifying round of the World Baseball Classic.  Read more and view photo here.

Mighty Mussels to Host Festival of Beers

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Single-A, Florida State League) will host the 15th annual Ballpark Festival of Beers from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 25, at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers (FL).  This event will offer an unlimited sampling of over 100 craft beers.  Read more and view photos here.  Get more details here.

Hockey Day Minnesota Underway at Parade Stadium

Parade Stadium in Minneapolis (MN), the former home of the short-lived (1994 only) Minneapolis Millers (Independent Professional, Great Central League), is hosting the 2020 Hockey Day Minnesota — a big annual event in the State of Hockey.  Learn more and view schedule here.  Read about the 1994 Millers here.  Follow #HDM2020 on Twitter here.

Happy #HDM2020! https://t.co/PLbKMl3PNd

— Tyler Mason (@tylermason21) January 18, 2020

Segra Stadium to Host Inaugural Armed Forces Invitational

The Inaugural Armed Forces Invitational will be played at Segra Stadium, home of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Single-A, Carolina League), in downtown Fayetteville (NC) starting February 28 until March 1.  The teams competing in the three-day tournament will be the Army Black Nights, Air Force Falcons, and Campbell Fighting Camels.  Read more here.

Hank Aaron Stadium to Host 2020 Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series

The Babe Ruth League World Series, one of the largest youth sporting events in the country, will once again be played in Mobile (AL).  The 2020 Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series will take place August 1-8 at Hank Aaron Stadium, former home of the Mobile BayBears (Double-A, Southern League).  Read more here.

Generals to Add Concerts

The Jackson Generals  (Double-A, Southern League) announced Thursday they’ve made a deal with entertainment company Grand Slam Presents, which will bring 13 concerts to the The Ballpark at Jackson over the next five years.  Read more and watch news report here.

Target Field to Host NHL’s 2021 Winter Classic

The NHL announced Wednesday that the Minnesota Wild will play in the 2021 Winter Classic  hosted at Target Field on Jan. 1, 2021.  The Wild’s opponent, as well as additional details for the Winter Classic, will be provided at a future date.  Read more and watch news report here.

AppleSox to Host 2020 WCL All-Star Game

PRESS RELEASE – For the second time in franchise history, the Wenatchee AppleSox will host the West Coast League All-Star Game. The AppleSox hosted the inaugural WCL All-Star Game in 2006 and will welcome the 13th mid-summer classic in WCL history to Wenatchee on July 20, 2020.

MLB Game at Field of Dreams Site Could Re-Energize ‘All-Star Ballpark Heaven’ Development

Thousands of people will be coming to little Dyersville (IA) next August to watch the first major league baseball game played   at the Field of Dreams between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees.  One potential impact could be progress on All-Star Ballpark Heaven, a youth sports facility priced around $70 million that field owners have envisioned but have been unsuccessful in advancing for the better part of a decade.  Read more here.

Gulls to Host 2020 NECBL All-Star Game, Celebrate 20 Seasons in Newport

The Newport Gulls will host the 2020 New England Collegiate Baseball All-Star Game in July. It will mark the fourth time is franchise history Cardines Field has hosted the league’s showcase game. Read more here. The team will also be celebrating 20 season in the City by the Sea. Watch video below:

TinCaps Host Midwest League Fall Meeting, MiLB Commissioner Heaps Praise

The last time Pat O’Conner was at Parkview Field was opening day of 2009, the first baseball game ever played in the downtown stadium.  O’Conner, president of Minor League Baseball since 2007, returned to Fort Wayne on Wednesday for the Midwest League’s Fall Meeting, which the TinCaps played host to for the first time this week.  Read more here.

Announcing the Golden Bobblehead Winners

Last Thursday evening at the El Paso Chihuahuas’ (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) home of Southwest University Park, the Minor League Baseball Innovators Summit concluded with the Golden Bobblehead Awards.  Read more here.  Beyond the Golden Bobbleheads, view Benjamin Hill’s best promos here.

Hot Rods to Host 2020 Midwest League All-Star Game

PRESS RELEASE – The Bowling Green Hot Rods, Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, are excited to announce the 56th Annual 2020 Midwest League All-Star Game, presented by Med Center Health, and Home Run Derby will be hosted at Bowling Green Ballpark. All-Star festivities will begin on Saturday, June 20th culminating in the Midwest League All-Star Game on June 23rd, 2020.

Plans Unveiled for Final Homestand at Globe Life Park

The Texas Rangers have revealed details for the ceremonies planned around the team’s final series at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Sept. 27-29, against the New York Yankees. Read more here.

The ‘Fenway Bowl’ Announced

Add another bowl game to the mix — the “Fenway Bowl” at Fenway Park.  The century-old baseball park will host a matchup between teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the American Athletic Conference (AAC), starting in 2020.  Read more here.

Sopporo Dome to Host Rugby Work Cup Matches

The amazing Sapporo Dome on the Japanese island of Hokkaido is hosting two Rugby World Cup matches – Australia v Fiji on Saturday 21 September and England v Tonga the following day.  Read more here.

Patriots to Host Inaugural Ballpark Brewfest

The Somerset Patriots (Independent Professional, Atlantic League) and Tapastre are teaming up to host dozens of craft breweries at the TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater on Sept. 14 for the first annual Ballpark Brewfest.  Read more here.  Learn more and get tickets here.

After Success of First Big Concert at Ballpark, Efforts Underway to Improve Future Events

The recent Mumford and Sons show in Missoula (MT) saw a huge turnout at Ogren Park in the Old Saw Mill District.  Despite damage to the field that caused the Missoula Osprey (Rookie, Pioneer League) to miss six home games, officials are now working to improve on what they see as a successful production to make upcoming shows even better.  Read more here.

RiverDogs to Host 17th Annual Ballpark Festival of Beers Saturday

The Charleston RiverDogs (Single-A, South Atlantic League) will be hosting the 17th annual Festival of Beers at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park on Saturday, Aug. 17, starting at 7 p.m.  There will be more than 100 breweries, both domestic and international, serving up a wide variety of suds.   Like any beer festival, there will be more than just the cold stuff going down smooth — enjoy musical stylings by the Blue Plantation Band and Baby Fat Band, plus eats from Kickin’ Chicken, Holy Rolly Charleston, Braised in the South, and Bearded Dogs.  Read more here.

MLB to Play at ‘Field of Dreams’ Site

As announced last week, the “Field of Dreams site in Dyersville (IA) will become big-league reality on August 13, 2020, when the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees will take the field surrounded by fans cheering from a temporary 8,000-seat ballpark to be constructed on the farm site where the classic film was shot.  Construction on the ballpark will begin Tuesday.  Read more here.  Read about how the business community in tiny Dyersville is handling the news here.

Click here to watch three videos

Amid Renovations of Wichita State’s Ballpark, NBC World Series Underway

Renovations are currently underway at Wichita State’s Eck Stadium, but the Shockers’ home is still able to host this year’s NBC World Series.  The improvements at Eck will feature a strength and conditioning center, locker room, media room, player lounge and offices for coaches and staff.  Read more here.  Read about renovations here.

Rumble at the Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach

The third annual “Rumble at The Ballpark” welcomed 80 wrestlers to The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach this past weekend.  There were 13 weight classes in the high school division, while the college-age division featured three brackets.  All champions brought home a commemorative baseball bat.  Read more view photo here.  Visit Facebook page here.

Polar Park Groundbreaking Tomorrow

The city of Worcester (MA) is breaking ground on a new ballpark for the relocating Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple-A, International League) on Thursday, July 11.  Read more here.

Milkmen Open New Ballpark

The Milwaukee Milkmen (Independent Professional, American Association) minor-league baseball team opened their home stadium at Ballpark Commons in Franklin (WI) on Monday in front of a reported crowd of 3,284, capping off a year of construction work.  Read more here.  View slideshow here.

Wow! What a night! Thank you to all those who attended our Inaugural Home Game at Routine Field! We didn't let the rain slow us down! 🐄🥛https://t.co/AnQyVlYX3w

— Milwaukee Milkmen (@MKEMilkmen) June 25, 2019

Vibes Lead Pioneer League in Attendance After Inaugural Opening Weekend

The Rocky Mountain Vibes (Rookie, Pioneer League) now lead the Pioneer circuit in attendance with an average of 3,959 fans per game after the team’s inaugural three-game homestand this past weekend.    That’s still filling less than half of a 8,500-seat venue that hosted a Triple-A club until the end of last season, but it’s a great start.   As we’ve suggested before, we worry about the impact the lack of intimacy of a half-empty ballpark will have on the fan experience and long-term attendance.  We’ll see.  Read more here.  Watch video here.

What other baseball team gives fans post game S’mores? 🍫🔥✌️ pic.twitter.com/FeX5EH9Blt

— Vibes Baseball (@VibesBaseball) June 22, 2019

Annual Midnight Sun Game in Fairbanks (AK) Tonight

The 114th annual Midnight Sun Game will be played Sunday, June 21, starting at 10:00 p.m. AKT/2:00 a.m. ET at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks (AK).  The Alaska Goldpanners (Summer Collegiate, Independent) will play host to the Seattle Studs (Summer Collegiate, Pacific International League) under the natural light of the summer solstice sun.  Learn more here.  Watch 2018 highlights here. Tune in here (we think?).

Extremely excited for this upcoming weekend with the @SeattleStuds in Fairbanks❗️ 4 game series against the @RealGoldpanners including the 114th Midnight Sun Game Friday night⚾️ I will be streaming all 4 games on youtube, so make sure to tune in📺 pic.twitter.com/j1ajKUvcD0

— Tanner Pierce (@vofthev) June 18, 2019

London Stadium Prepares for MLB

For many West Ham United fans the London Stadium is slowly starting to feel like home, now it is more of a home run. The facility has been transformed into baseball mode for the New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox game, which takes place on June 28 and 29.  Read more view photos here.

London Stadium in stunning revamp as baseball pitch installed for MLB clash https://t.co/ohCBFFVt76 pic.twitter.com/s0wO3Dw7GK

— hypervocal (@hypervocal) June 18, 2019

SunTrust Park Awarded 2021 MLB All-Star Game

For the third time in a half-century and the first time in two decades, Major League Baseball will bring its All-Star game to metro Atlanta in 2021.  MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement Wednesday.  Read more here.

Lou Piniella, Coal Barons Highlight 23rd Annual Rickwood Classic Tomorrow

PRESS RELEASE – This annual game is set for Wednesday, May 29th at 12:30 pm and will celebrate the beginning of baseball at Rickwood Field. The game will feature the Birmingham Barons against the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Former veteran MLB player and Manager “Sweet Lou” Piniella will be the special guest of honor and will be available for autographs during the game.