Stadium Minor League History:
California League
1942, 1947-1958, 1962-1976
Pacific Coast League 1977-1978
California League
1979-present
Current Status:
Home of the San Jose Giants of the California
League (single-A)
What's Good: What a surprise to find this older ballpark -- complete with a friendly, small-town atmosphere -- right in the middle of one of the most densley populated regions of the country. The grandstand itself has a comfortable, lived-in feel to it, and is comprised about equally of individual and bench seating. In terms of appearance and vibe it reminded me quite a bit of a place like Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, only without the roof. The food selection was excellent -- in addition to the regular concession areas was a barbecue/grill out behind third base, which even sold veggie burgers. And someone here sure likes to paint -- along the entrance to the third base side of the stands is a series of large wooden panels, decorated with the hand-painted, full-color logos of every minor league team -- even those in the independent leagues. Furthermore, a large panel was painted with the history of professional ball in San Jose, including dates, players, and logos of the old franchises. It all was colorful, informative, and great fun to look at. Additional hand-painted pictures of other logos and ballplayers adorned everything from the walls of the concourse to the pressbox. It was all very impressive, and really added to the atmosphere at the park. Just about everything here appealed to me -- I truly enjoyed my visit here.
What's Not So Good: Mostly things the team has no control over, like the lack of a roof, the traffic on 101 when trying to get to the ballpark, and the steep Silicon Valley prices.
This Photo:
July 1, 1999 San Jose Giants vs. Visalia Oaks