Stadium Minor League History:
Three-I League
1937-1941
Central Association
1947-1949
Mississippi-Ohio Valley League 1954-1955
Midwest League
1956-present
Current Status: Home of the Clinton Lumberkings of the Midwest League (single-A)
What's Good: This ballpark is like a time warp back to a earlier age of baseball, and is just a terrific place to see a game. The simple, roofed grandstand stretches around the infield, while a nifty art deco facade graces the main entrance, and food, beer, and tickets are all very reasonably priced. There's usually not a whole lot of people here, which long-term is probably bad for the team, but makes going to individual games much more pleasant, since there's room to move around, stretch out, and talk to the regulars. This is also the site of my first ever minor league game, in which I heckled Dmitri Young of the visiting Springfield Cardinals and he subsequently refused to sign my program (though a few years later in Little Rock he officially forgave me and gave me his autograph). I've since learned my lesson, of course, and am much kinder to players these days.
What's Not So Good: About 3/4 of the grandstand is behind the backstop net, the field's not always in the greatest shape, and the team may not be around long since the league thinks attendance is too low (let's keep in mind that Clinton only has a population of about 28,000).
This Photo:
July 27, 1997
Clinton Lumberkings vs. Kane County Cougars