John O'Donnell Stadium (Davenport, IA)

The Good: This is one of my favorite ballparks, and after Cedar Rapids and Trenton I've been to more games here than any other place. The place is a classic example of 1930s WPA stadium design, with a large, roofed grandstand curving around the infield. Several rows of box seats are close to the field, with general admission benches behind them. As pleasant as the grandstand is, however, it's the setting that makes this such a terrific place to watch baseball. The stadium is built right adjacent to the Mississippi River, and the gracefully-arched Centennial Bridge to Illinois runs parallel to the first base line just beyond the grandstand. A freight train line runs alongside the third base side, and at least one long, loud train slowly rumbles by during a game. In addition, the modest Davenport skyline rises beyond the third base bleachers. For my money, some of the best seats in all of professional baseball are the last few rows of GA seating in the third base side of the grandstand. That vantage point offers a great view of the river -- with all its barges, pleasure boats, and riverboat casinos -- as well as the bridge. As the sun dips behind the stands and the sky begins to darken, the water glitters with the reflected reds and oranges of sunset and the arches of the bridge sparkle with lights. It's a wonderful setting. So good, in fact, that there have been games where I've sat up there and totally lost track of the game while I was transfixed by the view. For a daytime picture of this view (which doesn't really do it justice), click here.

The Not So Good: While inarguably a great ballpark, there are some minor irritations: It's one of the few parks outside of the southeast that still allows smoking anywhere in the stands. The PA is tinny and it's hard to hear what's being said sometimes. Furthermore, the concessions (some of which are staffed by volunteers who often have no clue what they're doing) can get very backed up when a big crowd is in attendance. The team plays music loudly (over the tinny PA) between innings, and fields too many dopey on-field promotions. Lastly, the stadium is due for an $8-10 million renovation during the 1999-2000 offseason, which will add skyboxes and thousands more permanent seats. I haven't seen the plans and don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I do fear that the charm of the old place may be lost.