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Wahconah Park (Pittsfield, MA)

Photo of Wahconah Park

photo taken on August 29, 1993, Pittsfield Mets vs. Glens Falls Redbirds

Year Opened: 1919

Capacity: 4,500 (1999)

Team: Pittsfield Astros

League: New York-Penn League (A (short season)

LF: 334

CF: 374

RF: 333

The Good: Wahconah Park is a real one-of-a-kind place, and a throwback to another era. One of the last remaining wooden ballparks in the country, it's also one of only two in which the batter faces the setting sun in the early evening (the other is Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield, California). Depending on your point of view, the ballpark is either a run-down relic ready for the wrecking ball or a charming, quirky slice of baseball history -- and I definitely subscribe to the latter interpretation. The main grandstand, complete with a full roof, really is constructed of wood. Plastic owls dangle from the rafters to thwart birds from nesting, and the "box" seats are simply folding chairs in the first few rows. With its ancient facilities and its setting in a mostly residential neighborhood, seeing a game here is a wonderful trip back in baseball history.

The Not So Good: Not a whole lot, if you like historic or unique ballparks. On a hot day it can get stuffy under the roof due to a lack of good ventilation, but there's always the box seats or the bleachers if fans get too uncomfortable up there.
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