Poll: What’s your favorite Cape field?
What's your favorite Cape field? (poll closed 8/11/09)
- Veterans Field (Chatham) (28%, 37 Votes)
- Eldredge Park (Orleans) (16%, 21 Votes)
- Lowell Park (Cotuit) (15%, 20 Votes)
- Doran Park (Bourne) (11%, 14 Votes)
- Red Wilson Field (Y-D) (9%, 12 Votes)
- Whitehouse Field (Harwich) (6%, 8 Votes)
- Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field (Falmouth) (6%, 8 Votes)
- Spillane Field (Wareham) (4%, 5 Votes)
- McKeon Park (Hyannis) (3%, 4 Votes)
- Stony Brook Field (Brewster) (2%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 133
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Stony Brook Field– its only because I’m a Caps fan.
Veterans is real nice though
Not sure why that Pappas thing should have surprised anyone. Nothing beats Doran overall. Chatham is nice, but parking is terrible and the food is garbage.
I think food and parking has to be included in the overall package. Doran and Lowell Parks have the best food in my opinion, especially the hot dogs.
Falmouth has good food and the parking is ok, but the ballpark is a glorified outhouse.
I think Pappas got it right with Doran. Very scenic park, good food, and plenty of parking.
I agree–I would just assign different weights to come up with my overall favorite. From most to least important (for me): Setting, Parking, Staff, Concessions. In other words my experience is most impacted by setting and parking and least impacted by staff and concessions (of course, a good announcer is also a big factor, so there are sub-factors in “staff”, I was just using the factors that Pappas used).
Well, I think a lot of people don’t weigh the food aspect that heavily. Personally, I try to eat before or after the game, or bring a cooler to the game. When you go to a lot of games, you get sick of eating hot dogs and hamburgers (and yes, I do support the teams through donations/merchandise/50-50 tickets).
Also, because of the distance between Bourne and Chatham/Orleans, some people may not be aware of the improvements that have been made in Bourne.
So far, this poll is shaping out to have the results I suspected.. Chatham, Orleans, and Cotuit are the most picturesque parks in the league. Doran is trailing these parks very closely and may pull into the top 3.
I think parking and concessions just do not have the same weight that Pappas used. I also would have slightly different grades than Pappas. For example, the parking in Hyannis is not that bad, since I’m pretty sure you can park at the prep school right near the field (instead of parking downtown and walking a long way). Parking is way better than Cotuit… at least a C+ or B-. I also find it easier to park in Harwich and Yarmouth than in Falmouth. Of course, this also depends on the day and if it’s a big game or not.
I like veterans if you can get a seat behind home plate nothing better. Seating big part of my ranking. Like Cotuit #2 and I enjoy Spillane because plenty of seating around the whole park. Parking, food, and staff not a huge factor because i get there early, bring my own food, and the 50/50 raffles are the same everywhere(hit at Doran, Spillane, and Harwich). Only thing not a big fan of is the portopotties in Harwich break down and add more or put in a legit restroom
Lowell has great scenery and tradition but doesn’t have the best 50/50 and the best hot dogs and the best everything as they annoyingly claim at each game….their fans are #1 though, as being the most irritating and classless, both home and away.
Bourne has great parking, playing surface, and best lights. Throwing the ball into the shopping cart for $$ is pretty cool.
Chatham has best view..even with a little fog. Seating behind home plate feels like climbing a small mountain sometimes. Their announcer has a great voice and excellent sense of humor.
Orleans…other than 1st base berm seating, what is to like?
Spillane has good sight lines and plenty of parking/seating. One of the best 50/50′s in the league.
YD is very underrated and has plenty of parking, good concessions and #1 staff.
Harwich has always impressed me…with the exception of portapotties.
Other fields…not worth the time to type anything.
Most Disappointing = Falmouth
I used to think they had the best field and fan experience however I’ve been disappointed over the years with the new home aluminum bleachers, demolition of the old clubhouse – which was made into an unsightly basketball court, and the new concession stand on wheels which feels like it should be at the carnival. With all the new fencing and barricades everywhere it feels like you’re in the city and hard to get the sight-line that you used to be able to get. Wareham is the most under-rated – great venue to catch a game.
Cotuit. Walking through the woods and coming upon the field was an experience I will always cherish. It made me forget for one evening billable hours, pushy clients and egocentric, self-absorbed, professional ballplayers who exclaim that getting outed for steroid use twice means nothing. I turned in my Nationals’ season tickets upon my return to DC and told the Nats’ brass to give them to charity if they can. I’ll take Cape Code baseball any day. Go Commodores.
Tell the ballplayers and coaches thank you for the wonderful experience they provided to my wife, Sammi and Young Red.
Old Red
There is nothing like bringing a lawn chair over to Chatham an hour before the game starts and sitting right behind home plate, practically on the field. Seeing the game through a net instead of a cage (like most parks) is much more easy on the eyes too.
I agree with Old Red. Give me the Cape League over the MLB anytime. No matter where you attend a game, if you are a baseball fan its hard not to have a great time. Although I give my opinions here, I love all the fields and will hate waiting until next June to see them again.
Eldridge Park (Orleans) is overrated. Terraced right field hill is nice. But I always seem to end up way down the lines or behind the outfield wall every game I attend. Food trucks are a turn off too. Plus that Firebird mascot is just creepy.
Veterans Field (Chatham) is great but those small bleachers behind home plate fill up very quickly. Field is better now with the new nets. How about some new bleachers behind them (on the hill behind the existing one wouldn’t be bad)?
Harwich isn’t bad but the food line is always too long. Last time I was there I was in line for 20 min only to be told the hot dogs ran out and it will take 20 min to steam some more. Grilled hot dogs for me anyway! Oh and the fence in front of the visitors bleachers is hard to see through.
Lowell Park is a great place to see a game, but I hate ties. Give us some lights if only for the late innings. Parking is also an issue, but who doesn’t need some exercise?
Same comment about lights for YD (those ties mess up the standings,)and the sun in your face from the right field stands is blinding. The donut guy is great though.
Spillane (Wareham) is in Wareham, enough said. Not a bad field though, after the very long ride.
Falmouth (Arnie Gov Field or whatever its called) needs a serious overhaul. Time to retire the circus wagon. Coach how about some discipline? The bull pen guys yelling at the pitcher during each delivery is just bush league.
Doran Park (Bourne) has gotten a lot better. No complaints from me. Plenty of good seating, great hot dogs! Go Mets! Hi Darren.
McKeon Park is underrated. Plenty of seating, you can walk to and from downtown, t-shirt throw, night baseball, and a good sound system add to the fun. The mascot doing the Thriller Dance is hysterical. Sitting behind home plate talking baseball with scouts sure beats the idle chit chat (about the days’ sailing, and what your making for supper etc.) you normally hear. They sure could upgrade food (the boiled hot dogs are terrible). Just give us better pitching and some power next year! Should have kept Coach Rick GM.
Thanks to all the hard working people at all the parks. We really appreciate all you do.