Julio Felix 2013 West Michigan Whitecaps

Julio Felix is in the Tigers system right now, and he sent a great note to me recently!

He says that he appreciates the baseball fans he hears from!  He loves his home field there in Michigan, but he says he needs to check out some more before he can say which park is his favorite.

He does miss his home state of Arizona, but he loves traveling and seeing new places!

Forbes Field 1966

I never got to see a game at Forbes Field, but I have read up on it enough to feel familiar with it!

This great postcard was sent in 1966 from Pittsburgh!

Who is that heroic outfielder with his back to the camera?

Freedom vs the Freedom

The Frontier League's season has started!

I did make it to Florence to check out one of my favorite teams, the Freedom!



Parkview Field- Fort Wayne Indiana

I find myself in the Fort Wayne area ever so often, but I have NEVER been able to time it out to where I can catch a game!  I am there during the off season, or during the season when the team is away!

I still stopped by the park last time I was in town, and I was able to enjoy a very cool farmer's market type event!

We found some great jewelry and other great items.  It was a well done,and well attended event. 

Plus, the park was very open and accessible, so you could walk around and get a good look at everything.

Oddly, the team shop was not open!  It looks like a well stocked shopped, if they were open I know of at least one person who would have spent some change there!

Still, I thought it was nice that the venue was so open.  I did see some walkers.



Wild Pitches

This is a HUGE weekend for baseball in the state!  You have no excuse for not going to at least one game in Kentucky!  ALL of the pro teams are playing!

A VERY RARE FIVE professional games are being played in the state on Saturday.  Special appearances are being made at some games; The Zooper Stars will be in Louisville, Gaylord Perry in Lexington.  Bowling Green is on the field too!

I will likely be at the Florence Freedom exhibition game for the Freedom vs. the Freedom!  I won't know who to cheer for!

AND, if you are in the somewhat professional baseball neglected area of Paducah, you can see two teams that are JUST outside of the state play at Brooks Stadium!  The Southern Illinois Miners will be acting as the home team as they take on the Evansville Otters!

I was able to get out and catch one of the Miner's play off games last season, and I am really looking forward to making it back to their park this season.  Rent One Park is a great, lively venue and Marion is a beautiful area.

West Michigan Whitecaps 2013

For the third season in a row, I was able to catch a game in the Grand Rapids area!

I can't exactly explain it, but we keep finding ourselves in this area.  Michigan is a fun state and this is a fun area.

See my previous mentions of this park, but it is one of my favorites.....

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers- Chute Wisconsin

Another park we stopped at on our recent road trip was Time Warner Cable Field in Grand Chute, Wisconsin (near Green Bay).

They did have some construction going on on the day we went.  I was still able to have a brief conversation with one of the staff at the park.  I asked about the possibility of seeing the park and if there was a team shop open.

The person that I talked to kept the conversation brief, letting me know that the team shop was closed for now and that pretty much the whole place was under construction.  He mumbled something and walked off.

I know they were a few days away from opening day and all- and obviously dealing with a lot, but you would think they would still have a ticket and merch area available somewhere at the very least.

If you are a sports fan and you find yourself in this neck of the woods, my recommendation would be that you visit Lambeau Field and take their tour.  They are friendly, and they appreciate the money you spend at their team shop.

For a review of a ballpark that realizes people stop by to patronize their team shop and to say hello (and that appreciates that kind of connection to baseball fans) see my previous ballpark review of Wuerfel Park in Traverse City.