In 2021 and 2022, the league performed a recreation on the “Area of Goals” web site in Dyersville, Iowa, made well-known by the 1989 film. Over time, MLB has additionally performed regular-season video games in 5 totally different international locations outdoors of the US and Canada, has performed video games in Williamsport, Pa., as a part of its Little League Basic and performed a recreation at an energetic navy base in Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
It begs the query: What different websites ought to MLB use for a recreation? Listed here are 5 to think about.
1. Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The most important stadium within the Dominican Republic, Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal holds simply shy of 25,000 individuals. MLB has a wealthy historical past of gamers from the Dominican, together with the stadium’s namesake, Juan Marichal, and Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz and Albert Pujols.
It could be a celebration of the sport to middle the festivities on Ozzie Virgil Sr., the primary MLB participant from the Dominican, and welcome again legends like those talked about. The sport would additionally showcase the eagerness and help Dominican followers are identified for.
2. Growden Memorial Park | Fairbanks, Alaska
Growden Memorial Park has hosted the Midnight Solar Sport since 1906. As a result of the solar is out for nearly 24 hours a day in Fairbanks throughout June, the sport begins round 10:30 p.m. and finishes nicely after midnight. Synthetic gentle has by no means been used.
MLB might welcome again stars who’ve performed at Growden similar to Dave Winfield, Terry Francona, Harold Reynolds, Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi. The week might additionally function the Alaska Goldpanners, who’ve hosted it since 1960.
3. Eldredge Park | Orleans, Mass.
Dwelling to the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, Eldredge Park was constructed in 1913 and is the oldest of the CCBL parks. It seats 6,000 individuals, however its quirks are what would make an MLB recreation implausible to look at. Left discipline is 300 toes and proper discipline is 315 toes, however middle discipline is 434 toes, which makes it 14 toes deeper than Comerica Park’s middle discipline, the longest in MLB.
A bandstand sits past right-center and a playground past left-center. It’s a picturesque park the place among the recreation’s greats, together with Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas, Mark Teixeira and Nomar Garciaparra, have performed. The sport could be a celebration of America’s finest novice summer season league, which has produced greater than 1,200 MLB gamers.
4. J.P. Small Memorial Stadium | Jacksonville, Fla.
In step with the 2024 celebration of the Negro Leagues recreation, J.P. Small Memorial Stadium could be a implausible option to observe Rickwood Area. It was first constructed in 1912 and rebuilt in 1936.
Henry Aaron, Leroy “Satchel” Paige, Roy Campanella, James “Cool Papa” Bell and William “Judy” Johnson performed at Small Stadium whereas within the Negro Leagues. The park is one in all solely 5 Negro Leagues stadiums nonetheless standing as we speak.
5. Barnstorming by minor league stadiums
An out-of-the-box thought could be to take a weekend and barnstorm by minor league stadiums. The video games would convey MLB baseball to many cities which have by no means skilled it, in flip rising the sport in states the place the league just isn’t current.
Groups might play at three stadiums in a weekend. MLB in Bowling Inexperienced, Ky., or Wichita, Kan.? That’s enjoyable and it offers the entire nation an opportunity to see the sport’s finest.
