What Is The Best Ballpark In Baseball?
Each baseball fan has a special connection to the ballpark they call home, and that means there are a lot of opinions on which one is best. Thanks to its small size and beautiful views, the best baseball park in Major League Baseball is arguably the Pittsburgh Pirates’ PNC Park. Read on to learn more about this newer ballpark and what makes it uniquely great.
PNC Park
Set smack dab in the middle of the city of Pittsburgh, with three yellow bridges crossing the Allegheny River and a beautiful skyline, is PNC Park. The most notable feature of PNC Park is that the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates has an undeniably beautiful backdrop. The closest of the three bridges to the stadium is named after Pirates legend Roberto Clemente, and the city only allows pedestrian traffic to cross Clemente’s bridge on game days, making the view even more special.
PNC Park is on the smaller side of baseball stadiums, only housing 38,362 fans. Although this size means smaller crowds, it also means that there is not a single bad seat in the house. PNC’s right field foul line is 375 ft. from home plate, left foul line 325 ft., and center field 399 ft. While some ballparks may hold more historical significance to MLB fans, like Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, PNC Park is the most enjoyable ballpark to catch a baseball game in.
The Park’s History
The Pirates have played in four different previous ballparks over the years: Recreation Park, Exposition Park, Forbes Field, and Three Rivers Stadium. In fact, the Pirates only recently moved into PNC Park on April 9, 2001.
PNC Park cost $262 million to build, including land acquisition costs. The field boasts 2.2 acres of Kentucky bluegrass in playing surface, 645 TV monitors, and 38,362 total seats. Although the organization played the longest at Forbes Field (61 seasons), the Pirates hope this new home will be the place to be in Pittsburgh for many years to come.
Other Top Ballparks
Although PNC Park takes slot number one, there are plenty of beautiful Major League ballparks across the nation. Some top contenders for PNC’s spot are Oracle Park, Petco Park, Wrigley Field, and Coors Field. Oracle Park is emblematic of San Francisco and hosts the Giants baseball team. Although the skyline isn’t quite visible from the park, the stadium is positioned directly in front of McCovey Cove, and views of the water make up the difference. Oracle Park is another small stadium, meaning you can see the game great from any seat.
Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, is another classic California ballfield. This park is well known for some of the best food and drinks ballparks have to offer, great views, and nice weather. Wrigley Field makes up in history what it lacks in other categories, and Coors Park has the most unique surrounding scenery. Regardless of what ballpark you decide to visit, you’ll find that each place the great American game is played has its unique charm and style.