BASEBALL STADIUMS:  PART THREE

The previous two articles were devoted to the origins of baseball stadiums and their progress toward enclosed ballparks with artificial turf. This final article in the series will examine multipurpose facilities and those resulting from high-tech innovations.

Multipurpose facilities

The 1970s may be regarded as the era of multipurpose facilities. Stadiums were designed not only for baseball games but also for football, rock concerts, rodeos and other sports and events to provide entertainment. They were also built to permit adequate parking.

The dominant feature of these stadiums (now no longer called ballparks) was their circular shape, which tended to make them all look alike. But to relieve the monotony, features that included fountains, light shows and exploding scoreboards were added.

Critics of these stadiums point out that, although they had a greater seating capacity than earlier ones, the seats were farther away from the action. They conceded, however, that the absence of columns did allow an unobstructed view of the game, giving them an advantage over older ballparks.

Domed stadiums

The 1970s were alos the start of an era of high-tech stadiums, including those with retractable domes. One such example is Toronto’s Skydome. It is perhaps the tallest domed stadium, and it has a hydraulic pitcher’s mound that can be raised or lowered by touching a button. And, like other multipurpose facilities, it also has a fitness club, a fast-food restaurant and a hotel.

Ballpark revival

By this time, however, fans were longing for stadiums with features reminiscent of “the good old days”: fields without symmetry and having real grass. Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore is one such ballpark. It represents a new generation in which the design, although including modern amenities, also incorporates elements of classic ballparks.

Just as a baseball game on real grass is quite different from one played on artivicial turf, so too is a game played on a field where dimensions differ from those of another. So much so, that a shot may bounce differently if it were executed in another park. And this may result in the perception that the player’s skills are not quite what they should be. In other words, that they do not “fit” the particular field’s dimensions!

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