Shaw Park

Winnipeg Goldeyes, American Association

9/10

The park has a decent looking facade from across the street.

This place looks about 7-10 years newer than it actually is.

The backdrop is pleasant, but nothing spectacular.

I swung through Winnipeg after a game in St. Paul the night before. Unlike in St. Paul, I had plenty of time to drive and made it across the border and into the area around 90 minutes before the game started. I was into the park around 45 minutes before the first pitch, which came with large clouds overhead and a risk of thundershowers. I had a good amount of time to fully look around. The food options here could be the best I've seen anywhere. The "Hu's on First Asian Bistro" has been replaced with an Indian restaurant, which has a few other locations than besides the ballpark. There's also a pizza chain, plus another local chain, Salisbury House, which I was almost into, but I went to the Indian cart for some great Butter Chicken instead.

It's hard to believe this park was opened in 1999, as it looks and feels like something from the mid 2000s, if not later. A pretty wide open concourse goes from roughly foul pole to foul pole, with a good view of the field all the way. There is an upper deck, featuring suites with both a few rows of seating and an enclosed back area, which on a cooler, damp night like this, would have been a plus. It's amazingly well designed. I parked a block and a half away, I think for under 10 dollars.

The Goldeyes were in the midst of a late season charge for a wildcard berth, with Fargo-Moorhead, having also had a good year, but missing the playoffs, in town for a Saturday nighter. The visitors stormed out to a 4 run first and a 6-0 lead, but the Goldeyes persevered and went up 8-6, before spotty showers at some points during the game, turned into a total and utter monsoon in the middle of 8. After about 20 minutes, it wasn't so much about when the game would continue, as the field was clearly unplayable, but how would we all get to the car?

The atmosphere, while interested in the pennant, wasn't much more than that. It was a slightly cool night with storms in the forecast, so some likely stayed home. I'd been wanting to get this one in for a long while and was not dissapointed, as the food and park are a cut above, only the atmosphere keeps this from a 10 and even that's not by much.

Linescore
                                                  123   456   789 RHE
Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks          400  200  00X  692
Winnipeg Goldeyes                       000  033  2XX 881
Temp: 27C  Time: 3:06  Att: 5,289
From Boxscore: Game delayed 29 minutes by rain. Game called after field deemed unplayable.

Kindrick Legion Field

Helena Brewers, Pioneer League

8/10

A better picture of the exterior from 2015, still painted sheet metal.

A lighter moment as the sprinklers suddenly turn on during the game in 2015 gave as good a chance as any to get a picture from behind home.

There are a few more stands down the first base line, but this is what there is behind home plate. A very basic stand.

I stuck the lens through the mesh during a break in play in 2010 and got this picture, which is still one of my favourites from anywhere.

 I went here in 2010 as part of a 3 park Pioneer League loop with my stepbrother. This is an old park, originally dating from the 1930's. It is a VERY simple wooden grandstand. It's located off of US 12, just north of downtown. It was a bit difficult to find, as it's not actually next to the street, but down a hard to see side street, which leads to a gravel lot. We parked for free about two blocks east.

The stadium has no real concourse to speak of, but a fenced in area behind the grandstand. Concessions offered a good variety, but especially of ice cream, which can be a requirement in Montana. The stadium was renovated by adding bright orange stadium seats which were removed from the Oakland Coliseum, when "Mount Davis" was built there. My cup holder still had an Oakland A's logo stuck to it.

If the stadium itself is less of an old gem and more aging, the atmosphere is incredible. Helena are last in attendance for the Pioneer League, but draw a little under a thousand a game in a city only about 30,000 total. There are not many casual fans passing through here, but with front row seats going for 9(N-I-N-E) Dollars, you end up with real fans instead. We moved into the front row, where our seats were, around the 6th inning and ran into a grizzled fellow who misunderstood what was going on and informed us that he would let us use some of his ticket stubs "if anyone gives you any shit" (pronounced sheeit). Nice fellow.

In summary, this park looks hideous from the outside, amazing once you're inside and is a 1930's era wooden bandbox. Food's slightly above par and the atmoshphere is way above, which is why I give it an 8/10. I am going to attempt to head back here again, possibly even this year.

Update 2017: I got back here for a second game in 2015 to watch them play Missoula as the first night of my summer loop. It was a bit on an anticipated game, with the season winding down and Osprey Pitcher Bo Takahashi having a steller season. The Brewers handed him his first loss however, in front of an unusually large crowd for here. In reevaluating this place, there's a lot to consider. Is the facility old? Yes. But is it bad enough to dock a point? No, it isn't.....barely. The food here is actually really good though, with a ton of local microbrews and food items are lacking in selection, but also very cheap. It's a plus. The atmosphere is good for such a small crowd, but nothing remarkable. This one stays at an 8, but was slightly more enjoyable than last time.

The Brewers managed to break 1,000 in terms of average attendance for the first time in many years. The city only has about 25,000 people, with 75 thousand in the area, although many of them are at least an hour from town and not well off. There has been zero talk of a new park here, as attendance and the local economy just don't justify it. However, rumours of a potential move for the AAA franchise in Colorado Springs for the 2019 season have led to speculation that the H-Brewers could be a good candidate to move, as both teams are owned by the same conglomerate. The ballpark and market there would be a massive upgrade, but it would also mean just another small town losing their team. I'd be just fine if that didn't happen, but will keep this place in mind for the next two seasons, just in case.

Linescores
2010-07-20
                                     123    456   789    R H E
Orem Owlz(LAA)             001   020   011   5 7 1
Helena Brewers(MIL)       100    800   20X   11 13 1
Temp: 82F  Time: 2:57  Att: 1,287

2015-08-27
                                        123    456   789   R H E
Missoula Osprey(ARI)        200   100   000    3 7 0
Helena Brewers(MIL)          042  100    00X   7 12 0
Temp: 86F   Time: 2:27  Att: 1,869

CHS Field

St. Paul Saints, American Association

9/10

My exterior shot is somewhat blurry, as I arrived late.

A large crowd takes in a Friday nighter.

By this point, the ball pig had been sent to the showers early, for poor behaviour.

I swung into St. Paul nearly an hour late for first pitch. I'd made a long, long trip from just over the border in Saskatchewan and after a delay just waiting for the cars ahead at the border itself, I knew I'd be late very early in the day. I was held up further when a Saints rooter named Greg needed help push starting his motorbike. After a few tries, Greg was off and running. This was part of a quick back to back, featuring games in St. Paul and Winnipeg on a Friday and Saturday night. The St. Paul Saints, of the American Association, were fighting for a division title with Winnipeg, headed into the final week of the season.

The Saints had left their first home to move into this, a brand new ballpark in downtown St. Paul. Attendance ended up sitting at just over 8,000, which was even more impressive that considering a short drive away, the Minnesota Twins(who were well out of contention) were playing the White Sox.

There were a lot of things I liked here. Firstly, the park itself is located downtown and is not only new, but actually well designed. A large concourse with a very high ceiling reminded me somewhat of Salt River. The section numbers were listed on the ceiling as well. A wraparound concourse saw more than a few people watching the game from the outfield. Parking wasn't the best, but I eventually found decent street parking two blocks away for not much money. Still, I found this place to be just amazing for Independent level baseball. I don't know how the facility could be any better.

But, even with that, the best part here is for sure the atmosphere. The Saints, when they were in the infant Northern League, adopted a strategy of making the atmosphere as quirky as possible and while the new park isn't anything like their old one, they've kept a lot of the quirks, including a somewhat unorthodox pair of PA announcers at a table in the front row and a live Pig bringing balls out to the umpire between innings. Sadly, the pig had a meltdown before I got a picture and was as far as I knew, sent home early. The PA announcing was comparable to a Top 40 station's morning show. It took some getting used to, but after awhile, I felt it added to the experience, as more regular spectators seemed to enjoy it.

I did have some cheese curds here and while they weren't bad, they weren't terribly special either.

Overall, showing up late(....again) took away from this place, but not enough to keep me from really enjoying it. I'd really like to get a return visit in again this year. 9/10.

Linescore

2016-09-02 
                          123    456  789   R H E
Lincoln Saltdogs    001  010  300  5 12  0
St. Paul Saints       001 001  000   2 6 1 
Temp: 72F  Time: 3:07 Att: 8,339