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.