Memorial Stadium

8/10

Boise Hawks, Northwest League

A much better picture of the exterior in 2015.

Final preperations for Hawks/Hops, in September 2015.

You get a decent look at the park from the 3rd base side.

I went to Memorial stadium on my 2nd Northwest League trip in 2008, between games in Pasco and Salem, to watch the Hawks battle the Tri-City Dust Devils. It isn't overly horrible, but I'd have to say it's probably the worst of the 8 parks in the Northwest League.

Firstly, the park is barely within the city limits of Boise, located about 10 minutes northwest of Downtown. It's located at the local fairgrounds, so there isn't much to do in the immediate area. The park, opened in 1989, is a testament to all that went badly in 1980s ballpark design. The park has basically no façade at all, with some concrete and chain link fencing, with only some signage to indicate what it even is.

The layout is divided into three separate stands, which as of my visit in 2008, are all named after Dodge cars. Concessions were not memorable for any reason, either way. There is a large child's play area down the right field line, which meant that a small child was hit by a line drive when I was there. There was likely a better spot to put all this.

But, the atmosphere was not bad. The crowd was very much into the game. One of the on field contests involved three fans in potato themed costumes(Fries, a perogy and something else) racing from 1st to 3rd base. During the race, one of the contestants shoved the perogy into the unsuspecting Tri-City shortstop, knocking him over. His counterpart at second base then doubled over laughing.

The park has it's issues, but it's not like people in the Cubs organization, or in Boise, don't know about these shortcomings, as the Hawks made a proposal in 2012 to build a new, 25 million dollar ballpark/soccer stadium in downtown Boise. Renovating Memorial Stadium was also being considered as a less acceptable option.  This was the last mention of the debate I could find, so it's safe to say that the new ballpark is not happening anytime soon, if at all. In my opinion, the Hawks are the most vulnerable of the 8 franchises in the NWL and could be up for a move in a few years, should a more suitable market be found. The current setup is good on atmosphere but is clearly a rung below the current standard for most minor league ballparks. Still, Boise is a good market for baseball and hopefully it won't come down to the Hawks leaving town.

Update 2016: I ended up back here in September 2015, on the way back from points south, as part of a dedicated effort to redo some older reviews. It was 7 years between visits, so I was unsure how things had gone. The Hawks, as a result of numerous affiliations switching in the NWL, were now a Colorado farm team. It was a late season game against the Hillsboro Hops, featuring Dansby Swanson, who had just been picked first overall by the Diamondbacks that summer, after starring at Vanderbilt. He went 3 for 5. The game wasn't much to take in, as a few 5 run innings for Hillsboro and Boise getting more errors than hits made the final a decisive 12-0.

But the ballpark had changed in a few ways. Firstly, the sponsored sections were gone. I sat in the main stand, behind home plate and was shocked to find out that the first 10 rows or so were full service. Ushers would run out and get you food so you didn't have to get up, and would happily come scoop your trash when you were done. For 12 dollars, that is craziness. For 2016, these seats had been jacked up to 35 dollars each. The crowd, largely wasted on a lopsided game, was somewhat into it and until the 2nd 5 run inning, held out home for their Hawks to turn things around.

The food is also miles ahead of where it once was, with a new stand on the third base side offering Fish Tacos, and one of the more unusual offerings I've seen, Rocky Mountain Oysters. The main concessions I can't really speak to, because Fish Tacos were an immediate deal.

Overall, much improved atmosphere and concession bring this place up to an 8, which is about as good as I think it could be. Nothing new regarding new ballpark construction as far as I know. With Yakima losing its team, Boise is probably the most vulnerable of the 8 NWL markets and if something better pops up, the old park combined with Boise being the league's eastern outpost could mean it's number will be called. Hopefully that does not happen.

Linescore
2008-07-14
                                               123  456   789   R H E
Tri-City Dust Devils(COL)    004  001  000   5 10 1
Boise Hawks(CHC)                011  300 12x   8  13 1
Temp: 94F Time: 2:51   Att: 2,300

2015-09-03 
                                    123   456   789   R H E
Hillsboro Hops(ARI)    105  100  050  12 16 0
Boise Hawks(COL)       000  000  000  0  3  4
Temp: 68F Time: 2:44 Att: 2,359

Melaleuca Field

Idaho Falls Chukars, Pioneer League

8/10

The stadium's redbrick exterior, complete with a statue of a Chukar player.

A decent crowd watches the Chukars and Voyagers in 2010.

The Chukars wave home another runner.

The field is prepped for a key September game against Ogden in 2015.

This was our second stop on our 1st Pioneer League loop in 2010. We drove in from Missoula, taking the long way, but arriving with plenty of time to spare for the Great Falls Voyagers and Idaho Falls Chukars. I ended up parking for free on the street about three blocks from the park. The park was built in 2007, replacing McDermott Field on the same site. The field orientation and it appears, the outfield wall, is retained, but everything else is new.

The park has a redbrick exterior, which includes a statue of a Chukar player on top of the ticket office. The park is clean, with good sightlines, but isn't overly spectacular in any way. The Chuarks needed a new park and certainly if they'd kept their old park for much longer, it could have threatened the franchise, but now Idaho Falls will have pro baseball for decades to come.

The atmosphere at this park was slightly above average. The crowd was interested in the game. a 17 year old Nicaraguan named Cheslor Cuthbert hit a home run in his 1st at bat since being promoted. The crowd ended up sitting mostly in the cheaper general admission seats down the left field line, with less people in the supposedly better seats. During a change at one point, ushers threw candy into the seats. I got hit in the head by a tootsie roll. I haven't seen this done anywhere else.

I'd recommend staying in town for the night, as we tried to make headway to the north after the game and discovered that there isn't a whole lot in that direction for several hours.

On the whole, Melaleuca Field is an entirely adequate facility for the Pioneer League, (although it's nothing unique) and ensures the league will continue it's long history in the area. It's a bit of an outpost however and makes a good stopping point either coming or going to Montana.

Update 2016: I returned here in 2015, on my way back from points south. This was one of many parks on the 2015 summer roadie that I had seen before, but not for 5 or more years. I had a better impression for the 2nd game here though. It was a key pennant matchup between these two, so a small but fiery crowd turned up. I sat in the 6th row or so, which meant a Dodger scout with an off pitcher were in front of me, with Charlie the Chukar present and occasionally razzing them, just because. I heard on the radio in the concession line the 2nd time that Cheslor Cuthbert, the aforementioned home run batter, hit his first MLB homerun for Kansas City as a September callup.

The ballpark still comes across as a bit lacking, with tons of aluminum disguised in a redbrick facade. I almost took a half point off for this, but did not. The atmosphere is a little above average, I'd give it a half and the concessions here, which had been kind of lacking before, are really good. Service is much better and the variety is pretty good, especially considering this is still a Rookie park. I'd up the score to an 8, rounded down from 8.5. I admit, I was surprised I enjoyed this one that much more the 2nd time around.

Linescores 
2010-07-19
                                               123     456  789  10   RHE
Great Falls Voyagers(CWS)        001  100  100   0     382
Idaho Falls Chukars(KC)             100  020   000  1    492
Temp: 84F  Time: 2:51   Att: 3,720


2015-09-02
                                          123   456   789   RHE
Ogden Raptors(LAD)             200 000  200  492
Idaho Falls Chukars(KC)        040  000   001  591
Temp: 85F Time: 2:51  Att:  2,299