View Full Version : Favorite Legion Ballpark and Why
What are some of the best ballparks for fans to enjoy a great baseball atmosphere around the Legion world in NC. I'm actually going to one of my favorites tonight, when I visit Catawba College's Newman Park, home of Rowan County's great legion baseball history. Newman Park is a beautiful little ballpark, but the Rowan faithful fill it and make it loud. The field itself always looks great and since they renovated the entire outfield wall several years ago, everything on the playing field just looks perfect. Oh, and by the way, did I mention the Newman Park hotdogs are great.
I'm with you tj - Newman is the ultimate legion park for me. Not only is the atmosphere great with the grandstand, fans, food, etc, but the playing surface is head and shoulders above even most minor league parks. Coach Gantt does a great job on the field and I know first hand how much he and his players (Catawba and Rowan) put into it. It's not hard to get up for a game at Newman, our players and coaches from Lexington look forward to that short trip every summer.
countryboy17
05-29-07, 11:11 AM
I would also put my vote for Newman Park even though I played Legion baseball back in the early 70's for Concord's Post 51. We used to be knock down/drag out rivals back in the day, but I always enjoyed playing at the "enemy's" place! It had the atmosphere that made it exciting to be a participant.
I'm also partial to Concord's Web field, due to the history of the place and the memories I have growing up in the area.
Countryboy17,,,, can you share any information about Webb Field in Concord being torn down? Concord's legion team is playing at Central Cabarrus HS this summer and we have only heard rumors about the "old ballpark" (Webb) being turned into something other than baseball for the first time in 100 years.
Anything you've heard?
homeplate
05-29-07, 12:15 PM
Not only is Newman park a great place to watch a legion game try rich park in Mocksville and McCrary Park in Asheboro.
countryboy17
05-29-07, 03:05 PM
Countryboy17,,,, can you share any information about Webb Field in Concord being torn down? Concord's legion team is playing at Central Cabarrus HS this summer and we have only heard rumors about the "old ballpark" (Webb) being turned into something other than baseball for the first time in 100 years.
Anything you've heard?
There is a greenway being built that will allow people to walk from point a to point b in that area. This greenway
runs along side the right field line, so they built a bridge across the creek and tore down the fence.
The project is due to be completed soon, but was not finished in time to begin the season.
From what I've been told, baseball will again be played at Webb, maybe no Legion baseball this season as they have already setup shop at Central Cabarrus High School.
:biker:
There was just something about those Rowan County/Post 51 games at Webb from '72 - '74.
Fans would be crowed all aroung the back stop, down the left field line and sitting in the concrete bleachers in the outfield. All kinds of pro scouts, sporting their World Series rings to make us wild eyed kids paying attention to their every word. At least two radion stations broadcasting the game.
Also Rowan County had one fan back then, I believe his name was ED, who had the loudest voice in the world.
He would start as soon as he would get out of the car and you could hear him all over the park.
GREAT TIMES!!! I just hope the kids today are getting the opportunity to enjoy the game as I did as a kid!
Sorry, didn't mean to get off subject!
There was just something about those Rowan County/Post 51 games at Webb from '72 - '74.
Fans would be crowed all aroung the back stop, down the left field line and sitting in the concrete bleachers in the outfield. All kinds of pro scouts, sporting their World Series rings to make us wild eyed kids paying attention to their every word. At least two radion stations broadcasting the game.
Also Rowan County had one fan back then, I believe his name was ED, who had the loudest voice in the world.
He would start as soon as he would get out of the car and you could hear him all over the park.
GREAT TIMES!!! I just hope the kids today are getting the opportunity to enjoy the game as I did as a kid!
Sorry, didn't mean to get off subject!
I like to read these stories
Also like Cherryville. The atmosphere is terrific, but they put the restooms on the homeside and you have to walk a gauntlet of fans to get there. I decided I could wait.
I also like Shelby's field. It's like sitting in a coliseum watching the gladiators.
Countryboy17,,, did you play on the 72-74 Concord teams? If you did, we probably know each other. And just so others will know, back during that time, Kannapolis didn't have a team, so ALL of Cabarrus County played for Concord, and your'e right, Concord/Rowan was some wars.
As for the Rowan fan named Ed,,,,,, Concord fans referred to him as LOUDMOUTH,,,, and ole Loudmouth would get out of his car yelling at Concord players and fans. Then Concord fans would start yelling back, and that went back and forth all night long. It was a blast.
MS Deal Stadium in Granite Falls, home of Caldwell Post 29 has a very nice playing surface, also has plenty of seating (concrete does tend to get hard on the back side though), good view, good food / concessions, great atmosphere, huge crowds, odd dimensions that do not favor the LH hitter.
countryboy17
05-29-07, 05:40 PM
Countryboy17,,, did you play on the 72-74 Concord teams? If you did, we probably know each other. And just so others will know, back during that time, Kannapolis didn't have a team, so ALL of Cabarrus County played for Concord, and your'e right, Concord/Rowan was some wars.
As for the Rowan fan named Ed,,,,,, Concord fans referred to him as LOUDMOUTH,,,, and ole Loudmouth would get out of his car yelling at Concord players and fans. Then Concord fans would start yelling back, and that went back and forth all night long. It was a blast.
That's exactly how I remember "old Loudmouth"!
Yes, Concord post 51 included all the teams in Cabarrus County at the time:Ktown, Concord, Northwest, Central and Mount Pleasant.
Yes, I played third base on those teams, but you know I don't recall one bad deal between the players. We played hard but clean and I think we were all real competitors on the field, but respected each other off.
I still have the Towell Cannon Mills presented us for the Area III Championships one year! The only year we were able to beat Rowan!
That would be strange if you guys played together, but i just remembered that tj played when they had 3-fingered gloves
Gotta go with historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson
Intimidator Coach
05-29-07, 08:39 PM
Newman Park... and they have decent hot dogs..
hot dogs are really good at south rowan..:gunsmilie:
oh yeah.. i know this isnt a legion stadium.. but i like the granite quarry site where east rowan plays or used to play...the wooden grandstand and all...
another place thats cool is in Kinston where the minor league team plays...
they have a score board with a goose that goes to a particular inning and drops the goose eggs if ya dont score..
Haven't been there in awhile but I remember Cherryville being a great place to play. Atmosphere was great there. Fleming in Wilson is also great. Grainger Stadium in Kinston isn't used too much I don't think, but thats a beautiful park.
"Slushy Land" in Smithfield (Johnston County) was always my favorite. Return a foul ball and get a free "Ice Cold Slushy". Or you could just take baseballs from the battin' practice bucket up there and cheat the system a little... Anything for one of those slushies. JC doesn't have a legion team anymore so needless to say, the park is dead to legion ball.
Legion Stadium in Wilmington is also very, very nice.
BigDipofCope
05-29-07, 10:50 PM
I've umpired at Webb Field and not to disrespect, but it may have been one of the worst fields I've ever umpired on in respect to its surface & seating. I'm sure it holds alot of sentimental value for alot of players over the years, but if you're talking about nice parks, it certainly is not on my top 100.
Cherryville is pretty good - and talk about hecklers - how about Hoover? That old man shows up before Coach Reynolds to get in to the park. He'll heckle Cherryville players if they are not playing up to par. And don't walk one of Cherryville's batters, or you'll get the infamous "Throw the ball over!" Classic. Also, you may see a boy come out and reinact "Little boy with a baseball bat" by Kenny Rogers while they play the song over the loudspeakers during the 7th inning stretch if you're lucky.
M-S Deal (Cald. Co) is a very nice surface, great seating, great food, a reliable grounds crew, and best of all: a changing locker room for umpires! I've heard the bleacher bums up on the old pressbox have a cooler beer they sneek in to the game... classic stuff.
Shelby is the same way, but Shelby is alot newer of a stadium and has better parking. Caldwell has that old classic feel to the park with the odd dimentions and the scoreboard and powerbox (ouch) in play. Both parks are a great place to umpire a game, I've never watched a game there, but the seating looks top notch.
homeplate
05-30-07, 07:52 AM
players and coaches today could not handle old ed or the old guy that sat behind homeplate at Newman these guys statyed on your butt by the time you got off the bus until you left the park that was the good ol days
Homeplate,,,,,,,,,, you are so right, today's players could NOT handle ole Ed,,,,,,,,,, neither could today's parents. Today's world is just different, from the cellphones to the video games. Back in the day of ole Ed, heck everywhere you went, there was heckling of players, I can even remember back in my little league days, I didn't know what a "RAG-ARM" was, but as a little leaguer, I only knew it was every pitcher's name. :clapclap: And it wasn't anything personal, and maybe it wasn't everywhere, but where and when I grew up, thats just the way fans yelled at the game,,,,,,, AT THE PLAYERS. After the game, it was over, no hard feelings. Just good competition.
If you look at today's fans, half of them are on their cellphones during a game, and many players don't get into it as much because they are more concerned with what they're doing after the game. Back in "the day", when there wasn't as much to do after the game,,, the game meant more to everyone.
countryboy17
05-30-07, 10:56 AM
No offense taken on the comment about Webb and really if I hadn't grown up in the area and see the place for what it was and not what it really is, you're right!
Nothing special, bad area, seatings terrible, etc.
But:
One rainy night while playing for Post 51 we had to get a playoff game played that night so we wouldn't get jammed up in the next series. It rained until there was at least 1-2 inches of water on Webb's dirt infield.
The AD at the time was Punch Ford and Punch had a great idea. He called a home heating company to bring a fuel truck down to the field, backed the truck up to the infield and sprayed the whole infield with heating oil.
Then lit her up! When it burned off, he did it again!
We all raked the infield and played the game!!!
After the game most of us players went fishing together, something we did a lot of back then. Seems like we were always doing something as a group together! I guess that made us play as a close knit group.
Staying out late or all night made it tough to work that first shift summer job in the mill though! :redface:
TJ21-give me some info on you! The Jr team will be at Newman on Friday maybe we can get together for a Hotdog on me!
CountryBoy, I will drive anywhere for a free hotdog, but I'm not from Rowan, I've been a Kannapolis boy all my life. The reason I asked about you playing on those great Concord teams from 72-74 is because I was at all those games. I was merely a youngster roaming the outfield bleachers playing with my buds, but we would stop and watch when the crowd roared. My dad passed away just a few years before your time period and my older cousin (who was apparently your teammate) took me to all the games and cuz is the one that introduced me to baseball. Despite what Braves would like for you to believe, I wasn't HS/Legion age until a few years later.
Look forward to sharing some stories with you at the next Kann/Con game, because I knew most of the players from your team, and several of them lived in my old neighborhood (Royal Oaks).
countryboy17
05-30-07, 01:26 PM
CountryBoy, I will drive anywhere for a free hotdog, but I'm not from Rowan, I've been a Kannapolis boy all my life. The reason I asked about you playing on those great Concord teams from 72-74 is because I was at all those games. I was merely a youngster roaming the outfield bleachers playing with my buds, but we would stop and watch when the crowd roared. My dad passed away just a few years before your time period and my older cousin (who was apparently your teammate) took me to all the games and cuz is the one that introduced me to baseball. Despite what Braves would like for you to believe, I wasn't HS/Legion age until a few years later.
Look forward to sharing some stories with you at the next Kann/Con game, because I knew most of the players from your team, and several of them lived in my old neighborhood (Royal Oaks).
My bad! I should, by now, know what hapens when you you assume something!
Oh well, you'll have to let me know cuz' name sometime and the first hotdog is on me.
CountryBoy, you have a private message.
SuperJon
05-30-07, 07:57 PM
It's a piece of crap now, but the old Legion field in King was a great place to watch a game. It has the old box style wooden bleachers. It still has a dirt infield, and for the longest time (I don't remember this personally) had a dirt outfield. The lights went to crap and the Legion wouldn't replace them so we lost our team, but I remember going by there as a kid and thinking it looked so cool at night, and we played there my first year of high school. It's a great place to watch a game when kept up. It's gone to crap now though.
EastOfRaleigh
05-30-07, 10:36 PM
.... Fleming in Wilson is also great. Grainger Stadium in Kinston isn't used too much I don't think, but thats a beautiful park.
"Slushy Land" in Smithfield (Johnston County) was always my favorite. Return a foul ball and get a free "Ice Cold Slushy". Or you could just take baseballs from the battin' practice bucket up there and cheat the system a little... Anything for one of those slushies. JC doesn't have a legion team anymore so needless to say, the park is dead to legion ball.
Legion Stadium in Wilmington is also very, very nice.
Yes, Fleming Stadium in Wilson has that great feel of an old but renovated ball park. Lot of Wilson people wanted a minor league team but it went to Zebulon. & I know the head groundskeeper at Grainger in Kinston; it is a first class playing surface (does Kinston legion play there??).
I watched some games at Legion Field in Smithfield. I remember they had printed programs with players photos and a short bio; and a PA announcer. COOL!
And before they made improvements, a few of the light poles were INSIDE the field of play. OUCH!!
The CF fence was about 450' at least in dead center.
Shame they spent a lot of $$ there a few years back to make several nice improvements (new lights, grass infield, etc), then all of a sudden the Smithfield legion baseball program called it quits. Those guys now play in a summer HS league & play home games at SSS-HS.
Village Idiot
05-30-07, 11:09 PM
Newman Park........but i gotta tell ya, i have to stand to attention when that old guy plays the Battle Hymn of the Republic (Marine Corps Anthem) on his trumpet. you cant beat a Sundrop slushie and several hot dogs at that place. you can feel the American Legion Baseball history when you walk thru the gate.
Rich Park.....the grilled burgers are a nice draw but if you're a visitor you'll bake in the afternoon sun, sitting down the third baseline. i still love it. good atmosphere.
luigiboy
05-31-07, 07:15 PM
Cherryville is pretty good - and talk about hecklers - how about Hoover? That old man shows up before Coach Reynolds to get in to the park. He'll heckle Cherryville players if they are not playing up to par. And don't walk one of Cherryville's batters, or you'll get the infamous "Throw the ball over!" Classic. Also, you may see a boy come out and reinact "Little boy with a baseball bat" by Kenny Rogers while they play the song over the loudspeakers during the 7th inning stretch if you're lucky
Hoover doesn't make it to the Post 100 or CHS games anymore for some reason. Rumor has it that he got tired of being told to settle down. The players today don't know what they're missing out on by not having Mr. Quinn up there in his usual spot heckling the umpires and the players, both visiting as well as C'ville players. I've felt the wrath of Hoover, whether it be in the midst of a hitting slump or one of his classic "tell him all you know, Coach" when I was dodging Kodiak spit coming from Coach Jones' mouth while I was getting chewed out for popping up a first pitch curveball.
Catawba's field is awesome.. and for anyone that has play in the east Fleming is right there with it.
travisunc
06-16-08, 11:20 AM
I played for Rowan and Newman Park was the best legion stadium I played in. The hot dogs actually have a name. They are called Pinky's after the gentleman that cooks them and obviously their color. As a player, after home games we would get all the pinky's we could eat. I remember downing about 5 a night. This got old after about 2 seasons, though.
There are so many folks at the Rowan games and so many veterans. One time during the National Anthem, we weren't as respectful as we should have been. Nothing bad, maybe some laughing and looking around. After the game, about 20 older men game into our field house and gave each of us a lesson in respect for our country. I really think they could have kicked our ass they were so angry and we were so scared. Needless to say our attitudes and my respect for them and the sacrifices they made changed after this.
There are two radio stations that broadcast the games, 1490 wsat and 1280 wstp. We would have minor celebrites like Miss North Carolina come and sing the National Anthem. Little thinks like all the above make it a real special place to play.
Dbacks20
06-16-08, 01:25 PM
Enjoy playing at MS Deal and Cherryville.....atmoshphere is always "electric" and the food ain't bad either......:astrosmiley:
anotherspartanfan
06-16-08, 03:18 PM
You have to check out Rutherford's field now. What was possibly the worst is now by far the best.
http://www.forestcitybaseball.com/index.php/site/normal_site/mcnair_field
Maybe one day Madison will help us build something like this in Caldwell County.:winkiss:
Wow... Nice field. (McNair)
Carolina Man
06-20-08, 01:58 PM
MS Deal stadium is it for me, the 29ers have had some absolute wars on that baseball field over the years. The concessions are good, crowds are huge and noisy. MS Deal Stadium received the National Field Of The Year back in 2000 I believe. It's a great place to watch a baseball game.
Carolina Man
You have to check out Rutherford's field now. What was possibly the worst is now by far the best.
http://www.forestcitybaseball.com/index.php/site/normal_site/mcnair_field
Maybe one day Madison will help us build something like this in Caldwell County.:winkiss:
Unbelievable!!!!! Kudos to McNair for his support, but I still say that Forest City is the home of Chad Flack!!!!!!!!!!
Carolina Man
06-21-08, 01:58 PM
Unbelievable!!!!! Kudos to McNair for his support, but I still say that Forest City is the home of Chad Flack!!!!!!!!!!
WOW...what a facility...Hats off to Mr McNair for doing that for his community. They are some great fields around the area...Great baseball communities
Carolina man
HenryHill
06-26-08, 12:35 AM
My three area IV favs
Cherryville has great atmosphere. You can sit literally right on top of the action and listen to the hecklers. Lots of landmarks surrounding this stadium. It's fun to watch HRs sail into the graveyard or over the gym. Grounds crew is top notch. Lots of fine looking southern belles walking around strutting their stuff. Nice walk to and from the parking areas. Cons are restrooms not being the best and concession lines tend to get long during playoff time.
Caldwell like Cherryville has great atmosphere and tradition. I like that you can find plenty of good places to put a yard chair behind the plate and on down the 1st base line. Good support from the home crowd and plenty of knowledgable hecklers roaming around. Playing surface is well kept. Outstanding concession stand. Parking is so-so. Cons would be the long hike to the restroom and that deep RF fence.
Shelby was a beautiful facility before the World Series upgrade and now is even better. I think they have the best layout in area IV in terms of convenience for seating, restrooms, and concessions. It's all wrapped together very nicely. The playing field always looks good. The local hecklers tend to be a little more laid back than their rivals but will crank up when things are looking their way. Cons: Nothing to speak of really. Parking is not my fav but it's adequate.
Others:
Haven't been to Rutherford but those pictures are beautiful. Just looking at those pics gives you the feeling that it just may be the nicest park around. While Cherryville & Caldwell may be Wrigley & Fenway. Rutherford is Pac-Bell or Safeco.
Went to a game at Rowan County many years ago. Can't remember too much about it except that there was a great crowd on hand and that their rich tradition was evident.
But the overall best stadium that I've ever watched a legion game at is The Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill. Super facility.
I went to Forest City Tuesday night. WOW!! You have to have seen it before to really appreciate what has been done. We were on main street and driving to the stadium when myson and I got our first glimpse of the field. Before I could say anything my son who is pretty quiet and gets excited over nothing blurts out "oh my God look at that".
He then quickly followed that up with "I hate this". "It's not fair". You see this is the 1st year he has not played Legion ball because he is too old. He was jealous because he was not getting to play on that field.
I got jealous too because the summer wood bat team that got all of this started tried to come to our hometown of Hendersonville. Our Mayor got all excited and tried to get a new stadium built. They were talking about a major upgrade like that at Blue Ridge Comm Coll field. Our County said they were not interested. All they care about is shuffleboard and bridge games or they would like to bulldoze all the ballfields and put a retirement community there.
What a shame for us but what a gem for Forest City. Great job by a great community.
BigDipofCope
06-27-08, 02:50 PM
Ok, I've not been to Rutherford yet this year, but I had the "season opener" yesterday at Shelby, it is unbelievable - and they're not even finished yet. They opened up against Cherryville and won 3-2 in a heck of a ball game. It rained really hard for about 20 minutes and the crowd stayed, most likely because they could sit there out of the rain under the awning... very nice. Playing surface was very good, drained well and grass looked great.
honest-bulldog
06-27-08, 03:26 PM
Well I have to ask, were you behind the plate or in the field..... My son pitched for Cherryville and commented several times after the game, What a great pair of umpires called the game. He was a little more animated than usual and said the umpires were Great. When he asked for the tool for his cleats he was surpised the game was paused and he was afforded the chance to clean them. He also said the guy behind the plate was willing to exchange wet balls (at anytime).... He normally has an opinion of the umpires and said this year he has had some DARN GOOD-en's.....
He said he thought the umpires were enjoying the game as much as the players....It was quite a game.
HOWEVER, If you folks haven't been to McNair field in Forest City your missing the best facility around. Like an earlier poster commented you can't really appreciate it unless you know what was there.
Keeter Stadium is nice, and will probably be just as grand once the final touches are put in place, but Right now McNair Field gets my Vote for best of 2008.....
smashmouth5
06-28-08, 06:46 AM
McNair is a great place. I wouldn't be surprised to see Rutherford County try and make a push for a SE Regional or World Series in the future.
BigDipofCope
06-29-08, 01:17 AM
I had the plate. It was a fun ball game to umpire. Wish we hadn't had the delay, but after that, it was a well played game. Hate it ended the way it did, but I had a great time and I know my partner did. We always get pumped for Cherryville/Shelby/Caldwell.
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