For a few weeks now I’ve been thinking about what makes for a “good” ballpark experience. I don’t think there is a definitive list because everybody has their own “must do” items to truly experience a baseball stadium, especially a Minor League stadium. However, as a geographer who studies place and place attachment, I’ve thought about the things I try to do when I visit a new ballpark. The premise can be applied to any sports venue, but my primary experience has been with baseball stadiums and especially Minor League stadiums. #1: Read Up on the Park There are a lot of blogs and books that talk about stadium visits,…
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My night with the Mississippi Braves – Aug. 9, 2012
The last affiliated Minor League team in Jackson, Miss., left after the 1999 season. While the city had some independent-league teams, residents did not get the opportunity to see affiliated ball until 2005 when the Greenville (S.C.) Braves relocated to the suburb of Pearl. The renamed Mississippi Braves opened Trustmark Park on the eastern outskirts of Jackson. Friends have told me that there was almost nothing around the stadium when it opened, so the presence of the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World means that development has grown up around the stadium. Unfortunately, the stadium blends into the surrounding when you pass by it on I-20. In fact, I didn’t realize…
