Blair County Ballpark

From BR Bullpen

Location: Altoona, PA
Home Team: Altoona Curve
Built: 1999
Left Field Wall: 325 ft.
Center Field Walls: 365 ft., 405 ft., 375 ft.
Right Field Wall: 325 ft.

1 History
2 Innaugural Game
3 Record Attendence
4 Significant Events
5 Seating
6 Unique Features
7 Related Links

[edit] History

Opened in 1999, Blair County Ballpark is home to the Altoona Curve of the Eastern League, AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The park is unique in many ways and deviates from the model for minor league ballparks used throughout the 1990s and early twenty-first century. Rather than sitting in an urban center, the park sits outside of the city itself. The ballpark is built next to Lakemont Park, an amusement park opened in 1894. The park itself features a sunken field and thanks to the open fence design, fans don't even have to enter the park to see the game. The park features exceptionally wide foul territory and fans enter beside the left field line, both of which create distance between fans and the field. While some feel that fans are more removed from the action here than at many new minor league parks, Blair County Ballpark remains one of the most popular ballparks in the country.

[edit] Innaugural Game

April 15, 1999 Altoona Curve vs. Bowie Baysox

Despite the cold and rainy weather, 6,171 fans showed up to Blair County Ballpark to watch the home team win 6-1.

[edit] Record Attendence

August 10, 2003: 9,255 - more than 2,000 fans over official capacity.

[edit] Significant Events

2004 Eastern League Championship Series vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats
2006 Eastern League All-Star Game

[edit] Seating

Overall Capacity: 7,210
Diamond Club (field level): 1,634
Terrace Level: 1,204
Grandstand Level: 2,646
Home Run Junction (outfield bleachers): 744
First Base Bleachers: 400
Skybox Seating: 292 person capacity in 21 luxury boxes

[edit] Unique Features

The most unique feature of Blair County Ballpark is an old wooden rollercoaster, The Skyliner, which sits at right field. The coaster once belonged to Lakemont Park, but was incorporated into the ballpark and now serves as a link between the modern team and the history of Altoona. Not to mention the fact that it has a few "curves" itself.

Keeping in theme with the railroad history of Altoona, Blair County Ballpark features a row of seats along the railing atop the left feild wall. These exclusive seats, known as Rail Kings seats were ranked #3 in espn.com's top ten seats in minor league baseball.