Atrium Health Ballpark
Kannapolis, NC
Review by Gary
The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers may be one of the few, if not the only, professional sports teams whose city AND mascot are named after the same person. In the early 1900s J.W. Cannon purchased the land that later became Kannapolis. His textile mill would one day be known as the world's largest producer of sheets and towels. In 2020, the Kannapolis Intimidators baseball club would be renamed to become the Cannon Ballers as they moved into their new stadium known as Atrium Health Ballpark. They are the Single-A, Carolina League affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
While not the best exterior to be found in ballparks around the country, one should not judge a ballpark by its exterior. The beauty of Atrium Health Park is on the inside. After purchasing and being handed the very coolest ticket ever gotten at a regular season ballgame, we happened upon a friendly and enthusiastic organist, a Mr. Greazy Keyz, who tickled the ivories on the concourse behind home plate. Greazy was eager to meet and greet fans while entertaining everyone with melodies on his 1950s-vintage Hammond M3 organ.
Atrium Health Park is easy to circumnavigate, with scoreboards located around the park to be seen from any angle. With 4,930 seats, fans can root for their Cannon Ballers from a variety of seats. The most unique and spacious area to sit is the 4-level picnic pavilion located down the right field line. While no longer legally able to mention anything about the team’s previous name, the Intimidators, there are a few stickers on the concourse pavement honoring Kannapolis’s baseball history, but nothing about the former MLB affiliate.
The ballpark has a vast selection of food options. The concourse running from third base toward the left-field foul pole is spacious enough to allow for food stands reminiscent of a county fair. Beyond the left field fence, food trucks park on pads above the outfield berm. Sadly, this review would have to be dinged half a hot dog for having neither pretzels nor Pizza Inn pizza, the latter being boldly advertised on the walls of the fixed concession stand. No pretzels or pizza the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend?! At least it was inflatable Dino Sunday and there was a Jurassic aura about the place. Maybe the brontosaurus ate all the pretzels….
On the playing field, the outfield wall at Atrium Health Ballpark contains several sharp corners as it wraps around the field and is taller in center field. One of the wall impediments is produced by the quadruple-decked section of barstool seating that protrudes from the right field wall and is closer to the action. Don’t be “intimidated” if you happen across a dino at beautiful Atrium Health Park. They are friendly and very quiet. Just don’t sit behind one of them for a few reasons.
2025
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