Baylor Ballpark
Waco, TX
Review by Mike
Baylor Ballpark is the home of the Baylor Bears of the Division I Big 12 Conference. Texas may live for football, with college megastadiums and high school fields that are the largest structures in their towns. However, in Waco, at least, baseball seems to count for something. The Bears play in a 5,000-seat palace on the campus of Baylor University.
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Baylor Ballpark would be a suitable home for any AA affiliate or a Spring Training home for an MLB team. The large grandstand wraps from 1st base to 3rd base, with fixed-back, folding seats from top to bottom. Opened in 1999, it has the older school design of concessions under the grandstand. Tunnels lead fans into the main bowl where a cross-aisle close to the field carries them to their assigned sections.
There is a small bleacher stand beyond 3rd base and a grass berm the other side of 1st, with no outfield seating, nor circumnavigable concourse. A large press box sits at the top of the stands behind home plate, tucked under the lovely roof that protects the crowd from the heat of the Texas sun.
The concourse under the stands is lined with colorful displays celebrating the history of Baylor Bears baseball. The exterior and the concourse are done in a classic and tasteful brick and a cupola tops the exterior stairway/elevator structure, complete with a green faux copper patina to add character. Parking is plentiful on campus, with easy access to the stadium.
Lest the team starts to think that this lovely stadium means that baseball is king at Baylor, the 45,000 seat McLane Football Stadium can be seen in the distance over the outfield fence. The 26-year-old baseball stadium looks brand new and the roof and the scale are all just right. The only thing that keeps me from allocating a full score is the general lack of adornment inside the stadium. No logos or banners on the walls, or anything of any kind really to celebrate Baylor baseball. Setting that minor complaint aside, Baylor Ballpark is one of the nicest college stadiums I have visited.
2025
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295
