Our love affair with minor league baseball, or to be more specific, minor league ballparks, rounds second base and heads for home. The second half of our doubleheader, in praise of small town baseball in America, from Round Rock to Durham, swings for the fences and in our humble opinion, smacks it out of the park.

These beautiful ballparks prove that affordable tickets, great concessions and fun family events can result in profitable team ownership. If your team wins, all the better.

Dr. Pepper Ballpark, Frisco, Texas

Frisco may not make a lot of waves outside of Texas but the suburb of Dallas hit the 100,000 population mark in 2008. The Class AA Frisco RoughRiders Class, in a similar vein, are not on the radar of most fans, with the notable exception of park aficionados. The $23 million Dr. Pepper Ballpark has a capacity of 10,600 and packs them in for home games in one of the best environments for baseball you will ever find.

Dell Diamond, Round Rock, Texas

Another Texas gem cracks our list with Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Home of the Round Rock Express, with part owner Nolan Ryan, one of the best features of the stadium is a grassy knoll in the outfield that seats 3,000. Fans also love the regular prize giveaways, fireworks and Fun Zone, with a basketball court, playground and video arcade. The Triple A Express provide pretty good entertainment as well.

Fisher Cats Ballpark, Manchester, New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats play out of Manchester, a city of just over 105,000 people in the New England state. The Double A Toronto Blue Jays club have a superlative ballpark, built around a former millyard in downtown Manchester along the Merrimack River. If you stay at the hotel that overlooks left-center field, you may be able to catch a Fisher Cats game gratis. Nevertheless, the small price of admission is well worth being part of the 7,500 strong capacity home crowd.

FirstEnergy Stadium, Reading, Pennsylvania

The small town of Reading, with 83,000 people, has a great love affair with the national pastime, with baseball roots that go back to 1858. Known as “Baseballtown”, the resident Reading Phillies pack them in every summer at FirstEnergy Stadium, formerly Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium. Since 1951, the historic park has been host to millions of fans and consistently ranks as one of the best in America by enthusiasts of the game. It’s worth the trip from Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, if only to soak up the authentic atmosphere, hot dog in hand.

Isotopes Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico

The team with the memorable name out of beautiful Albuquerque play in a rather memorable park as well. One could make the argument that fans of the Isotopes enjoy games in more comfort and with better concessions that almost any MLB park. The $25 million facility’s food and beverage carts are legendary and the park ain’t half bad to look at either.

Midway Stadium, St. Paul, Minnesota

The explosive success of the St. Paul Saints is due in large part, to the failures of the Minnesota Twins to secure an open-air stadium. In stark contrast to the cavernous Metrodome in Minneapolis, Midway Stadium has a soul and was built to accommodate baseball purists. The ownership group of the Saints, of which actor Bill Murray is a member, bent over backwards to please fans and from superb sightlines to the ability to tailgate before and after games, Midway is a winner.

Bright House Field, Clearwater, Florida

The spring Grapefruit League home of the Philadelphia Phillies and summer home of the Class A Clearwater Threshers, though built in 2004, Bright House Field is a cozy, old-time ballpark. Capacity is a reasonable 8,500, with enough intimacy come game-time to please diehard fans who want to feel close to the action.

Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham, North Carolina

Familiar to anyone who has seen or even heard of the film Bull Durham, every baseball fan must visit Durham, North Carolina at least once. The experience at Athletic Park is old school, intimate and unforgettable.

Blair County Ballpark, Altoona, Pennsylvania

One could write a book on Pennsylvania ballparks alone it seems. Blair County Ballpark in Altoona, a town of 50,000 people, broke ground in 1998 but has the look and feel of a minor league stadium that has seen a lot more action. The home of the Altoona Curve, the marvelous 7,210 seat park has a roller-coaster behind right field and offers views of the Allegheny Mountains.

Fifth Third Field, Toledo, Ohio

The Toledo Mud Hens have been around in one form or another, since 1883. A minor league club this historic, with phenomenal community support, requires a home park with ambiance and soul. Fifth Third Field, while recently built in 2002, features real grass, innovative bleacher seats and incorporates what was once a run-down section of downtown Toledo into the overall aesthetic of the park. The park is the perfect place to watch baseball and sends a nostalgic shiver down your spine.

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