A little old and new at "The Coop"

by Marc Viquez
September 8, 2001 - International League (IL1)

by Marc Viquez

There is something peculiar about watching a game at Cooper Field in Columbus, Ohio. You get the charm of an old-time ballpark, but if you look above the grandstand you will see more of the modern additions of most stadiums in either the major or minor leagues. The stadium sits just off Route 70, a few miles away from the downtown and in an area that has much to do about nothing. A game here is still worth checking out, as it satisfies the appetite for the baseball fan that longs for the likes of Silver Stadium in Rochester or Bush Stadium in Indianapolis, even though Bush is perhaps one of the greatest minor league parks still standing.

The park's newest feature is the natural surface that was installed in 1999, and it was definitely a great improvement from the ugly artificial turf that existed since 1977. In fact, the stadium has gone through many changes since debuting in 1932. The park was originally named Red Bird Stadium, before being dubbed Jet Stadium in 1955. After the 1970 campaign, baseball left the Ohio capital only to return seven years later while being the first park to introduce an artificial surface and luxury boxes that loom above the covered grandstand. The park also had its third name as Franklin County Stadium, only to be changed in 1984 to its present moniker. Who knew that less than 20 years later all modern ballparks would feature skyboxes and toss out artificial turf? Cooper Stadium proved to be a sign of the times and of the past as well.

The skyboxes were truly a sign of things to come as almost every new minor league park has these features. The skyboxes here, however, have that 1970s look for obvious reasons. Truth be told, the designs of that era will most likely not find their place in the Louvre and looking at the skyboxes reminds me of my local library. Up above the concourse loom large painted numbers that are very 70ish, along with the elevator room bringing back memories of being at my father's Eastern Airlines office circa 1979. The skyboxes also seem higher then the nosebleed seats at Shea and crouch over the roof of the grandstand.

But downstairs, the 15,000-seat stadium is what baseball is all about. Great sight lines, comfortable seats, and plenty of minor league flare to go around. Kathy Wday, originally from Chicago, loves the older parks as she spent many games at Wrigley Field. "I like the feel of an older park like this. It is great place to catch a game," said Wday. The park also features bleachers down the third base line and little has changed in the lower section since opening 70 years ago.

The scene in the outfield is not that spectacular, but the absence of cluttered outfield advertisements and trees is a nice touch. A look from the skyboxes offers a great view of the Columbus skyline, something that is sorely missing downstairs. The storage room sits smack dead in the middle, serving as the batter's eye. There is plenty of parking in the lot behind the first base line.

The concourse section lies behind the seats, and the narrow aisles feature murals of all Clippers teams from the past 25 years. Current and former Yankee players such as Mattingly, Jeter, Mendoza, Sanders, and Strawberry all have their mugs painted on the stadium walls. This is a nice treat for the visitor to see who played when with a walk from one end to the other. The food here is not bad at all, with the current mix of ballpark cuisine being served. Bahama Mama's seem to be a hot and spicy favorite among hot dog lovers.

There is some talk of a new stadium being built, and current trends would be to erect one downtown. The state of Ohio has seen new parks sprout up on all levels of baseball with Niles, Akron, Cleveland, Dayton, and next season Cincinnati and Toledo opening new yards. Is there a chance that Columbus could be next in line? Cooper Stadium will be the last of the granddaddies in AAA baseball, as it is the oldest ballpark in AAA baseball, being 11 years older than McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket. A game here makes for a nice change of pace from the modern parks elsewhere in the state. Stadiums like The Coop are slowly dying out.