Camden's jewel of a ballpark

by Marc Viquez
Published on July 22, 2001 under Atlantic League (AtL)

by Marc Viquez

When I approached Campbell's Field in Camden, New Jersey, it looked like your typical late 20th century minor league park. In fact it looks eerily similar to Commerce Bank Park up north. The home of the Atlantic League's Camden Riversharks, which made its debuted this year, is made of red brick, laced with the ever popular green for accent, making it a very fresh and crisp-looking ballpark. The interior also has a typical minor league setup of wide concourses and a sandy brick finish, but once you sit down and take a look in the outfield fans cannot take your eyes off the most unusual aspect of this place.

The Ben Franklin Bridge juts across like a large tail connecting Camden with Philadelphia. The suspension bridge crosses over the Delaware River with the base of the structure standing in the back of the outfield. This has to be one of the grandest spectacles I have seen at a park. You have the boardwalk casinos at The Castle in Atlantic City, and New York City skyline at Royal Bank County Ballpark in Staten Island, but the Ben Franklin Bridge almost looks like it is connected to Campbell's Field. "It's a field of dreams," says fan Mark Stienhagen. "The view of the bridge is spectacular, and when the sun sets over Philadelphia it's a picture perfect sight."

Another great view is of Philadelphia can be seen from the left field concourse where there is ample room for the visitor to watch the sun set over the City of Brotherly Love. "The bridge and skyline are beautiful," said attendee Bill Hagmaier. This area also serves as the picnic area located at field level. When the sun sets, the lights of the city and the bridge illuminate the sky with a tingling spectacle. The bridge's blue lights add to the charm of this cozy field. "The bridge adds character to this park," added Vern Zellner.

The other features inside the park spruce up the interior with skyboxes above stretched all the way down right field. The green and glassy pointed penthouses give off a distinguished look. "The location of the park is nice and it shows that Camden is trying to change for the better," said Steve Russel. The field sits on the riverfront, near the aquarium and the outdoor concert center. Some construction remains, and in a few years this will be a busy cultural center.

The kid's play area is bigger then many that I have seen in my look at area minor league fields. The place was filled tonight as children ran around through slides, mazes, and balls, a highly innovative assortment of fun. Another innovation was the start of home games at 6:35 instead of the usual 7:05 or 7:35. Media relations director Leslie Surden told me that the early game times were voted on by the fans in order to get families home earlier.

Campbell's Field offers more than fairly priced food that range from the basics to the local favorites. The staples of baseball can be found, of course, but there are also turkey and veggie burgers. If that does not satisfy you they also feature chili, full chicken wings, meatball sandwiches, and a range of Campbell's soup. I also saw something that I was hitherto unaware of at the park. A panzarotti is a local dish that is basically a pizza turnover and seemed quite popular. A local brew from Cherry Hill, NJ called Flying Fish is served at the Home Run Tavern, which is located on the concourse and has the feel of a local watering hole. This was one ballpark that captured the area's local tastes, but where were the hoagies and scrapple?

There is more in store for the ballpark and the entire area in the future. A water fountain in the front entrance, along with a few more buildings and paths will make this piece of land a gem of Camden. The park itself has all the characteristics of the post Camden Yards stadium craze, and the brick exterior is similar to Trenton's Waterfront Park. The little touches inside make this ballpark make for a beautiful rendezvous for all who come. The Philadelphia skyline, food, nearby soccer field, and the Ben Franklin Bridge will let you know you that it's just another day at the ballpark at Campbell's Field.

Atlantic League Stories from July 22, 2001

• Camden's jewel of a ballpark - OSC Original by Marc Viquez

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