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SL1 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

Rain, rain don't go away

by Marc Viquez
September 19, 2006 - Southern League (SL1)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp


I have to say that most people who attend a rain delay game at the ballpark either leave early or wait it out until the game is cancelled. In the end they do not get to enjoy much of the game, if any, and feel perturbed since their one night to watch a nine inning contest has been ruin by downpour of inclement weather blanketing the field.

This was the case for me recently in Jacksonville, Fla., but I was here for just one night so I did not have the chance to comeback the next day or next season. In fact the last time I was here in Jacksonville was 12-years-ago. With the game in the 4th inning the game was halted and eventually delayed, however, the game took an oddball turn and I wound up having a pretty good time. I got the chance to talk to some locals, enjoy some good food and get to know the many kirks in this unusual ballpark here called The Ballgrounds of Jacksonville.

Just the name alone stands out; The Ballgrounds of Jacksonville. They do not name ballparks ballgrounds anymore. I am not even sure that many did at one time, but the name harks back to baseball at the early 20th century. The Jacksonville Suns could have adopted a corporate name for their brand new facility, but this time they went for something different.

The park opened in 2003 and was part of a $34 million plan by the city to renovate the area. They also use the construction money to build a new arena that sits just a few yards away on the third base side of the stadium. Throw in ALLTELL Stadium, home to the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, and you have three new beautiful sporting facilities in Northern Florida.

The ballgrounds hold 10,000 people, a pretty large number, by AA baseball standards and a huge step-up from the venerable Wolfshire Stadium that served home to the Suns for over 54-years. In fact many people I spoke to at the game still had fond memories of the old ballpark and were not hesitantly anticipating a new facility until they actually got the chance to watch a game in one.

"I've been coming to games here since '66 and this stadium is something else," said William Gant who was waiting out the rain underneath the palm trees in the leftfield corner of the park. "This is a stadium that many of us here in Jacksonville are proud of"

The first thing that caught my attention was that when you enter the stadium through the main entrance you walk up a small staircase onto the main concourse. Many new ballparks are built on the main concourse with the seating down below. The design at the ballgrounds had it advantages as it would provide additional coverage during the rains.

"It is better than being wet out there," said Adrienne Mitchell who explained how she was rained out to see the shuttle launch a few days earlier. "All you can do is wait out the rain, just glad they have something to keep us covered while we wait."

There were other oddities present throughout the park like the mini golf course in the leftfield corner along with a small church that blend right into the scenery. Also, in this area are palm tree covered picnic seating. A lot of unique touches and this is just down the left field line. Unfortunately, there were not too many people practicing their shots out here tonight.

"It's great to come out here and enjoy a game," said Carolyn Cronin who was staying out of the rain on dollar beer night at the park. "It may be raining here, but we are all having a great time."

That was another oddity the fans were still roaming around the concourse, which was covered of course, even though the game was all but rained out. Then again it was dollar beer night and with Yuengling being on tap it was hard not to want to stay around and get a little wet.

However, I saw a little something more than just the cheap beer. I saw sense of community involvement. Friends, young and old, were getting together to have a good time no matter what Mother Nature had to say. It was a great atmosphere and I will have to say it was the most people in attendance for a rained out game. OK, maybe it was the dollar beer night.

A few other cool things about the ballgrounds was the large roof that covered the main concourse, the twelve luxury skyboxes, four skydecks and a majority of the seating behind home plate, The Suns' media guide claims that the roof is the largest in an open-air stadium in the minor leagues. I would almost have to agree since more and more new facilities open up coast to coast without roofs somewhere in the ballpark for shade in the hot summer weather. The roof is almost a reminder of Wolfshire Stadium.

The ballpark also has a unique rightfield wall that starts off at 5 ½ foot in the right field corner and slopes it way up to 14 feet in right center field. Behind this wall is open-air bleacher seating a nice view of the Jaguars' stadium in the background. Also, in the background the Isaiah David Hart Bridge coils up and down in the distance over the St. Johns River.

In the end with the skies gray up above and the tarp draped over the infield I, along with a few thousand others, managed to have a pretty good time at the ballgrounds. It was probably the most enjoyable time I spent at a rain delay/rain out. I can only imagined what it would be like if there was no rain.

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Southern League Stories from September 19, 2006


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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