Big Don visits the newest park in the minors

We have a guest column today as our longest faithful reader,Big Don Cain visited the new ballpark in Morgantown WV for the West Virginia Black Bears of the New York/Penn league.
Thanks to Don for taking the time for us...

Photo Credit;Mike Lowry

Hello Shawn. The following is my review of Monongalia County Ballpark.

Location -  The bad - MCB is behind and off to the right of a shopping area. If you don't know the area, you probably won't drive straight to the ballpark. 

                 The good - There are several restaurants located in the shopping area near the ballpark.

Parking -  Parking is $3. The good - It is just across the road from MCB.

                                  The bad - There is only one way out of the parking lot, and you are better off waiting until at least 15 to 20 minutes after the game is over.

Tickets - Tickets are $11 and $12. If the seats are sold out, SRO tickets are sold for I think $9.

              The ticket prices are not bad considering that you are no more than 18 to 20 rows from the field when sitting in the top row.

Merchandise - The Black Bears have an okay selection of merchandise. I have been to 55 ballparks and have seen much better and much worse selection of merchandise. Hats are $30 plus tax. Sizes vary greatly. I had to try FOUR hats on before I found one that fit. I have never experienced this before.

Food Prices - Neither Mike nor I had any food at MCB because it is very overpriced, especially for a short-season A team. I have seen lower food prices in double-A ballparks. One example of this is $4.50 for a pretzel. The pretzels are big, but $4.50 is steep. I think sodas are $5.00.

Graphing - There is little chance of graphing before the game. You have to do one of two things: Stand one side of the dugout, with little room to see the players and coaches, or stand at the other side which is far from the field, and hope that the player/coach comes over to you. Mike and I got one player (Cameron Varga) of Hudson Valley. That is only because I recognized him and he was nice. I think the players and coaches exit from a building beyond the outfield wall (and across from the parking lot.) Mike and I did not want to stay to just get a few cards signed. We were hungry from not buying anything food or drink at the game.

Ushers - Overall, the ushers seemed relatively okay. There are also local police officers there in case anybody gets unruly. The ushers seemed as if they were there to help people, and weren't overbearing.

The Field - The field is nice because it is new. Mike and I were thankful for the drainage system, because the game started on time, despite raining for a while before the game. I don't like artificial turf, though.

When Mike and I entered MCB, our ticket stubs were torn off. I made a joke and said, "What is this 1985." "They tear ticket stubs off here, and they have artificial turf." Mike laughed.

Photo Credit;Mike Lowry

Game experience - The other fans were reasonably polite. There were a few idiots that got up while the game was going on. I have experienced much worse in other places. The music was not overbearing. The one usher near us told the music person to turn the music up. (The music is loud near home plate, and it's normal-sounding at other places in the ballpark.) Mike said "Don't turn it up." Then I said "If I want to hear loud music, I will go to some club." Then I made a reference to when they used to blast the music at The Diamond in Richmond when there was 800 people at a game.

It was kids run the bases day. Mike decided to go back in the ballpark and go on the field. I followed him because I figured that we could take pictures. Mike found a foul ball on the first base side in the grass. Then it was time to take pictures. We took pictures of each of us standing on the Black Bears on deck circle, the Black Bears dugout, the visitors bullpen and the scoreboard. No one said for us to leave. It was a fun experience. The turf did not seem as hard as other artificial turf that I have stood on. Several people on the Black Bears staff said "Thank you for coming" and "Take care guys." 

There were about 20 vehicles left in the parking lot when Mike and I got there. I went to the end of the parking lot, and took a few scenic pictures. Then it was time for Mike and I to leave.

We both agreed that Monongalia County Ballpark was okay, and that we would go back at some point.