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Post by Chardy on Jul 29, 2008 11:39:12 GMT 10
Feel free to list your favourite ballpark in the VBA and why.
I might start it off and not in any order...
Blackburn - good crowd, but hard ground and dusty. Sun is shocking in right field. Dugouts have no shade
Malvern - great place to play, good surface, good surrounds but shadows play havoc towards late innings
Essendon - good hitters park, big open spaces, not great for pitchers.
Waverley - good surface, always has a decent crowd, very small park. no shade in away dugout.
Doncastor - great surface, good feel, another ballpark that is too small. Possible favourite.
Geelong - excllent place to play, easily best surface and best amenities. Dugouts are probably too far from home plate though - and it is in Geelong.
Sunshine - no shade, no trees, always hot, always dry. no shade in dugouts, personally I hate playing there.
Melbourne - not a bad place to play, could be a lot better. No feeling, no crowd, some idiot put concrete on the mound.
Newport - can be hot at times, nothing special about this place. A long way to walk if you want a drink.
Cheltenham - Also nothing to write home about.
Bonbeach - not much shade or protection from wind and sun, too far away.
Sandringham - actually not a bad place to play, good size park.
So I would say my faves are Malvern or Doncastor.
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Post by johne on Jul 29, 2008 12:18:47 GMT 10
Ill group them. No offence intended just my humble opinion. BEST: DONCASTER: Beautiful ground, they have done some great work on it. Really cool ground being tucked in amongst the trees. Great ground to hit on. GEELONG: Great playing surface and its good to have at least one club ground with lights (something all clubs should hound their respective councils for). Only draw back is its down Geelong  They get good crowds down there which helps with atmosphere. MALVERN: Ground is nearly always tip top. Nice central location easy to get to. Good place for supporters to watch the game from as well. _________________________________________________________________________ BETTER THAN AVERAGE: WAVERLY: Infield is nearly always in good shape. Draw back is there is too many cheap home runs. The enclosed area along first base is good to watch the came from. Visitors dugouts suck! ESSENDON: Playing condition in the outfield is at times very dry and rough (boarding scary) but infield is well looked after. The hill is a good place to watch the game from. Really big alleys for extra base hits, ground plays very large, maybe too large so many well hit flyballs just die along way from warning track. Havent seen any home runs hit by opposition teams there since wood bats came in. Have heard complaints about visitors dugouts but meh MELBOURNE: Good place to watch games, field is pretty good. Let down is the make shift homerun fence. Dugouts are really good. CHELTENHAM: Infield seems to depend on the year some times good sometimes bad. Most the time the field is in pretty good shape. I dont like the mini dirt cut outs. I dont see the point of that it just cause some bad bounces. Dugouts are good and covered. __________________________________________________________________________ AVERAGE: SANDRINGHAM: No home run fence or fence down foul territory and rough infield. Dugouts are ok. Pretty average. BLACKBURN: Worst visitors dugouts!!!! The infield and outfield was terrible last year but that was due to a flood at xmas time. The outfield rises and falls in areas. Good place to watch games with the hill and trees providing shade. __________________________________________________________________________ BELOW AVERAGE NEWPORT: No home run fence, no fence down foul territory. Cricket pitch in the middle, wind blows a GAIL!!! Next to ostentatious southern european grave yard. No where good to watch the game, Dugouts suck. Mini twisters of dirt blow from the infield. SUNSHINE: Rough infield. Wind blows in like a mother, small dugouts. no warning track. Not a fun place to play. __________________________________________________________________________ BONBEACH: ? dont know never played there. |
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Post by lowdown on Jul 29, 2008 22:09:26 GMT 10
You blokes need to check out some of the lower divy grounds. Some okay, but some absolute shockers in there for sure! Here goes...
1. Upwey= not a bad ground, a bit dry and patchy in the outfield,(but which ground isnt recently?)
Infield really hard on old knees, but pretty good.
2. Fitzroy- If the british want to recommence nuclear testing here in 'stralia, I've got the location.
Terrible outfield, awful dugouts, need a quad bike for pass balls, terrible supporters, need i go on...
3. Mulgrave- I wont comment on that as I reckon the place rules(except for the wind, cold, heat, hole in front of SS, the half finishe dugouts, no scorers box, supporters are feral(sic), and we've got Leo!lol)
4. Morrabin-Seems a to be the biggest infield in the world, and hate playing left field later in the arvo(although havent done that for years) and the triangular oppositon dugout is a stinker. Good for pass balls though, not too far to go.
5. Ormond- Not great but not the worst either.
6.Werribee- To far to travel(unless you live in werribee) and always to dry, but good fascilities and a pretty decent infield.
I wouldn't do the 3rd div crowds justice, altough preston have been blessed,in terms of the field, but cursed in terms of trying to procure a beer!
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Post by lowdown on Jul 29, 2008 22:11:09 GMT 10
Hey no one has mentioned everybodies favorite place in the world, Altona!
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Post by johne on Jul 29, 2008 22:21:47 GMT 10
Hey no one has mentioned everybodies favorite place in the world, Altona! isnt it funny how altona doesnt get mentioned when people talk about their favourite grounds. |
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martyB
Junior Member
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Post by martyB on Jul 29, 2008 22:47:15 GMT 10
I assume that's because it's out in the middle of nowhere?
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Post by Chardy on Jul 29, 2008 23:21:13 GMT 10
even America doesnt have enough bombs to blow that f**king place up.
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Post by blockout on Jul 30, 2008 8:49:38 GMT 10
Hey lowdown,
On another post you were pregnant doging that you dont have a say and I quote, 'we dont get a say cause where not in Div 1'. Well dont demean clubs and their grounds in the lower divs... I think you might find that PT Melb has a nice ground which by mail, is going to get a 'little' better in the next few years... Apart from that, maybe you are right, but i think that the problem with the lower div clubs is that stronger div 1/2 clubs seem to come and rape and pilage their stocks. With that happening, You cant build that strong bond of mateship with that happening..( not all the clubs and not all the time ), but there are the repeat offenders....
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fetom
Junior Member
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Post by fetom on Jul 31, 2008 7:50:38 GMT 10
I'll add to the Geelong case, better 2nd and third ground surface than nearly every other ground in the state that I have had the pleasure of visiting (Div 1 grounds, playing on the 2nd surface with the 4's) The new synthetic at Waurn Ponds is a fine addition to the complex. I will admit a bias being with the Geelong club and traveling from Colac. Geelong is a far easier trip than Bonbeach or Sandringham.
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Post by Millhouse on Jul 31, 2008 15:36:08 GMT 10
Any care to comment on some of our Bush league grounds. I recall when I was playing up in the North East league Porepunkah Panthers ground had a large tree overhanging Left Field. It was a righties dream whereby a shallow pop into the branches of the overhanging tree was ruled a homerun. I believe they have changed the rule to only allow a double for the feat these days.
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Post by phl on Jul 31, 2008 17:11:26 GMT 10
"It was a righties dream whereby a shallow pop into the branches of the overhanging tree was ruled a homerun." YGTBSM... Any ball hitting a tree overhanging a field is a Foul Ball ( Tree is part of the fence ) They need a new Groundsman if it overhanging Fair !!!!! ;D  |
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Post by lowdown on Jul 31, 2008 18:43:28 GMT 10
Hey I actually like ports ground ,and certainly werent demeaning them in any way. Actually hope they can get themselves back into 2nd div, as it's a pretty cruisey drive from the Graveyard, and we have a pretty good history going back a while. But dont think for a minute I*'m backing down from my previous quote. the thing I was trying to say was that the league struggle to see past the elite div, and clubs. thats probably something that only on field succdess can change, and I hope the we can achieve that.
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Post by Reggie on Aug 5, 2008 12:47:08 GMT 10
What about Coburg. Syringes and condoms in the carpark. Must have been awesome there on a Sat night.
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Post by Manny Ramirez on Aug 19, 2008 17:25:35 GMT 10
Speaking of nice parks to play on, Port Melbourne's ground has always been a nice surface to play on, I heard they have just had a new irrigation system installed so should be green all summer long, also heard that Port might be getting full field lights (Claxton Shield Standard) installed in the not to distant future, so would be a great alternative to Altona for midweek night games
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Post by oldracer on Aug 20, 2008 21:24:58 GMT 10
Now this is only from a spectators point of view and I will also put in the crowd experience!!!!
Blackburn - ground is hard and dusty, good vantage points for spectators, people are great, bar is serviced by some encouragble people, good place to be the opposition
Malvern - good surface, maybe a byproduct of the restrictions but always seems dusty, not much crowd involvement, even had times where there was no beer, gotta sort it out for such an established club!!!!
Essendon - mound always seems a hassle, good vantage points for spectators, good canteen, up there for an experience
Waverley - well what can I say, great opposition crowd experience, good canteen, good vantage from rooms, club should be ashamed of the opposition dugouts, too small and just really shabby, love it from opposition point of view, can say your piece and get into it
Doncastor - good hitters park, great for spectators, looks great and the people are fantastic, and they are trying to enhance the spectator experience with commentary, very good, good canteen.
Geelong - this place is the best for baseball I have come across, Saturday baseball sweet!!, good vantage, great canteen, sensational park from a players point of view, great people, commentary great experience and can get a great weekend deal at a hotel, make a weekend of it!
Sunshine - not a lot of cover for players or spectators, good canteen and people, beers really cold, ground is not that flash, always very slow, good to hear they brought the fence in, oh did I say great people!
Melbourne - always dusty, not a lot of work done to what should be a very good facility, canteen is very haphazard, some days it's on and some days it's not, as stated before, could be a lot better crowd experience with a little bit of effort.
Newport - not a great place to play, wind always blowing in, gets very cold, no shelter but the other side is the small band of helpers are great, canteen is ok and beer cold.
Cheltenham - This is a club that is trying to enhance the spectator experience, music between innings, change the dj! but making an effort, surface is pretty good, canteen ok and beer is cold, especially the corona!
Bonbeach - good spectator experience from the balcony, canteen great, people friendly until they lose!! joking, surface and ground doesn't seem that good, lots of undulations
Sandringham - nice park, shame they took away the upper viewing capability but new clubrooms nice, great people, good canteen and the coldest beer, axe says so
Favourites are Waverley, Blackburn, Donny and Geelong
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Post by dc on Aug 26, 2008 7:49:29 GMT 10
Williamstown. Yes it's div 3 and windy as hell but a ballpark right on the water? Can't miss.
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Post by shoeless on Aug 29, 2008 13:01:37 GMT 10
Lets see -
Blacky - horrible field great to hit at
Malvern - another hitter friendly field
Bomberland - worst sun field for a center field in the world
Doncaster - best hitting field
Waverley - another hitter field (great for righties)
The Graveyard - 2nd best pitchers field really needs a fence
The Shinerdome - best pitcher field in the league
Geelong - the best all-round field easily move it to Albert Park area and Baseball is a winner
Altona - Does anyone have a bomb
Sandy and Moorabin - both good fields but need fences
Chelt - I like it, it's been good to me over the years
Melb - good set-up bar the fence, needs some work on the basepaths
Ross Straw Field - Move Geelong facilities there and some older guys can atest to this it was a great field besides the nuts dugouts
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Post by oldracer on Oct 4, 2008 19:47:08 GMT 10
This is an addendum to my original post and it concerns the Malvern ground. I turned up there today at about the 5th inning of the firsts and low and behold, the place was packed, the barbie was going full steam, the sensational spread in the clubrooms was for the life member/ladies day and was then opened up to all and sundry, the smiles from the "hired help" was a joy to behold, the fridge was full, sun was shining and my club was winning, sorry about that adlib but it was a credit to all involved that the atmosphere was fantastic, well done.
It could also have been Saturday baseball, it makes you feel good and the ground looked sensational.
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Post by broomsticks on Oct 4, 2008 21:17:48 GMT 10
Oldracer I see u r a 6Star Pubah Ya not bad are you! Sorry I missed u at Malvern today but sounds like it was a good day. Just a note on Ballparks it should be compulsory at Division 1 level to have decent visiting team dug-outs. I mean how hard is it? If its a tactic to have some advantage its outdated and I cant think of any other excuse for not having them upgraded. Maybe Geelong should lock the visiting dugouts for these non complying clubs. By the way 13th Beach is a super track for all you golfers out there. It was pure today!
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Post by greatwhitehope on Oct 4, 2008 21:40:35 GMT 10
Oldracer I see u r a 6Star Pubah Ya not bad are you! Sorry I missed u at Malvern today but sounds like it was a good day. Just a note on Ballparks it should be compulsory at Division 1 level to have decent visiting team dug-outs. I mean how hard is it? If its a tactic to have some advantage its outdated and I cant think of any other excuse for not having them upgraded. Maybe Geelong should lock the visiting dugouts for these non complying clubs. By the way 13th Beach is a super track for all you golfers out there. It was pure today! money and geelong had that handed to them they did noy pay for it but good on them |
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Post by oldracer on Oct 4, 2008 23:13:28 GMT 10
Oldracer I see u r a 6Star Pubah Ya not bad are you! Sorry I missed u at Malvern today but sounds like it was a good day. Just a note on Ballparks it should be compulsory at Division 1 level to have decent visiting team dug-outs. I mean how hard is it? If its a tactic to have some advantage its outdated and I cant think of any other excuse for not having them upgraded. Maybe Geelong should lock the visiting dugouts for these non complying clubs. By the way 13th Beach is a super track for all you golfers out there. It was pure today! Ah broomsticks, you too could be a 6 star poobah if you had nothing to do like me except follow your passion but to Malverns or the councils credit, the dugouts are now new and very spacious, they just need a roof on them and they would be VBA major league specs. I was looking for a few more Baycats spectators today, saw the pres, vice pres, pres of vice and the police inspector but couldn't sight the pres of anarchy, hopefully he will appear in the near future, possibly next Saturday at the unfurling of the Baycats tunics at home. |
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Post by gopies5 on Oct 5, 2008 20:03:52 GMT 10
Oldracer it was an ideal opening to the season down at Malvern yesterday and, apart from the result, enjoyed by the crowd on the hill. The cold champers went down a treat!
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Post by oldracer on Oct 5, 2008 20:15:55 GMT 10
Oldracer it was an ideal opening to the season down at Malvern yesterday and, apart from the result, enjoyed by the crowd on the hill. The cold champers went down a treat! Ah, sunshine, champers, good food, champers, sunshine, champers, you can see where I'm going with this and then that hill looks very daunting with a case of the stumbles. You all looked like you had a ball, great day, best I have seen the club in the 5 odd years i have been going there, congrats to all concerned. |
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Post by gopies5 on Oct 5, 2008 20:23:14 GMT 10
It was a great advertisement for Saturday baseball - the only problem is that most of those on the hill will be in action themselves starting next Sat arvo. That is why we had "ladies" day yesterday. Must add that the new Baycats strip looked very smart.
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Post by broomsticks on Oct 5, 2008 21:19:46 GMT 10
Not sure who Oldracer is but obviously follows Geelong. Can u tell me if there will be an announcer down at the Best ballpark in the state next week-end.
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Post by thegreathambino on Oct 6, 2008 18:47:44 GMT 10
Blackburn - Agree with hardy. hard and dusty with no shade on benches. doesn't make for a pleasant afternoon if it is hot.
Essendon - severely effected by drought. will be decent when this drought proofing thing goes through. needs bigger away dugout.
Malvern - love playing on this ground. just feels like a good ball park. hard to put the finger on the intangibles that its got. but it has em.
Doncaster - good ground. love to hit there. no where to warm up though. bit of a negative but new tunnels help a lot now.
Geelong - excellent ground. you feel like a pro playing there. but its miles away. thats its only negative.
Newport - i don't like the feel of this place. very hard as well though it has improved over the years.
Sunshine - windy, hot, no shade. can't stand the place. worst place to play baseball
Waverly - decent without being great. worst away dugout in the league
Sandringham - not great. needs better dugouts. new clubhouse is ok. though i liked the grandstand.
Bonbeach - great clubhouse. not much else. too big if you ask me. pitchers park.
Cheltenham - decent without being great has a lot of potential due to the generous water allocation that they get.
Melbourne - nice dugouts. solid field. though it is a bit of a dust bowl.
Moorabin - its cosy. field gets harder and harder as the season goes on. tough to play good D there
Upwey - home dugout is awesome. field needs lots of work.
Mulgrave - better lately since they got some water on it. but usually hot no protection bit like sunshine really.
Weribee - good hitting ground. dont liek the grey stuff. it hurts when you slide
ormond/monash - worst mound ever. cant see the centre field fence from home plate due to drop off.
Fitzroy - great if your a right hand hitter who is popping a few out. terrible if your everyone else.
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Post by wskier on Oct 7, 2008 9:59:46 GMT 10
How can anyone go past the diamond at Latrobe Uni, which is Preston's during Summer and the University's during the winter.
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Post by lonewolf75 on Oct 7, 2008 10:01:57 GMT 10
It's in Divvy 3 and no one gets to see it
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2008 10:08:35 GMT 10
doesnt mean its not the best ground in Melbourne!
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Post by lonewolf75 on Oct 7, 2008 10:17:04 GMT 10
Must admit I havent been out there in a while but found it very dry, not much shade for spectators.
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They get good crowds down there which helps with atmosphere. 
