Baseball means a lot to many people, for different reasons. For some it’s about entertainment. Most people who watch major league baseball pay lots of money to see it. They are caught up in the spectacle of waiting for the long ball. Or they are hoping to see the manager flip his lid as the umpire makes a bad call, so they can then watch him get ejected. Whatever reasons people have for watching, baseball remains America’s favorite past time—and its oldest.
To me baseball is about watching the game with your dad or grandfather while he shows you how to fill out your scorecard and explains strategy. Baseball is a family going to the game together and being able to afford four seats close enough to see the game without a pair of binoculars. It is a father not having to spend his life savings to buy his wife and kids hotdogs and drinks. I have found such a place where all that is possible: Hagerstown Municipal Stadium, home of the Hagerstown Suns.
The Suns are a class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Their league is filled with players hoping to hone their skills enough to catch on with a major league team.
Municipal Stadium captures the innocence of baseball at its purest. It is a place geared toward families. Beyond the game itself, there are always local promotions going on to add to the pleasure. For example, father’s day was “bring your dog to the park day.” In the middle of the third inning, the proud dog owners took their dogs onto the field for the cutest dog contest. They also held an egg-throwing contest on the field after the game. And any child who wanted to was allowed to run the bases after the game. There is a Kids Zone, which is a playground behind the third base side bleachers.
There is a beer garden for those who decide to leave the kids at home. A VIP seat will cost you only $9 and guarantees you a seat in the first two rows. An attendant will bring your drinks and food to you there so you don’t have to wait in line and miss the game. General admission is $7 for adults and $5 for kids and seniors.
Municipal stadium is also rich in history. It is one of the three oldest minor league stadiums in the country. It’s been around since 1930 and has been affiliated with at least seven major league franchises, including the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals. The Suns have also produced many major league stars, such as Hall of Fame Oriole Jim Palmer, Yankee pitcher Mussina, Blue Jays centerfielder Vernon Wells. The team’s instate rivals are the Delmarva Shore Birds, which has given rise to a Suns event called Shorebird Hunting Season—the first game between these two teams each season.
The Suns currently sit at 29-38 and are in 6th place in the South Atlantic League Division. The team has lost three players this season, including two who were selected to the class A all-star team. Outfielder Chris Marrero, who was the Washington Nationals top pick (15th overall ) in the 2006 first-year-player draft, and outfielder Mike Daniel, a 7th round selection by the Nationals in 2005. Both of them have been sent up to “High A” because of their success in “Low A” at Hagerstown. Movement between minor league classes is part of the allure of minor league baseball. It gives the average fan a chance to say he saw a great player in his earliest stages before he was a star and then follow that player’s career from start to finish.
Municipal Stadium is a place where you can take the whole family and enjoy a day of togetherness and fun activities. You can teach your son or daughter the fundamentals of America’s game. Who knows? You might see the next Jim Palmer in action.