Best fields in southeastern Ohio

[redeagle]

webgem6 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:25 am Post subject:

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Honestly I don't know exactly why Athens' field is getting recognized. Sure it might look good from a spectators' point of view but playing on it is whole different story. The infield play is terrible, plus that 250 ft. left field line is a pitcher's nightmare!

redeagle wrote:

As far as atmosphere, Athens hands down especially when the 4th of July & Legion State tournament rolls around! Tom Metters is the man! Gotta love the "North to Alaska & all the Johnny Cash!''

G W McLintock wrote:

Best atmosphere for the fans- Athens High's Rannow Field, great concessions, shelter and shade for the fans not to mention Tom Metters spinning the hits (Dolly and the Statler Brothers) from the press box. It has lights and the on field conditions are improving.

I don't think either of us said that Athens field was the best, just the environment around the field. Athens field has great shade as well, 1 thing most new fields have ZERO!

[PeteRoseHOF]

The Northwest complex has restrooms. I don't know where the Scotty's Potty remark wcame from. They have a facility across the parking lot adjacent to the field for anyone needing a restroom.

[g w mclintock]

The Northwest complex has restrooms. I don't know where the Scotty's Potty remark wcame from. They have a facility across the parking lot adjacent to the field for anyone needing a restroom.

I wondered about the Scotty's Potty remark also. As I remember from a few years ago the restroom facilities were fine.

[Incognito]

My bad. Im getting old. Cut me some slack.

[fighting_falcon]

Pioneer Park in Marietta is hands down the best complex in SE Ohio.

[Regulator]

Pioneer Park is nice, but not a high school field.

Marietta plays at the old fairgrounds if I am not mistaken.

My top 5:

1. Lucasville Valley
2. Minford
3. Northwest
4. Jackson
5. Unioto

Fields that could be really nice but for some reason are not!

1. Rock Hill (Are you kidding me? They have the nicest setup then anyone else, but year in and year out have hardly any grass on the field and the outfield is like cement.) Beautiful pressbox and bleachers!
2. Wellston (Lots of room, but again no body seems to know how to take care of the field. They pull a drag around the whole thing and don't even bother to pick it up. Is that dirt or sand on the infield?)
3. Wheelersburg ( Nice, but the 250 ft fences make it a launching pad. And everyone is in awe when the players have 10-12 homeruns) I know they are good hitters but come on!
4. Ironton (Wait its gone now, but their infield dirt cut out was a cut out for little league. Never understood the intrigue into the field)
5. Portsmouth (Branch Rickey, enough said)Should be one of the best if they would work together (School and City)!

[BULDOG]

Wheelersburg does take care of their field. It would be nice to extend the fences. The dimensions are approximately 290' LF 345' LCF (deepest), CF probably 330' and 295' in RF I believe.

Wheelersburg ( Nice, but the 250 ft fences make it a launching pad. And everyone is in awe when the players have 10-12 homeruns) I know they are good hitters but come on!

You would be suprised to hear that not many HRs are hit at Burg's field. Last season only about 1/2 of the HRs were hit in their home park. Not many others hit them either even though it is a short fence.

[fighting_falcon]

I have watched high school baseball at Pioneer Park the last few years.
Typically Warren and Marietta play there.

[mohawkbaseball#1]

Wheelersburg does take care of their field. It would be nice to extend the fences. The dimensions are approximately 290' LF 345' LCF (deepest), CF probably 330' and 295' in RF I believe.

Wheelersburg ( Nice, but the 250 ft fences make it a launching pad. And everyone is in awe when the players have 10-12 homeruns) I know they are good hitters but come on!

You would be suprised to hear that not many HRs are hit at Burg's field. Last season only about 1/2 of the HRs were hit in their home park. Not many others hit them either even though it is a short fence.

good pitching will do that for ya

[danicalifornia]

Regulator- Jackson? Really?

The main reason I question it, would be the net almost directly above home plate, so you hit a foul popup straight up, it's probably going to land in the net! Other than that and the extremely close dugouts(which is because of how close the field is to the road) it's a great facility. Although, people could argue that you could see the two prisons through Unioto's outfield, LOL.

Northwest has a beautiful facility, as do Unioto and Valley. I haven't gotten a chance to see Minford, but have heard great things about it.

[bengalfan76]

dani a must see. 12' red wooden fense in the Outfield.
I'm still partical to the Unioto Shermans field. AKA as the House that Doo Daddy Built!

[Incognito]

dani a must see. 12' red wooden fense in the :

If your talking about Minfords fence. It isnt wood its cinderblock all the way around. Discourages overactive outfielders from getting to close to the wall.

[bengalfan76]

I didn't know it was Block I bet it does slow em down

[CoyDuke]

Pioneer Park in Marietta is hands down the best complex in SE Ohio.

This may be hard to believe but there is life outside of Washington County.

1. VA Memorial Stadium-Chillicothe
2. Lucusville Valley
3. Minford
4. Unioto
5. Vinton County

[questionmark]

Webgem6- you said Athens field plays terrible? Also that the fence in left is too short? I have to question you of this topic.

Athens has one of the nicest grass infields.
Yes, there may have been a couple of trouble spots at the corners, but they both have been cut out and redone.

Leftfield is 302' not 250'. Not sure where you got that from. If your looking for a launchpad that would be Warren's field. They probably have the most homeruns hit there. In my years, I really have not seen a big number of homeruns hit at Athens. I know when I played there it wasn't that easy to hit them out.

However, TOP 5 I have played On (field+atmosphere):
1.)Athens/Warren (field+atmosphere)
2.)Jackson (field)
3.)Wellston (atmosphere)
4.)Paint Stadium (field)
5.)Beaver Field (field)

Just One Man's Thought!

[mohawkbaseball#1]

when I played, Minford's crushed brick was on so thick it was like playing in sand

[hawkeyepierce]

I saw Jackson's today, and I know it is February, but it looked really bad.

[JoeGatto]

questionmark....if you want to see a launching pad you should check out John Nelson Field at Fairfield Union High School. It's a short porch all the way around that sits up on top of a hill. Not that it's needed, but the wind can blow a routine pop-up right out of the park. John Nelson Field is a great field with a good atmosphere for baseball...outfield fences are just not deep enough (but it's impossible to move them back).

[swamisez]

Loved playing at Warren's field, had a good hitting backdrop.

Hated Marietta's field, it probably had the worst.

Rannow in Athens gets the nod for best playing surface

Gallipolis and Logan get nod for worst, because all the times I have seen the field the outfields have been flooded over.

My favorite of all was the Don Coss in Cambridge. Have that little crosley terrace thing going in left, and a swimming pool just beyond the fence so there is a possibility of splashing down on a bomb to left.

[Cap'n Scoop]

As far as the best place to watch a game from...the hill at Warren High School is easily the best for home and visitors. The infield grass is terrible for the players and the 3rd baseman is at the mercy of the batters when the sun is going down.