The best part of these minor league stadiums is there’s always something slightly different that makes them fun!

I never really had the chance to see an MLB game until I was a young adult. The few times I remember my brothers being taken, I was younger and visiting family in Philly. They went to games and I got to stay back. Minor League games, to me, are more fun. It’s baseball in a more pure form. And there’s so many minor league teams, it’s affordable.

And… to think 1993 is an old stadium now. But, that also makes that stadium more than 20 years old. The way they go now… old. I love the older parks. Some can be fantastic to watch a game in. I’m going to be heading to an extremely old one this weekend.

Dodger Stadium — as well as Wrigley and Fenway — are on my to visit list. Oakland’s, not so much!

I need to get to the one on Staten Island. I heard it’s actually a pretty nice place to take in a game.

When I moved to Rancho Cucamonga in 1984, I continued to follow the Angels, as they were the closet team to where I lived, plus they were “MY” team. I root for the Dodgers just as heartily, but when push comes to shove, if they were to meet each other in the World Series, I would always root for the Angels but wouldn’t be disappointed if the Dodgers won.

In the 90s, Rancho Cucamonga built a minor league stadium and has been home to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Single A – first an affiliate for the Angels, now for the Dodgers. I first saw Mike Trout play at the “Epicenter” as the stadium is called, as well as many other well known Angels and Dodgers. I still prefer to watch baseball on the big stage, but every now and then, I’ll take in a minor league game.

I looked up the Epicenter after I read your article and was surprised to see that the Epicenter is “old” by your standards, having been built in 1993. It stands up well.

On a interesting side note. As we think about stadia on the major league level, I would assume that most people would think that most of the older stadiums are in the Eastern United States, and they would be right in that aspect as the two oldest, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field (Boston and Chicago) fit that bill nicely. Were you aware that the next three oldest stadiums in the major league are both here in California? You can win many a bar bet using that little tidbit. Dodger Stadium is the third oldest and Angel Stadium is the 4th. Oakland Alameda County Stadium, home of the A’s is the fifth oldest. And here’s another bar bet for you. I believe the A’s are the only Major League team left that still shares its stadium with an NFL team.