Ballparks Then and Now

Ballparks Then and Now is a fascinating exploration of ballparks across America. Packed with archival and modern photography, this book documents the development of America’s national pastime by looking at the fields of dreams on which it is played.

The ballpark experience has changed dramatically from baseball’s early days on grassy lots with wooden grandstands and free admission. The Union Grounds in Brooklyn, New York, is considered by many to be the first ballpark ever built, when William Cammeyer converted the Union Skating Pond in 1862.

Ballparks Then and Now traces the evolution of stadiums used by all the MLB teams today. Organized alphabetically they range from Anaheim and Atlanta to Toronto and Washington. Ballparks grew in size and grandeur from wooden bleachers and stands that often perished in ferocious fires (Boston, Cincinnati) to the concrete cookie-cutter ballparks of the 1960s and 1970s (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh). These multi-sport stadiums have now been replaced by modern retro designs (Yankees, Mets) that give each park its own unique feel. Batting far into the 9th are the carefully updated historic ballparks (Redsox, Cubs) nested in the heart of their communities.

Totally revised and updated with new photography, this is the fourth edition of this perennial sporting favorite which has racked up sales of 150,000.

Features all the major historic stadiums of 33 MLB teams (including past franchises).

A visual history of the evolution of the baseball stadium, from basic bleachers and clapboard fencing to billion-dollar bespoke venues with closing roofs.

Author is a lifelong Dodgers fan (despite the move to L.A.) and former researcher for the Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown, New York.

The text is a treasure trove for the baseball fan, with stories about the owners, teams and players, along with photos of old tickets, posters, programs and souvenirs.

Updated for the start of the 2019 season with details of the Redsox 2018 World Series win and the renaming of Seattle’s Safeco Field.