Simply put, Grayson Stadium is a perfect ballpark for a city that oozes as much history as Savannah does. Located in a residential area of the city and adjacent to Daffin Park, the drive to the ballpark is one of the most scenic and memorable as it will lead you down streets that are lined with oak trees forming what feels like a tunnel. As can be expected for a ballpark built in 1941, there are very few bells and whistles here. Much of the park probably feels very much the same as it did 50 or more years ago. In these days of every ballpark looking like it was made from a cookie cutter, Grayson Stadium is a pleasant diversion, even if it's not the best place to actually watch a game. Unfortunately, it appears that 2015 will be the last season of professional baseball here as the Sand Gnats ownership is moving to greener pastures (e.g. a new ballpark) in Columbia (SC). While Savannah may see professional baseball again, it is doubtful that it will be played at Grayson Stadium.
Hits
- The brick facade on the outside along with large weeping trees make for a very picturesque exterior.
- The covered grandstand is absolutely beautiful as it is one of the larger ones still standing in the United States. While there are some fold down box seats, much of the seating is comprised of large wooden benches (with backs). Maybe not the most comfortable, but very unique and cool!
- The structure which was the pressbox for football has been turned into a large party deck area featuring three different tiers of seating. On the top tier is a bar area.
- The concourse is located underneath the grandstand, just like it is at most older ballparks. This is where all the concession stands and bathrooms are located. It is filled with character and always one of my favorite places to check out at these classic ballparks.
- A manually operated scoreboard is located in left-center field. This is a perfect addition to an old ballpark such as this. Of course there is an electronic scoreboard as well, but that doesn't detract from the experience at all.
- To keep fans cool on warm evenings in the south, the grandstand features several large fans. They definitely work well as you can tell the difference when you move to other areas of the ballpark.
- A small team store is located underneath the grandstand.
- A play area for kids is located in front of the ballpark. Its location is a bit odd, but with an older ballpark teams need to get creative.
Misses
- Too much netting! Unfortunately, all the seats at Grayson are obstructed by netting or fencing. It is too bad that the netting even had to extend all the way down the right field line so even the seats in the bleachers and party decks are obstructed.
- The metal seats along the first base side really don't fit with the park. I can only assume this was the cheapest way to add some additional seating.
- There is no dedicated parking lot, but with crowds not normally being too large this is probably not an issue too often. The adjacent Daffin Park allows people to park their cars there as well.
Concessions
- The ballpark has just one real concession stand which is located in the concourse behind home plate. Along with the standard ballpark fare, they offer pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ nachos, and boiled peanuts.
- A cart along the third base side sells both beef and chicken cheesesteaks.
- Smaller concession stands at each of the grandstand offer snacks and ice cream.
- Besides the bar area that sits atop the party deck, there is also a beer stand behind home plate that sells several different domestic and imported beers.
- Prices are overall are very reasonable: hot dogs are $3.50, burgers are $4, BBQ sandwiches are $5, fries are $3, and cheesesteaks are $7.
- The Sand Gnats also have a unique dessert item called the S'mores Panini which sells for $6. Like the name suggests, it is a grilled sandwich featuring chocolate, fluff, and graham crackers. I didn't try one, but they did look quite yummy.
With the Sand Gnats departing after the 2015 season, it appears that a collegiate summer league team will make Grayson Stadium home in 2016 as the Coastal Plain League has already announced plans to place a team here. Even if professional baseball will never be played here again, hopefully the ballpark will remain in use in some capacity as it is a truly historic place. Grayson Stadium is definitely a must-see for any ballpark enthusiast.
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