| This is minor league baseball at its purest. Damaschke Field is a cozy little park, just half an hour away from Cooperstown. There are no promotions, no fancy scoreboards (though a new one was installed in '03), and no wacky sound effects. The team claims to have a mascot named Sam (a tiger), but I have yet to see him. What takes place here is just baseball. A covered grandstand sits behind home plate with a few box seats and backless benches. There are bleachers that run down both foul lines. The thick screening (more like a fence, than a screen) behind home plate can be obstructive at times, but adds to the uniqueness of this old park. Concessions are limited, but very reasonably priced. This also continues to be one of the only parks in the country that doesn't serve alcohol as the owner is trying to make the atmosphere as family friendly as possible. A very easy place to obtain autographs as the players must walk right by the stands to get from the clubhouses to the field. The backdrop is quite scenic, with mountains beyond the outfield fences. In this age of new ballparks popping up in almost every city, Damaschke Field doesn't seem suitable for affiliated minor league baseball, but as long as Sam Nader continues to own this franchise, it will continue to host a professional team. And that's fine by me, as Oneonta is the perfect place (with its proximity to Cooperstown) to host a pure baseball experience. Some badly needed renovations were completed before the '07 season. These included new bleachers (with backs) on the 3rd base side and a new building which houses the clubhouses, the main concession stand, and the bathrooms. In addition, the parking lot was moved closer to the ballpark and the exterior was painted and dressed up a bit. These improvements have certainly made Damaschke Field a more comfortable place to take in a game. Unfortunately, Sam Nader sold the team before the 2009 season and the new owner lied about keeping the Tigers here through at least the 2010 season. The Tigers moved to Norwich and Oneonta is now left without professional baseball. What a shame.
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