I am not as big a fan of Hadlock Field as many people seem to be. Maybe it's just that I'm not in love with the state of Maine, but I don't think so. The stadium has a rather cheap feel to it as many of the seats are aluminum and much of the flooring is metal, which makes for a very treacherous time when it rains. There is no cover for any of the seating either. This park does have some unique features however. There is a coliseum that stands down the right field line, which has a red brick exterior. Some have called this "Camdenesque", though I don't think I'd go that far. Also, in center field there is a light house that appears and sounds a fog horn every time a Sea Dog player hits a home run or the Sea Dogs win (though it seemed to be absent during my 2011 visit). In left field, the "Maine Monster" was erected to coincide with the Sea Dogs becoming a Red Sox affiliate. Seating at Hadlock Field consists of box seats below the walkway and reserved and general admission (bleachers) above the walkway. There are also "pavilion" seats behind the right field fence which feature counters (like the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park). The concession and souvenir stands are housed in the large concourse area located underneath the seating areas. There is a wide variety of concessions including fish sandwiches, popcorn chicken, cheesesteaks, deli sandwiches, and italian sausages. But their signature item is the Sea Dog Biscuit, which is their version of a cookiewich. Prices are a bit on the high side, but the quality is pretty good. When originally built there was no actual gift store, but one has been added in recent years. The mascot (Slugger) is extremely popular here, as would be expected from the popularity of their cap. Overall the stmosphere is pretty laid back here, however. The team does do a few between inning contests, but there is little else to distract fans from the game. Parking around the park is quite limited, and what can be found is a bit expensive (usually around $5). Hadlock Field is certainly not one of my favorites in the Eastern League, in fact with Harrisburg now having been rebuilt, it may rank at the bottom of my list.
|