| Frawley Stadium was one of the first parks (along with Frederick's Grove Stadium) to use the template that the Atlantic League has perfected over the last decade. After climbing some stairs (or ramps) fans enter on the concourse which overlooks the field. Above the concourse a dozen or so luxury suites reside. The seating here is not quite symmetrical as it extends further down the left field line than it does the right field line. A center concourse splits the seating in half. The center concourse is one aspect of the newer ballparks that bothers me. It is only used by the ushers and vendors, and pushes seats back further than they need to be. I have to think that vendors actually suffer from it because they are out of sight from half the fans (though there are no vendors at Frawley Stadium to worry about). All of the lower seating at Frawley Stadium is individual fold down chairs, but the majority of the upper seating is metal benches. When Frawley Stadium was originally built, there were three picnic areas that were all out of view of the playing field. This problem was corrected after the 2000 season when renovations were completed. These renovations included building new picnic areas that are now in view of the field and the addition of a large bleacher section along the left field line. This new bleacher section looks a bit out of place, but doesn't detract from the intimacy of the ballpark. Concessions are well-varied and reasonably priced. The Philly Cheese Steaks, foot long hot dogs, and 1/2 pound burgers are especially tasty. There are no local specialties on the concession menu, but there are enough choices to suit everyone's tastes. Parking is both plentiful and free. The ballpark was the first phase of a riverfront development project. Since the park was built in '93, an arts center as well as numerous stores and apartments have also been erected. In fact, even as of 2008, the area around the park is still a bit of a construction zone. The backdrop is I-95 in left field and the city skyline in right field. The atmosphere here seems to have been toned down some in recent years. During my 2008 visit I noticed that there was no sound effects and only limited music. The Blue Rocks do many of the usual zany between inning contests. In addition, the team has three mascots - Rocky, Rubble, and Mr. Celery (who only appears when the home teams scores). Overall, Frawley Stadium is a comfortable and nice setting for a ballgame.
|
