Yale Field seems to be one of those places that people either love or hate.  Most of the players we've talked to seem to hate it.  For example, Binghamton's Dan Held told us, "I'd rather play in hell than in New Haven."  Of the players we've talked to, the hitters hate it because you can't see the ball well there, and the pitchers hate it because of the dimensions (LF: 340, CF: 405, RF: 315).  But, at least one of those pitchers (Erie's Elvin Nina) quickly identified it as his favorite park because of the history of the place.  

History is one thing that Yale Field, built almost 75 years ago, has in spades.  Babe Ruth has been here.  Former President George Bush played here.   In fact, Babe Ruth met George Bush here when Ruth, well past his playing years, presented a manuscript of his autobiography to Bush, then the captain of Yale's baseball team.  The document was then placed in the Yale library.  

Architecturally, this is a very interesting place, with references to many classic major league parks.  The giant 25-foot outfield wall and manual scoreboard evoke thoughts of Fenway Park.  And the ivy covering portions of the exterior of the stadium brings to mind images of Wrigley Field.  Perhaps it's because the park is so old, but these tributes to old baseball palaces, whether intended or not, seem to fit and don't feel forced at all. Structurally, this is a very neat ballpark.  

However, not all fans are interested in history and ballpark structure.  There seems to be a faction of fans who dislike this place because it is old.  And it is old.  The place where this reality hits the hardest is in the cramped, dark concourse, and, of course, in the rest rooms.  To be fair, though, there have been several recent renovations to the park, including a large picnic area along the right field line, an open-air sports bar, a grill, and a play area for kids on the left field side.    

I tend to be a fan of nostalgic parks, though, so the age of the park doesn't really bother me.  There were a few other things that did, however.  The seats are further away from the fair ball territory than they are in many parks, but that didn't bother me too much, because the worst view there is still better than some of the best views in the major leagues.  A bigger problem with the seats, though, is that they are built on an aluminum floor.  The choice of metal flooring (made in 1994 when the stadium was renovated to prepare for the Raven's arrival), robs the place of some of it's nostalgic charm.  Not only that, but it can be murder on a hot day, especially under the stands in the concourse, which was baking the day we were there.  I felt sorry for the concession workers.  Another minor complaint is the Gestapo-like approach to ushering that the team management utilizes.  The ushers are extremely vigilant about making sure people sit in their assigned seats, even when there are small crowds.  Compared to the fan-friendly approach at Reading's GPU Stadium, this left a bad taste in my mouth.  

So what's the final verdict on Yale Field?  I suppose it depends on your priorities.  If you prefer the newer, shinier, more comfortable parks that have been built in the last few years, you may want to skip this one. But, if you are a fan of baseball history and architecture, then this place has got to be near the top of your list, maybe even at the top.    

2001 Update: One year after winning the Eastern League championship, the Ravens shifted their affiliation from the New Haven Ravens to the St. Louis Cardinals.  

2003 Update:  Once again, the Ravens have shifted affiliations, this time to the Toronto Blue Jays.  Apparently, having such an old park makes it difficult to keep affiliates.  But, the team is doing something about that.  They couldn't get a new park built in New Haven, so they will be moving the team to Manchester, New Hampshire beginning in 2004. 

2004 Update: The Ravens are gone, but baseball is still being played here.  The New Haven County Cutters of the independent Can-Am League now call the place home.  However, I have kept the Ravens in the title of this page, because that is what they were when I saw a game here.