Camelback Ranch
Glendale, AZ
Review by Mike
Camelback Ranch is the Spring Training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox. This ballpark opened in 2009 and lured the White Sox from Tuscon and the Dodgers from their traditional spring home in Vero Beach, Florida… Dodgertown. The later was likely the more earth-shaking, as the Dodgers had called Holman Stadium their pre-season home for more than 60 years. For those who remain still hurt by the move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, this must have been the final indignity.
My exploration of this ballpark was about as brief as could possibly be. Finding the gates locked, a friendly security man agreed to unlock the facility so I could take “a quick look”. He wasn’t kidding. After about five minutes, he told me we had to go. I managed to weasel another five minutes by asking endless questions, just to keep him talking and was able to get a few more shots. He was, in fact, a very nice fellow and I am thankful for being allowed in at all.
This is a very nice ballpark. I love the color scheme, which features a desert palette rather than the all-too-common forest green or blue. The back of the grandstand is protected from the Arizona sun by roof sections that are held up by an interesting triangular pillar configuration that would probably knock the hat off more than one fan walking the concourse with eyes cast down on his phone if not for the short vertical steel posts under each diagonal support. Better to stub your toe than whack your head.
The stonework is really outstanding, featuring a variety of stones set in a non-geometrical pattern. This design feature is found both inside and outside of the stadium. The facing of the press box is wood, but painted in a rust-colored hue that is really striking. There is a 360-degree concourse and an outfield berm and a few rows of “upper deck” seats either side of the press box. I look forward to getting to a game and updating this page soon.
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2023
237
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