Ogren Park
Missoula, MT
Review by Mike
Ogren Park is the home of the Missoula PaddleHeads of the Pioneer League. On August 11, 2019 it was also the home of the band Mumford & Sons. Why is this relevant? Because heavy rain before and after the show destroyed the field. Thus, when I arrived a full week later to attend an Osprey game, I was told that it had been cancelled because the field was still not ready for action. I've been rained-out, snowed-out, power-outaged-out, but this is the first time I've ever been concerted-out.
Fortunately, I had been e-mailing with a member of the front office prior to my visit and he was at the ballpark and let me in to look around and take some photos. What I found was a very nice independent league ballpark; a basic seating bowl with the concourse above. A small press box stood on the concourse behind home plate and brick out-buildings housed concessions, all with a good view of the field.
There was no cover from the elements in the way of a roof or awnings, even though I think it can get pretty hot in the summer. The view of the surrounding hills is very nice and train tracks run right behind the outfield fence from center to the right field foul pole. I would have liked to see a train rumble by, but it was not to be.
The right field corner is very close, just 287 feet. To compensate, the right field fence angles upward from right-center to the foul pole. There is a grass berm down the left-field line and some bench seating and a party deck down the right side. There is no access to the area behind the outfield fence, so no 360 degree views, nor is there a view of the river, which flows just beyond the left field fence.
Ogren Field must seem like heaven after the team spent five years playing at Lindborg-Cregg Field and it is a clean, friendly and well-maintained facility. There is little to distinguish it beyond its overall niceness, but there's nothing wrong with that. It seems a perfectly pleasant place to see a ballgame. Just check the events schedule and the weather before you travel alllll the way to Montana...
--
--
2019
147
