Tony Zupo Field
Lodi, CA

Review by Mike

Zupo Field has been the home of numerous Class A minor league baseball teams since it was established in 1924. I used the word “established” because the history of Zupo Field took a turn in 2019 when an accidental fire destroyed the entire wooden grandstand that had stood for nearly 100 years. The stadium re-opened in 2024 with a brand new steel grandstand that, while being a bit more modest, echoes the original ballpark in design and spirit.

While the stands may be new, the field is original, laid out in the same spot for a century. It’s a lovely spot for a ballpark, down a side street in bucolic Lawrence Park. The outfield is ringed with trees and train tracks run along the left field line. The field is used now for high school and community ball, but it would certainly be a candidate for another collegiate summer league team should the opportunity arise.

The new grandstand is small, just five rows of seats, but they are all covered by a roof, with a small press box top and center. The seats wrap from 1st to 3rd and are protected by a fence which extends beyond the edge of the roof. Field level dugouts stand on either side, along with bullpens that are protected from foul balls by full fencing; front, back, sides and top. They are more akin to bullcages in that regard.

The scoreboard is basic and stands beyond the right-centerfield fence. There is a concession building on the 1st base side where presumably one can get typical ballpark fare and several outbuildings are also found on this side of the field. There is no place for people come with lawn chairs and sit down the lines as the footprint of the ballpark is small.

There is a monument behind the grandstand, near the entrance, that pays tribute to Tony Zupo, a Lodi baseball legend. Here you will find the original wooden sign that reads “Tony Zupo Field”. This sign hung on the original grandstand and, if you look closely, you can see that the back of the sign is deeply charred from the fire. Preserving this piece of history, complete with the charred wood, is a job well done.

The town has done a really nice job of bringing back this historic ballfield in a manner that not only provides the people of Lodi with an excellent venue for local baseball, but gives ample nods to all of the history here. My boundless thanks to Brian, who was working on the grounds when I stopped by, for letting my inside and taking a few minutes to talk to me about this special place.