A view of the seating bowl from beyond left field.
A view of the seating bowl from beyond left field.
A roller-coaster dominates the view beyond the right field fence.
4 baseballs
The new Blair County Ballpark goes a step further: a ballpark in the middle of an amusement park. Almost. The site of this new yard is adjacent to Lakemont Park, an amusement fixture in Altoona for many years. Home runs to right field actually stand a chance of hitting a roller coaster; other rides and attractions are visible from the grandstand areas. A new three-deck parking garage has been built beyond left field to accommodate visitors to both facilities; admirably, the parking fee is just $1 (as of 1999). And the whole complex is easy to get to, just off Frankstown Road at Route 220 (a freeway recently re-designated I-99).
On top of all that, it’s a beautiful stadium. Actual seating capacity is just 6200, but the seating arrangement makes it look like it holds many more. There is a lower deck, with a main concourse, and an upper deck complete with its own concourse. Both levels have concession and souvenir stands. Portals from the upper concourse lead to the upper deck, with several rows of “upper box” seats below the portal level, just as in “big” ballparks. The luxury box / press box level is above the “300” seats.
I thought I was falling in love with the place the moment I got out of the car, but I soon realized its one shortcoming. The Sunday afternoon game I had selected started at 1, and the seating arrangement is such that there is absolutely no shade in the seating bowl until about 2:45. The day I visited was the last day of the heat wave, and it was brutal. I looked like a lobster in no time flat. Fortunately, in recent seasons Sunday games have started at 3:05 in the spring and 6:05 in the summer, though that has precluded me from making a return visit as it’s no longer a day trip for me.
| Game # | Date | League | Level | Result |
| 370 | 1-Aug-1999 | Eastern | AA | Akron 5, ALTOONA 4 |