The Hangar

Main entrance to Lancaster Municipal Stadium, Aug-2004.

The seating bowl, as seen from the left-field berm.

The park is north of the San Gabriel Mountains, so there is not much to see looking northeast.

• Location: Valley Central Way at Avenue I, Lancaster, Calif.
• Opened: 1996 as Lancaster Municipal Stadium
• Additional names: Clear Channel Stadium (2005)
• Home team: Lancaster JetHawks, California League (1996-present)
• Capacity: 4,500

Rating: 3 baseballs

The ballpark reminds me of one of my local favorites, Skylands Park in northwest New Jersey, except that The Hangar appears more finished. The park has deep fences (350 feet down the lines, 410 to center) to combat the prevailing winds, and regular stadium seats rather than bucket seats. Concourse access is limited. There are outbuildings behind the concourse that hold the team offices, locker rooms, and souvenir stands.

San Bernardino Stadium was laid out with an identical floor plan. Another friend has remarked that the main seating bowl is similar to Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., and I concur.

Site visitor Stefanie called my attention in July 2005 to the fact that the JetHawks have teamed up with Clear Channel, the radio station and outdoor advertising company, for a marketing deal. As a result, the ballpark is now known as Clear Channel Stadium.