Cobb Field

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cobb Field

Location 901 N. 27th St.
Billings, Montana 59101
Opened May 4, 1948
Demolished Fall, 2007
Owner City of Billings
Operator Billings Parks & Recreation
Surface Grass
Architect N/A
Tenants
Billings Mustangs (Minor League Baseball) (1948-1963, 1969-2007)
Montana State University - Billings (NCAA Baseball) (2006-2007)
Billings Scarlets (American Legion Baseball) (1948-2007)
Billings Royals (American Legion Baseball) (1948-2007)
Capacity
4,200
Dimensions
Left Field - 335 ft (102 m)
Center Field - 405 ft (123 m)
Right Field - 327 ft (99 m)


Cobb Field is a baseball stadium located in Billings, Montana. It was originally named Athletic Park. It has been the home of the Billings Mustangs, the Pioneer League Rookie Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, since 1948. Cobb Field was named after Bob Cobb, who was responsible for bringing the Mustangs to Billings. It also hosts home games for local American Legion baseball teams.

Cobb Field seats 4,200, though crowds have been known to eclipse 5,000, particularly on promotional free ticket nights such as "Kwik Way Night," in which local Billings Kwik Way gas stations give out tickets to customers.

Ticket prices are reasonably affordable. Box seats (first four rows in the stadium) are priced at $6.50. The rest of the stadium is composed of long rows of benches assigned as general admission. Sold at $5.00 a ticket, a fan with a general admission ticket can sit anywhere they desire within the designated general area. Students and Seniors can get a general admission pass for $4. In the 90's the Mustangs had a "Knothole Gang" promotion for children to get a t-shirt, a 10 game pass, and an autograph day with the Mustangs for a set price. The "Knothole Gang" has since been revived and children between 6 and 12 years of age can get a season general admission pass (all 38 home games) for $12.

Cobb Field's concessions have overgone a drastic overhaul in the past few years. In addition to the basic hot dog, pizza, candy, and pop products offered by the main concession, the Mustangs added the "Cobb Grill" and "Betisse's Bullpen", a patio on the left field line where Mustangs fans can enjoy a beer and roam about freely. "Betisse's Bullpen" also hosts pre-game tailgate parties.

Cobb Field has a natural grass surface which is attended to by head groundskeeper John Barta. Barta had been on the grounds crew for many years before taking the head position in 2005. Its dimensions are 335 feet to left, 405 feet to center, and 325 feet to right.

In 2006, the stadium welcomed the re-formed NCAA baseball team from nearby Montana State University - Billings. The Yellowjackets play in the Division II Heartland Conference. From March to May, home games are played at the Field (the college season starts in February, but due to the weather in Montana, the Jackets are forced to start the season on long road trips).

The stadium is primarily made up of the same wood used 70 years ago and is showing substantial wear. The handrail on the exit on the 3rd base side shows considerable splinting of the wood and many areas of the stadium have needed wooden boards to be installed over holes in the floor.

On November 8 a 12.5 million stadium levy passed (with a 53% majority 'for' vote) allowing construction of a new stadium at the Cobb Field location. Construction will begin in Spring 2007 and the original stadium will be torn down after the 2007 season. It is not known whether the stadium will keep the name Cobb Field. Most likely it will be named after the highest paying donor.

[edit] External links

Current ballparks in the Pioneer League
Northern Division Southern Division
Cobb Field | Kindrick Field | Legion Park | Ogren Park at Allegiance Field Lindquist Field | Melaleuca Field | Mike Lansing Field | Parkway Crossings
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/o/b/Cobb_Field_8872.html"