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TEAM ::: CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS
LOCATION ::: CHATTANOOGA,
TENNESSEE
MY FIRST VISIT ::: JULY 2, 2006
OPPONENT ::: JACKSONVILLE SUNS
RANK ::: SOUTHERN LEAGUE 'AA'
RATINGS
BALLFIELD :::
A+
SCOREBOARD ::: B
FOOD ::: B
FACILITIES ::: B
MASCOT ::: A+
MY TAKE ON THE PARK
PERCHED ON "HAWK HILL" IN DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA, BELLSOUTH PARK
OVERLOOKS
DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA. THE PARK IS VERY CLEAN BUT LACKS THE CHARM OF THE LOOKOUTS FORMER HOME.
THERE IS
SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR THE BALL PARK PLANNERS OF THE SOUTH. ON MANY OF THE TRIPS I'VE MADE, I'VE NOTICED THE THOUGHT PROCESS
USED TO AVOID FAN'S CONTACT WITH THE SUN. YOU CAN'T AIR CONDITION AN OPEN AIR PARK BUT IF YOU ELIMINATE SUN EXPOSURE TO AS
MUCH OF THE STADIUM AS
POSSIBLE, IT WILL MAKE THE PARK BETTER AND THE FANS ENJOYMENT GREATER.
UNLIKE ENGEL STADIUM,
WHICH HAD A ROOF COVERING A MAJORITY OF THE GRANDSTAND FROM FIRST TO THIRD AND EVEN HAD CEILING FANS, I'M GUESS FOR SHOW,
BELLSOUTH PARK HAS ABOUT 10 FEET OF ROOF COVERING THE UPPER DECK
TO SHIELD FANS FROM THE SUN. IN SOUTHERN TENNESSEE, THIS
IS NOT ENOUGH. MY ONLY TRIP TO CHATTANOOGA WAS JULY 2 FOR A SUNDAY AFTERNOON GAME, IT WAS 100+ DEGREES AND SUNNY DURING THE
GAME. THIS TYPE OF WEATHER COULD
CLOUD MY VIEW OF THE PARK.
THE LOOKOUTS SAY THERE IS PARKING LOCATED IN A PARKING GARAGE
ABOUT A
1/2 MILE FROM THE PARK AND A TROLLEY IS PROVIDED FOR FANS. IF YOU DID
NOT DO THE PROPER RESEARCH ON THIS, YOU
CAN PAY $4 TO PARK IN A VERY
SMALL LOT RIGHT OUTSIDE THE PARK. FROM THE STREET, YOU TAKE A COVERED
ESCALATOR UP TO THE
BALL PARK. AT THE TOP OF THE ESCALATOR SITS THE PARK
WHICH ACTUALLY GAVE ME A FEELING LIKE THE OLD RIVERFRONT STADIUM IN
CINCINNATI.
OUTLINING THE SIDEWALK ARE LARGE BASEBALLS WHICH ALSO GIVE A
GOOD FEEL TO THE PLACE.
ENTERING THE STADIUM, A VERY CHARISMATIC PROGRAM VENDOR GREETS
YOU WITH 25 CENT PROGRAMS. FOR 25 CENTS YOU GET A LINEUP CARD AND AN 80 PAGE
PROGRAM WITH 75 PAGES OF ADVERTISEMENTS. CONSIDERING
SOME PARKS CHARGE YOU A BUCK FOR A COPIED LINE UP SHEET, IS IS A GOOD DEAL.
FROM THE PROGRAM VENDOR, A WIDE CONCOURSE WITH VENDORS ALONG
THE WALL AWAITS. A CLEANER CONCOURSE MAY NEVER BE FOUND. THE CONCOURSE FLOOR SHINES! THE
BATHROOMS GET THE SAME TREATMENT,
VERY VERY CLEAN.
THE LOOKOUTS SAY THERE IS PARKING LOCATED IN A PARKING GARAGE
ABOUT A
1/2 MILE FROM THE PARK AND A TROLLEY IS PROVIDED FOR FANS. IF YOU DID
NOT DO THE PROPER RESEARCH ON THIS, YOU
CAN PAY $4 TO PARK IN A VERY
SMALL LOT RIGHT OUTSIDE THE PARK. FROM THE STREET, YOU TAKE A COVERED
ESCALATOR UP TO THE
BALL PARK. AT THE TOP OF THE ESCALATOR SITS THE PARK
WHICH ACTUALLY GAVE ME A FEELING LIKE THE OLD RIVERFRONT STADIUM IN
CINCINNATI.
OUTLINING THE SIDEWALK ARE LARGE BASEBALLS WHICH ALSO GIVE A
GOOD FEEL TO THE PLACE.
UP THE STAIRS OUT TO THE SEATING
AREA, A GREAT LOOKING FIELD AWAITS. THE SEATING AREA IS SPLIT WITH AN AISLE DIVIDING THE TWO. BOX SEATS ARE CHAIRS BUT IN
FULL SUNLIGHT, THE UPPER LEVEL ARE ABOUT 10 ROWS OF CHAIRS
AND THE REST IN METAL BLEACHERS, BLEACHERS WHICH GET DANGEROUSLY
HOT IN THE SUN.
ALONG THE THIRD BASE SIDE ARE THREE UNIQUE FEATURES. A COOL TUNNEL WHICH IS A FAVORITE WITH KIDS WHO
ENJOYED RUNNING THROUGH THE MIST. A BARBER
SHOP, FOR $10 (FOR MEN $17 FOR WOMEN) YOU CAN GET A HAIRCUT WHILE
WATCHING THE GAME. THE THIRD THING IS THE HIGHWAY, A HIGHWAY WHICH MAKES THE SEATING AREA UNIQUE BUT
DOESN'T REALLY DO
ANYTHING TO THE PLAYING FIELD.
ALL IN ALL, CHATTANOOGA IS A CLEAN PLACE TO SEE A GAME. I DON'T
KNOW IF THE SUN WAS AN ISSUE BUT WHY LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN IS NOT USED AS A BACKDROP FOR THIS PARK SURPRISES ME. MAYBE THE LOCATION
OF THE PARK WOULDN'T GIVE
A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN, BUT THERE IS ALSO A RIVER WHICH RUNS ALONG THE PARK AND THAT IS NOT USED
EITHER. IT JUST APPEARS THAT THE ONLY REASON THIS PARK EXISTS IS BECAUSE THE OWNERSHIP GROUP WANTED LUXURY BOXES.
HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY IN CHATTANOOGA WILL PUSH THROUGH THE IDEA
FOR THE LOOKOUTS TO PLAY A GAME EVERY YEAR AT ENGEL STADIUM, LIKE THE BARONS IN BIRMINGHAM DO WITH RICKWOOD FIELD.
THE LINE UPS
JACKSONVILLE
SUNS MANAGER :::
12 JOHN SHOEMAKER
CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS MANAGER :::
32 JAYHAWK
OWENS
JACKSONVILLE SUNS
23
Adam Greenberg cf
26 Wilkin Ruan rf
9 Craig Brazell 1b
43 Tydus Meadows lf
5 Tony Abreau 2b
13 Sergio
Garcia 3b
28 Jimmy Rohan ss
11 Gabriel Gutierrez c
14 Adam Thomas p / LP
CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS
27
Chris Dickerson cf
4 Rick Asadoorian rf
5 Joey Votto 1b
38 Aaron Herr 3b
16 Noochie Varner lf
13 Anderson
Machado ss
10 Luis Bolivar 2b
29 Miguel Perez c
21 Homer Bailey p / WP
JAX SUNS 000 000 000
0 3 0
LOOKOUTS 040 000 00x 4 10 0
TIME ::: 2:43
ATTENDANCE
::: 1,997
WEATHER ::: 95 (very) HOT , SUNNY
SEND ME AN E-MAIL
UNCLEBOBSBALLPARKS@GMAIL.COM
LINKS
*** HOME ***
My site Listed by State
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The Official web site of the Chattanooga Lookouts
Were the Lookouts used to play - My Engel Stadium site
Ruby Falls - You'll see the signs for 100 miles in all directions
A link to Lookout Mountain
Chattanooga weather from WEATHER.com
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