Canadians who enjoy traveling for baseball tend to have lots of experience crossing the border to attend games. After all, if attending games is your priority, it’s best to go where the sport is the national pastime, right?
For Americans, crossing the border for baseball isn’t as common. Those who reside south of the 49th parallel have a nearly endless list of ballparks to visit, which can make international travel seem like a distant priority. If, however, you’re eager to dust off your passport and seek out some baseball in a different nation, Canada is a good place to start.
Visiting Rogers Centre to see the Blue Jays in action might be your top priority. Or, if you’re on the west coast, you might consider a visit to Vancouver to see the High-A Canadians. These are obvious choices in Canada, but there are several other parks you may want to add to your list.
Here are five Canadian ballparks for Americans to check out.
Labatt Memorial Park (London Majors)
More than three decades before Fenway Park opened, America’s pastime was being played at a small park in London, Ontario. Yep, you heard that right. Now known as Labatt Memorial Park, this historic facility opened in 1877 and is the Guinness World Record-holding oldest continuously operated ballpark in baseball. And there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of it until now. The London Majors are the current tenant at Labatt; they’re an independent club that competes in the nine-team Intercounty Baseball League.
The league is primarily made up of college players on their summer break, along with some former professionals. Labatt Memorial Park is pretty modest, which only adds to its charm. You’ll find covered and open-air grandstands, a simple concourse area, and a residential area just a handful of yards from the park’s main gates. London is situated in southwestern Ontario, less than 130 miles from Detroit and less than 150 miles from Buffalo.
Ottawa Stadium (Ottawa Titans)
If you were a baseball fan in the 1990s, you might remember the Ottawa Lynx. The franchise joined the Triple-A ranks in 1993, won an International League title in 1995, and relocated to Allentown, PA, after 2007. The Lynx might be long gone, but their former home continues to host games. The park, now simply known as Ottawa Stadium, is home to the Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans. The Titans are the latest in a long line of tenants who’ve used the park since the Lynx left town. They offer the highest level of baseball the park has seen since 2007.
Ottawa Stadium has a design that was popular during the early 1990s. You’ll find good sightlines throughout the grandstand, an enclosed concourse, and wide cross-aisles that divide the seating bowl. There’s even a large grass berm down the third base line, which is popular with families. The drive from Ottawa to Toronto is less than 5 hours, making a trip that features back-to-back games at Rogers Centre and Ottawa Stadium an option to consider. You don’t necessarily have to look for other baseball options if you’re thinking about visiting Ottawa, though. As the capital of Canada, the city is filled with museums and other things to see and do.
Blue Cross Park (Winnipeg Goldeyes)
One could make the argument that Blue Cross Park in Winnipeg is the most impressive independent ballpark in Canada. This alone means that it’s worth a visit. It opened in 1999, which gives it much more of a modern feel than its independent Canadian ballpark counterparts. It immediately saw action as the host ballpark for the 1999 Pan American Games, with such MLBers as Mark Mulder, Adam Kennedy, and Brad Penny suiting up for silver medal-winning Team USA. Geographically, it’s situated along the shores of the Red River, and is just a few blocks from the intersection of Portage and Main, which is frequently dubbed the “Crossroads of Canada.”
The park has hosted the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who play in the 12-team American Association of Professional Baseball, since its inception. They’re the lone Canadian club on the circuit. During your visit, you’ll want to check out Clay Oven at Blue Cross Park, an Indian cuisine restaurant on the park’s suite level. (Not something you frequently find at ballparks, right?) The Craft Beer Corner features an ever-changing selection of brews, all of which are made in the province of Manitoba. You’ll experience good sightlines throughout the park, a variety of seating options, and plenty of other amenities that you don’t always encounter in indy ball.
Stade Quillorama (Trois-Rivieres Aigles)
The Trois-Rivieres Aigles are another Frontier League member that you may wish to see during your visit to Canada. They play at Stade Quillorama (loosely translated to Bowlarama Stadium) in Trois-Rivieres, a city situated roughly halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. Although hockey is king in Quebec, there’s a healthy baseball scene. The team, which counts longtime MLB closer Eric Gagne as one of its owners, joined the Frontier League after seven seasons in the independent, and now-defunct, Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball.
This ballpark dates back to 1938, making it older than all but two big league parks. Stade Quillorama has a unique design that you’ll particularly appreciate if you favor parks that don’t have a cookie-cutter feel. The main gate area looks a little like the entrance to a historic theater. The grandstand, which wraps around the infield, is entirely covered. There are no outfield seats, but arriving early and checking out the area behind the fence gives you a good chance of snagging a batting practice home run.
Dominico Field at Christie Pits (Toronto Maple Leafs)
The term “ballpark” doesn’t really apply to Dominico Field at Christie Pits in Toronto. But it’s still a venue that you may wish to check out. This facility feels more like a local baseball field, and that’s a big part of its charm. Dominico Field hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs (no, not that one) who play in the Intercounty Baseball League. This franchise dates back more than half a century, and most baseball fans might be surprised to know that Toronto hosted minor league baseball beginning in the 1890s.
This facility features a baseball field that has a sloped grass berm behind home plate and down the lines. While there are some bleachers close to the field, most fans choose to sit on the berm as they watch the game. Dominico Field is part of a large city park that also includes a pool, an ice rink, a skate park, a splash pad, walking paths, and lots of green space. It’s nestled in the middle of a residential neighborhood that is just over 3 miles from Rogers Centre. If you’re planning to visit Toronto to see the Blue Jays, pairing that game with a laid-back Dominico Field experience can be enjoyable.
And if you’re a Canadian who is interested in visiting some U.S. ballparks this summer, take a look at this post.
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