To be fair, Durham Bulls Athletic Park isn’t the most famous ballpark in Durham.
That honor goes to the similarly named and much older Durham Athletic Park, which sits about a mile away. DAP, as it’s often known, is of course the park that hosted the iconic 1988 film “Bull Durham,” starring Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon.
But even if it’s the runner-up in terms of fame, Durham Bulls Athletic Park is an absolute treasure — and one that should sit close to the top of your ballpark must-see list.
This is the seventh edition of my “Five Things I Love” series, which looks at five random things that I absolutely love about each ballpark I’ve visited. This is a series that celebrates the sometimes subtle things that make ballpark experiences enjoyable and memorable, and hopefully encourages you to think about your favorite features at each park you visit.
Here are five things I love about Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home of the Durham Bulls:
1. The Fountains
I love seeing Durham Bulls Athletic Park come into sight as I approach on foot. But just as much as I love seeing the park, I love hearing it. The sounds are thanks to the pair of water fountains that are situated on each side of the stairs that lead up to the plaza outside of the park’s front gates. No visit to DBAP is complete without spending a few minutes in front of the fountains and enjoying their soothing, splashing soundtrack. They truly offer a major league vibe at a minor league park.
2. The Outfield Concourse
My initial thought was to list the right field concourse at DBAP as one of my favorite features. The reality, however, is that the entire outfield concourse is pretty nice to walk around. Let’s start with the concourse behind right field. It’s hugely reminiscent of Eutaw Street behind right field at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. If you’re walking from center field to right field, the field of play is on your right and there’s a large building on your left. In Baltimore, that building is the famed B&O Warehouse. In Durham, it’s a corporate building that houses a number of local companies. The concourse is wide and offers a great view of the action. On the left field side, the concourse is positioned above the 32-foot Blue Monster, an outfield fence that is only 5 feet shorter than Fenway’s Green Monster. The glass rail above the fence is a popular spot during games, but it’s not the only place to hang out. Many fans also gather on the patio of the Tobacco Road Sports Cafe, which provides a view of the field.
3. The Bull
I mean, you can’t make a list of your favorite features at DBAP without listing the bull, right? The “Hit Bull, Win Steak” bull that sits high above the left field fence pays tribute to a similar-looking bull sign that grazed at the original Durham ballpark for years. (And, in fact, that original bull was moved to DBAP when the latter park was built, but has since been replaced multiple times by updated versions.) It’s one of the most iconic sights in the minor leagues and you can stand directly below it if you so wish. I always make a point of that.
4. The First Base Concourse
Being behind home plate offers the best view at most ballparks, but there’s a spot at DBAP that I rank ahead of the home plate seats. Standing on the concourse or sitting in the upper row of seats high above first base offers one of my very favorite views in all of baseball. I enjoy the look of the field from this point, including the Blue Monster and the Bull. But I absolutely love the backdrop of the American Tobacco Campus and the view of the sun as it sets. If you’re attending a Bulls game, I can’t recommend enough that you spend some time in this area.
5. The Team Shop
At most parks, the team shop doesn’t have a huge effect on me. Some shops are big, some are small, and all are stocked with various team-related apparel and accessories. The team shop at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, however, is an outlier. This might be the single most impressive team shop I’ve encountered in the 60-plus minor league parks I’ve visited. Like many things at DBAP, it has a major league feel. Not only is it vast in size, but it carries just about anything you could possibly imagine wanting. From its enormous hat wall to its great selection of specialty jerseys, this is a team shop that you can’t leave empty handed.
What are your favorite things about Durham Bulls Athletic Park?