On Location: The Epicenter

Each card in this set presents a stadium or other baseball landmark I've visited. This is card number two in the series.

In my travels around the minor leagues, I run across basically two types of stadiums. There are old stadiums, like the ones in San Jose, Bakersfield, and Columbus, GA. Then there are the multitude of newer stadiums, like Gwinnett, Brooklyn, and Rancho Cucamonga. Most stadiums, new or old, are arranged about the same. A seating bowl curving from third to first base, possibly extending down the foul lines a bit farther. Beyond the seating area, there is generally a general admission lawn section, and arranged between, beyond, or behind these two sections you'll find a group party eating area and an inflatable childrens area. Most stadiums feature one video scoreboard and a second dot matrix board for stats, line score, and the count.

Rancho Cucamonga is your stereotypical minor league stadium. It has a nice facade (seen above) surrounded by palm trees, and on the inside, a very nondescript field and seating bowl. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place, but it doesn't have much that stands out. It is to the stadium's benefit that it's so normal - it can sit in for any other minor league or generic baseball field. As mentioned in the card, this is why it is so good for filming.

View of press/luxury box and seating bowl

They boast 350 days of sunshine, and I lucked upon one of the 15 days with bad weather. It drizzled most of the evening and kept the crowds away. Almost every fan sat in the highest rows behind home plate, which is under cover.

View of party deck (right), cantina (middle left), bleachers (far left)

There used to be a statue of Jack Benny at the home plate entrance, but it was moved to another location in town a few years ago. The stadium is part of a bigger complex with recreational softball fields.

I don't remember the food. It certainly didn't stand out, especially with the cold drizzle running all night. There are plenty of food locations located under the stands.