What makes baseball parks special? Hear it from the man who has visited every major league park in America and hundreds of other parks as well. Step up to the plate with Paul Hamann, an avid fan, author, and expert on ballparks. Discover the stories, features, and cultural elements that make these parks special and how they can inspire you to have even more fun with the sport of baseball.

Main Topics:

Why baseball parks are called parks instead of stadiums
Paul's personal quest to visit all major league and minor league ballparks
What makes a ballpark memorable: architecture, location, stories, and community
The importance of place in creating fun and meaningful sports experiences
Features that define great ballparks: views, history, unique design elements
The potential for sports stadiums to borrow storytelling and heritage strategies from baseball
The debate: spectacle versus tradition in sports venues

Resources & Links:

Paul’s Ballparks - A Substack documenting Paul’s views and reviews of baseball parks

https://paulsballparks.substack.com/

Fenway Park — Iconic stadium with the Green Monster

https://www.mlb.com/redsox/ballpark

Target Field — Example of modern stadium design blending tradition and fun

https://www.mlb.com/twins/ballpark

Banana Ball — A new world of entertaining of baseball

https://thesavannahbananas.com/

Amy Mann's Super Ball — Paul’s walk-up song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuJB-P9TuWE&t=5s