"Worst baseball field I have ever seen"
Today, the West Virginia University baseball team advanced to the 2026 NCAA Men's College World Series!
It could be a triumph for my late father (WVU, 1939) and for most Gorrell relatives!
However, it could leave Kentucky fan Michael Rasnick even more red-faced. Read his post below.
IMPOSSIBLE-!
Michael Rasnick is totally wrong!
How do I know? I lived in the Spark Black Bear Apartment (renamed the Heights at Black Bear) for two years. The apartment complex sits just across the street from Kendrick Family Ballpark, which has a 3,500-capacity (formerly Monongalia County Ballpark). See the image below.
“The park sits at the top of a hill right near a major retail complex (University Town Center). Looking out over the outfield offers pure, rolling mountain peace, while looking directly behind the home plate gates places you near a bustling shopping center,” states Google Gemini.
Below is the photo I took on April 21, 2023. Yeah, my former apartment complex is on the left. Is this stadium beautiful? [The deep center-right is the 13,000-seat Hope Coliseum (basketball)]
Below is another one on March 16, 2025, under a full moon. Beautiful?
Again - look below (November 15, 2023)
After seeing the photo above, Ed Christman, the former Ohio University athletic trainer, emailed, “Beautiful picture of the baseball stadium!” Another trainer, Ken Wolfiert, exclaimed, “Beautiful picture, Howie.” It is crystal clear that Rasnick is wrong.
If you have access to the Facebook network, you can see more reels on the John Costanzo page.
Kendrick Family Ballpark was named BaseballParks.com's Ballpark of the Year for 2015. The annual award honors a new or remodeled stadium for the best combination of site selection, exterior appearance, architectural design, and fan amenities.
If you want more information about this Ballpark, you can visit the WVU webpage.
Also, click “Kendrick Family Ballpark” to see 20 pictures.
The venue was renamed in 2024 after a generous donation from Arizona Diamondbacks owner and WVU alumnus Ken Kendrick.
The Ballpark hosts the West Virginia Black Bears (MLB Draft League) as its summer tenant.
The West Virginia Black Bears host post-game fireworks at the Ballpark. The 2026 fireworks schedule is listed below:
Tuesday, June 9: Opening Day
Friday, June 12
Friday, June 19
Friday, June 26
Friday, July 3: Independence Day Eve Celebration (largest show of the season)
Friday, July 10
Friday, August 7
Friday, August 14
During my stay in WV, I watched several fireworks from my apartment's parking lot. Here is my best shot (July 21, 2023).
One Reddit reader said of the Kendrick Family Ballpark, “I haven’t been to a game there, but it’s built on a mountain overlooking Morgantown. Probably not the most scenic stadium, but it’s a cool location.” Perhaps the reader claims that the most scenic stadium is the Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium in Boone, North Carolina, which is home to the Appalachian State baseball program.
