Rating: 
Summary: where's Jarry Park?
Review: For any ballpark junkie this is a fix you need. The photos are simply amazing esp. the panoramic shots. And who knew the "Hit Sign, Win Suit" sign at old Ebbets Field was at the bottom of the outfield fence? I always imagined it was up high.
The text is mostly filler but interesting and intriguing filler at that. You learn stuff like kids who caught HR balls that cleared the park at League Park (the Indians' previous home) and Shibe Park (Philly A's and Phillies former home park) could turn in the balls for a free pass to a game. How cool is that?
Would give it 5 stars but somehow in the "Gone, but Not Forgotten" section they forgot to put in the Expos' Parc du Jarry yet managed to fit in the Jays' Exhibition Park. Considering that ballpark had about ten times the character as the Ex, I have no idea why they left it out.
Rating:
Summary: All The Parks vs. The "Old" Parks
Review: For the fan who is just beginning to appreciate all of the ballparks in major league history, this is the volume for you. If you're a purist who is familiar with the "older" still-present or long-gone parks, you might have wanted(or expected) a little bit more material(pictures,etc.) than what was presented. Being from Michigan, I grew up at Tiger Stadium(Detroit), was fortunate enough to visit old Comiskey, Wrigley Field, Crosley Field and even old Yankee Stadium before the '74-'75 refurbishment. And our visit to Camden Yards during its' first year gave me hope for a return to the "traditional" ballparks of the early part of the 1900's. Those of you like myself looking for material from yesterday, please don't be too disappointed; for this volume is very comprehensive in covering all of the ballparks of yesterday and today regardless of era. A "must add to the collection" for all ball park eficionados in particular, if not baseball fans in gereral.
Rating:
Summary: Exceeds expectations!
Review: I ordered this book after seeing it advertised on one of those internet banner ads- something I've never done before- so I was pleasantly surprised at the quality.The thematic organization, great text and anectdotes, along with the excellence of the photographs (up to Life magazine standards) make it a must-have for any baseball fan. I was pleased with the obvious attention to detail that went into the making of this book, as it's evident that this project was a labor of love for someone. There were two other baseball fans in my office who were clamoring over "The Ballpark Book", and I wouldn't be surprised if they order a copy themselves. The coffee-table book quality of presentation makes it an excellent gift, too. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: VERY GLOSSY BUT COULD BE BETTER
Review: I spent four summers toiling under the unforgiving sun that dominated Arlington Stadium, watching the Texas Rangers and selling peanuts along the first base line. I have since returned to visit The Ballpark, the new, oldstyle park that now is home to the Rangers.....but I have a real soft spot for that old orange monstrosity. The Ballpark Book is a brief look into ballparks of the past (Classics such as Fenway and Wrigley), the domes, the "Middle Ages" (Jack Murphy and Anaheim) and the new "oldstyle" parks noew in vogue. This book describes each park, its personality, the highlights of archecticture, the quirks that allowed each home team an advantage (none who have seen the fog roll into the Stick in San Francisco will ever forget it)and the memorable personalities that inhabit those parks. Having visited over half of the parks and loved each and every one as an intergal park of the game (OK, some I have loved less) I found this book a real joy to read and a real trip down memory lane to pour over photographs and illustrations. This goes right next to my autographs, my orange buttons for surviving extra inning Giants games, and foul ball collection.....a real treat.
Rating: 
Summary: Return to your field of dreams
Review: I spent four summers toiling under the unforgiving sun that dominated Arlington Stadium, watching the Texas Rangers and selling peanuts along the first base line. I have since returned to visit The Ballpark, the new, oldstyle park that now is home to the Rangers.....but I have a real soft spot for that old orange monstrosity. The Ballpark Book is a brief look into ballparks of the past (Classics such as Fenway and Wrigley), the domes, the "Middle Ages" (Jack Murphy and Anaheim) and the new "oldstyle" parks noew in vogue. This book describes each park, its personality, the highlights of archecticture, the quirks that allowed each home team an advantage (none who have seen the fog roll into the Stick in San Francisco will ever forget it)and the memorable personalities that inhabit those parks. Having visited over half of the parks and loved each and every one as an intergal park of the game (OK, some I have loved less) I found this book a real joy to read and a real trip down memory lane to pour over photographs and illustrations. This goes right next to my autographs, my orange buttons for surviving extra inning Giants games, and foul ball collection.....a real treat.
Rating:
Summary: Correction in Previous Review
Review: I'm sorry if I caused any confusion with my previous review. This book does cover the past ballparks like Ebbett's Field, etc. However, they are grouped together in the rear. In the previous edition all stadiums were listed alphabetically by city.
Rating:
Summary: Bad Timing Takes Away From An Otherwise Wonderful Volume
Review: Part of the beauty of baseball is the ballpark. Picture a warm, sunny afternoon out on the diamond. That image brings to mind many wonderful things, and some of these memories are preserved in "The Ballpark Book". Divided into five sections- The Classics (traditional venues such as Fenway Park in Boston and Chicago's Wrigley Field), The Middle Ages (Anaheim Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium are examples), The Turf Era (the time when "cookie cutter" parks such as Veterans Stadium were built), The New Wave (the return to retro-style parks such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards), and finally, Gone But Not Forgotten (which pays tribute to the fields which no longer exist for play). In this way, the book faithfully traces the evolution of the baseball stadium from simple fields jammed between busy city streets to the new spectacular complexes filled with modern amenities and everything else you can imagine. But this is much more than a history book. Each ballpark is featured in a two-page, full-color painting, upon which are printed various facts and descriptions of great moments happening at that particular field. The rest of the chapter is a tribute to the field and its corresponding team, along with a basic summary of important dates and milestones. The paintings are beautiful, and the casual fan can learn a lot of interesting things by reading through the chapters. However, for people like me who have studied the game thoroughly, the book may serve as more of a tribute and companion rather than a detailed reference volume. The biggest issue I had with "The Ballpark Book" is one which is the fault of the authors and publishers. Unfortunately, the book was first released right at a time when several new and beautiful stadiums were opening around the Major Leagues. None of these parks are included in the first edition, which I found disappointing. However, a revised edition has since been published, and this includes those newer parks that were skipped over the first time around as well as the ones that were included originally. So, if you are a casual fan and want to learn more about the fields you see on TV during games, this is a great choice. For a veteran fan who is a student of the game, this book will not teach you many new things, but it is still nice to look through. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with "The Ballpark Book", no matter what your level of interest is, especially if you purchase the second edition. This is clearly the best of the books of this genre that are available on the market.
Rating:
Summary: Bad Timing Takes Away From An Otherwise Wonderful Volume
Review: Part of the beauty of baseball is the ballpark. Picture a warm, sunny afternoon out on the diamond. That image brings to mind many wonderful things, and some of these memories are preserved in "The Ballpark Book". Divided into five sections- The Classics (traditional venues such as Fenway Park in Boston and Chicago's Wrigley Field), The Middle Ages (Anaheim Stadium and Jack Murphy Stadium are examples), The Turf Era (the time when "cookie cutter" parks such as Veterans Stadium were built), The New Wave (the return to retro-style parks such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards), and finally, Gone But Not Forgotten (which pays tribute to the fields which no longer exist for play). In this way, the book faithfully traces the evolution of the baseball stadium from simple fields jammed between busy city streets to the new spectacular complexes filled with modern amenities and everything else you can imagine. But this is much more than a history book. Each ballpark is featured in a two-page, full-color painting, upon which are printed various facts and descriptions of great moments happening at that particular field. The rest of the chapter is a tribute to the field and its corresponding team, along with a basic summary of important dates and milestones. The paintings are beautiful, and the casual fan can learn a lot of interesting things by reading through the chapters. However, for people like me who have studied the game thoroughly, the book may serve as more of a tribute and companion rather than a detailed reference volume. The biggest issue I had with "The Ballpark Book" is one which is the fault of the authors and publishers. Unfortunately, the book was first released right at a time when several new and beautiful stadiums were opening around the Major Leagues. None of these parks are included in the first edition, which I found disappointing. However, a revised edition has since been published, and this includes those newer parks that were skipped over the first time around as well as the ones that were included originally. So, if you are a casual fan and want to learn more about the fields you see on TV during games, this is a great choice. For a veteran fan who is a student of the game, this book will not teach you many new things, but it is still nice to look through. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with "The Ballpark Book", no matter what your level of interest is, especially if you purchase the second edition. This is clearly the best of the books of this genre that are available on the market.
Rating: 
Summary: What's behind The Ballpark Book
Review: Thanks for taking the time to look into our book. If you're a fan of baseball, if you're a fan of major league ballparks, if you're a fan who - like me - is kicking himself for not getting to a game at Tiger Stadium before it closed, if you're a fan who wishes he could have seen a game in Ebbets Field or Crosley Field, this book is done for you. Baseball fans don't just remember great players and plays, they remember the great places that served as stages for those people and circumstances. Those great places - those stadiums, those ballparks, those fields - hold unique smells and sounds, unique sights and feels, unique experiences for each and every fan. Re-creating those unique features, re-igniting those feelings and sensory experiences is what's behind The Ballpark Book. We want to take you to Fenway and Wrigley and Camden Yards. We want to take you to Ebbets and Shibe and Griffith and Old Comiskey and Forbes. The year 1999 marked the end of four national baseball treasures - Detroit's Tiger Stadium, Houston's Astrodome, 3 Com Park (nee Candlestick Park) in San Francisco and Seattle's Kingdome (maybe not as treasured as the other three but, yes, a treasure nonetheless) - The Sporting News relives the experience, relives the great moments of 46 past and present baseball institutions, from Fenway Park to Jacobs Field. You'll find 304 pages of beautiful color photographs, stadium panoramas and detail shots, and artistic illustrations of those ballparks with the great moments in their histories. As the ballparks in Milwaukee and Pittsburgh enter their final seasons, it's a book that remembers the great places where the greatest game on earth has been played.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: The ballpark book for ballpark lovers. Includes all current and many older ballparks, including many from the past 30-40 years that have recently been replaced. Great pictures and stories taking you down memory lane time after time.
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