On the Christie Hillside: CBL Odyssey: Brantford

Arnold Anderson Stadium, Brantford

In 2026, the Intercounty Baseball League set off on a whole new journey.

It shed its name and sailed into new waters as the Canadian Baseball League. Bigger, better, bolder.

This is also the summer of The Odyssey, one of the blockbuster movies of the year. It's the legendary tale of one man's journey through practically every nook and cranny of the Mediterranean before finally getting home.

With all this in mind, I'm making 2026 the summer of the CBL Odyssey. I'm revisiting the league's ballparks with a fresh set of eyes. Next stop is the Telephone City, Brantford.

ARNOLD ANDERSON STADIUM

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you take the QEW to Hamilton, then join up with the 403 into Brantford. There are multiple interchanges that access the city. A few zig-zags through town get you to Cockshutt Park, home of Arnold Anderson Stadium and the Brantford Red Sox.

The exit to King George Road is the one I usually take. As you pull up to the first street light, a mural of the late Walter Gretzky greets you. Painted on the doors of a firehall, the tribute to "Brantford's Beloved Lord Mayor" is a kind of civic beatification, like Leonard Cohen in Montreal and Terry Fox in Toronto.

PARKING - there is a parking lot beside the stadium, with more spaces deeper into the park. Once it fills up, there is street parking in the surrounding neighbourhood.

BALLPARK VIBES - before we get to the vibes, let's address the elephant in the room. Why is this ballpark aligned so that the batter's box and backstop face due west, causing the setting sun to blind batters, catchers and fans seated in the grandstand behind them?

I asked Red Sox historian Anne Lear-Chamberlain, and she provided the following background:

"The diamond was originally over by the cricket club (when you're coming into the parking area, it's straight down on the right side by another ball diamond). The outfield for that diamond originally backed onto the dike. I read that one of the reasons they moved the diamond was the umps were tired of going into the water to get the baseballs. There was a poem someone wrote put in the paper about the umps going in the water. It was moved to its present location in the 20s / 30s. Year depends on which story you read."

And there you have it. When the Red Sox's present diamond was laid down a century ago, baseball was only played in the daytime and sunsets would have had no impact. In Ontario, night baseball was not a thing until 1934. The first night game took place at Maple Leaf Stadium in Toronto. Over the years there must have been discussions about how to deal with the sun, perhaps erecting some sort of screen beyond the outfield, or even realigning the diamond. According to Lear-Chamberlain, no concrete proposals have ever taken shape.

Sun delays will remain Brantford's unique quirk.

Another unique feature is that the left field corner is adjacent to a row of backyards. No other park in the CBL is nestled so tightly into a neighbourhood that the field is literally up against someone's vegetables. A chainlink monster stands in front of the yards, preventing home run balls from battering gardens and patio furniture.

There's a calm vibe at Arnold Anderson stadium. The diamond is surrounded by greenery, especially a towering wall of trees that wrap around the rest of the outfield. Foul territory is not too large so fans can be close to the action. A grandstand section with plastic seats (with backs) is behind home. On either side, large stands of metal bleachers provide plenty of seating along the baselines.

Behind the grandstand building are pop-up tents with merch and other attractions. The atmosphere is very family friendly. Restroom facilities were temporarily out of service but the club has brought in several porta potties.

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - the Red Sox have the league's only cheer squad, provided by a local dance studio. Clad in red outfits and waving pom-poms, they take the field several times during the game to perform fight songs and entertain fans.

In keeping with Brantford's low-key vibe, the in-game host (didn't catch the name) made announcements and led contests between innings in a low-key style. Brantford is not a showy place.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - there is space to roam between the field and seating, but the infield is enveloped within thick black chainlink fencing that you need to work around (or through). Plenty of nooks and crannies provide interesting angles and the leafy backdrops are idyllic.

BALLPARK CUISINE - Carnivores can partake of hot dogs, sausages and pizza slices. There is also a long list of junk food and drinks available at the concessions stand. The sausage is served right off the grill and it was thick and juicy. One of the league's better offerings for sure.

BALLPARK BEER - wow, great selection! Sassy Britches Brewing Co. of Brantford provides the suds at a kiosk near the left field corner. Their Red Sox-branded blonde ale is bright and citrusy. I also tried their tangerine pale ale, amazing.

TEAM MASCOT - previously, a furry wolf creature has been seen at Red Sox games, but there was no mascot about when I visited.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - entering this ballpark feels like taking a step back in time, even back just a couple of decades before ballgames turned into multi-media spectacles. There are some extra amusements here for kids and short attention spans, but you come to watch a baseball game. Twenty-first century digital pyrotechnics do not penetrate this homey setting. You can actually relax here.

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - hell yes!