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! 

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Welland...

CBL Odyssey: Kitchener

Jack Couch Park, Kitchener

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, already 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 Sausagetown aka Kitchener.

JACK COUCH PARK

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you take the 401 West.  Pass Cambridge, then exit onto Highway 8.  From 8 exit onto 7, then Ottawa Street.  The home of the Kitchener Panthers is right off the highway, easy in/easy out.  The GO Kitchener Line drops you off at Kitchener's train station.  From there you can grab a bus that takes you to Ottawa Street.  If not, it's a 45 minute schlep down Weber Street.

PARKING - the ballpark is part of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, which includes arenas and sports fields.  The complex has a huge amount of free parking so it's never an issue.  

BALLPARK VIBES - the night I visited was the Panthers' "Oktoberfest in July" game and it was a blast.  The club debuted its city connect "Berlin Keg Tappers" uniforms with Alpine green hats, checkered jerseys and lederhosen-like pants and stockings.  Musicians in folk attire played German music and Oktoberfest mascots roamed the park.  The place was packed and festive.  Panthers fans are always a lively lot.  That's Panther Baseball!

Jack Couch is one of the CBL's cosiest parks.  The dimensions are short, making it a sluggers' paradise.  The highway is not far past the trees behind the outfield fences.  Foul territory is modest, and seven sections of metal bleachers wrap around the infield from one corner base to the other, bringing fans close to the action.

Lots of Panthers merch is available inside a shipping container located behind the seating on the first base side.  There are restrooms in the building behind home plate, and porta potties near the right field corner.

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - plenty of contests and music between innings.  Everything was German themed this night.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - with the seating so close to the field, and the outfield cut off by fencing, it's a tight ballpark.  There's a narrow walkway between the seats and infield fencing but not many spots where you can stand without blocking someone's view.

BALLPARK CUISINE - Kitchener is the home of Schneiders meats and Jack Couch is the home of the best grilled sausages in the CBL.  The concessions stand also offers hot dogs, pizza slices and plenty of junk food.  Each week, a special menu item is added to the rotation.  This night it was popcorn chicken mac and cheese in a bowl.

It's all about the sausages here.  Prepared by the stadium grillmeister, they are juicy and flavourful.  Whenever I visit it's one of the highlights.

BALLPARK BEER - there is no "Panthers" branded beer, but they do sell Kitchener Rangers Cream Ale from Cambridge's Four Fathers Brewing Co..  It's a nice cream ale, and they have an assortment of others available at the beer stand.

TEAM MASCOT - the Panthers do not have a live mascot, but visitors entering Jack Couch encounter a giant inflated cat perched Sphinx-like beside the merch box.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"I've been waiting all day for this."

"Best there is."

(possibly an exchange between the stadium grillmeister and the author)

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - in recent years, the fencing between the field and seating at Jack Couch has grown to almost oppressive proportions.  Chainlink fence is strung between metal posts that are incredibly tall.  It's definitely one of the best parks in the CBL from a fan safety point of view, but no seat in the park has a clear view of the field.  They overdid the fencing.  It's like watching baseball being played inside a 10-foot steel cage.

Beyond the diamond, the food and drink options are fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and it's an easy getaway once the last out is recorded.

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - not with those fences. 

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Brantford...

CBL Odyssey: Guelph

David E. Hastings Stadium, Guelph

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, already 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 Royal City, Guelph.

DAVID E. HASTINGS STADIUM

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you take the 401 West.  You can either exit at Highway 6 North and breeze into town, or take the slower Brock Road/Gordon Street route through Puslinch, Aberfoyle and the city's growing suburbs.  The GO Kitchener Line drops you off at Guelph's train station.  From there you can grab a bus or enjoy a 30-minute amble through the old city core before arriving at Exhibition Park, home of the Guelph Royals.

PARKING - the stadium has a decent parking lot but it fills up fast.  A thin strip of parking is available a little south of the stadium adjacent to Exhibition Park.  If that's full too, there's residential street parking all around. 

BALLPARK VIBES - they really emphasize the "park" in ballpark here.  You wouldn't think that from the outside.  At the entrance gate looms a structure that looks like an old grey warehouse with a shipping container parked beside it.  The warehouse turns out to be Hastings' unique covered grandstand and the club sells merch out of the shipping container.

There are trees everywhere.  Huge, lush trees.  Once inside, you pass closely by some of them no matter which direction you head.  They open up to a vast expanse of grass that surrounds the baseball diamond.  

There is so much foul territory here that there are no fences along the baselines.  Instead, a gravel warning track circles the diamond, keeping fans from straying too close to the field of play.  Everyone is kept a safe distance from the action, but the lack of fencing makes for an unencumbered intimacy at the same time.  Fans have the option of sitting in the grandstand, on metal bleachers scattered around the park, or bringing blankets and picnic chairs and sitting field level.  The views are all great and the vibe is very chill.  Kids run wild and liven the place up. 

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - not as frenzied as at other parks.  There are prize draws and music between innings, but it's unobtrusive if you aren't focused on it.  Honestly the lack of frenzy is a nice change compared to other places.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - total freedom.  With no fencing other than behind the backstop, nothing blocks your view of the field.  You can practically high five the players as they come off the field to their dugout. Two sections of the wall beneath the scoreboard have been opened up so you can peek into the visitors' bullpen.  Same with the home bullpen.  Heck, you can walk right into either bullpen if you want.*

* Please don't walk into the bullpens.

BALLPARK CUISINE - the food scene in Guelph is amazing.  This makes for a disappointing experience at Hastings, where the concessions stand options are limited to the basics.  Tubes on buns and lots of junk food.  Not even fries are available.  One visit several years ago, I forgot about this situation and showed up hungry.  A bag of popcorn ended up being dinner and I vowed not to let that happen again.  So I have been taking some of the offerings of Guelph's food scene and taking them into the park with me.  Shameless smuggling, totally guilty.  On this particular visit I stopped at Market Fresh, Guelph's foodie paradise, and picked up a "Franco Special" sandwich.  Salami, mortadella and gabagool with provolone and olive-veggie spread on a bun, like a mini-muffaletta.  Smuggled it into the park and ate well.  Another local spot with even better Italian sandwiches is Sugo Mercato, close to downtown.

Gone wildly off topic here and probably gone and got myself banned from Hastings Stadium.  But food is so important these days amirite?

BALLPARK BEER - Guelph is like the capital of beer in Ontario so there's no disappointment here.  Wellington Brewery is one of the local biggies and there's plenty of their suds available at the third base beer garden.  There isn't specifically a "Royals" branded beer, but the Wellington Special Pale Ale is all you need.

TEAM MASCOT - this very month, the Royals unveiled a new mascot.  The friendly-looking leonine character is in search of a name.  Fans have until tomorrow to enter the official online naming contest.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"The Barrie team is good again this year."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah.  The Welland team won the championship last year."

"Where's Welland?"

"Near Niagara Falls."

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - these are the CBL's Elysian Fields.  The setting is timeless and classical.  It feels like this park was laid out in the 1800s and never altered.  The diamond is surrounded by mature trees with only minimal modern intrusions.  You have to search hard to spot a building anywhere nearby.  The options for seating or roaming around are extensive.  Restroom facilities are adequate but can get strained when attendance is high.  If they could improve on the food offerings I might just start following a second team full time hah!

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - who would refuse paradise?  

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Kitchener...

CBL Odyssey: Barrie

Athletic Kulture Stadium, "Barrie"

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, already 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 Barrie, the league's northernmost destination.

ATHLETIC KULTURE STADIUM

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you drive up the 400.  As you approach, shipping containers installed on the roadside announce that you are entering "Paul Sadlon Country".  These beacons grow in number as you approach.  Take one of the exits in Barrie, but you are not nearly there yet.  Continue north through this land of Sadlonia, through and out of the urban landscape, back in time into wooded terrain.  Just when you start wondering if you've missed your destination, you emerge at the pioneer village of Midhurst, home of the Barrie Baycats.

Midhurst remains their home for the time being.  Earlier this year, talk of relocating the club to a new stadium in downtown Barrie was revived.

PARKING - a large parking lot with an adjacent overflow lot are available.  

BALLPARK VIBES - slapping a huge asterisk here.  The day I visited was threatened by rain.  This caused normal ballpark operations to be cut back, and attendance was sparser than usual.

Friendly faces welcome you at the gate.  Once inside, it's a classic ballpark atmosphere.  Right after the ticket scanner there's a merch store jammed with plenty of Baycats clothing and souvenirs.  Step through an opening between the grandstand seating and you get your first glimpse of the field.  Embraced by trees on all sides, it feels like entering an alternate dimension.  Like Field of Dreams but instead of corn it's coniferous trees all around you.  Very northern.

Three sections of seating wrap around the infield, with more available beyond the dugouts.  There's not a lot of foul territory here, so all the seating is close to the field.

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - Jenna Marchand is the Baycats' in-game host.  The rain-threatened game saw the between-innings hype scaled back.  At this particular game, the Baycats wore their throwback red uniforms as they often do throughout the season.  One thing about a Baycats home game (and sometimes on the road too) is the in-game entertainment provided by manager Josh Matlow's dad.  If this man is not the mayor of Barrie he should at least be the mayor of Athletic Kulture Stadium.  For nine innings he is head rooter for the Baycats, leading a bunch of call-and-response cheers.  He dances too.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - wide open.  There's something about the layout that makes this ballpark feel twice as spacious as others in the CBL.  The seating is ample and there is plenty of standing room available along the foul lines, getting you close to the action.  Lots of great angles for photos.

BALLPARK CUISINE - a concessions window attached to the main stadium building offers the usual ballpark fare and a large variety of drinks.  They have chicken fingers and fries.  When the grill is operating, they offer burgers, hot dogs and sausages.  Because the grill was closed this day, I settled for their version of poutine.  It was fries, gravy and what looked like shredded mozzarella.

BALLPARK BEER - there is a team-branded Baycats Brew, provided by Side Launch Brewing Co., makers of a legendary wheat beer.  This is a great partnership and a nice beer.

TEAM MASCOT - over the years I have seen two different "Baycat" creatures at the park.  This day, the cat stayed in out of the threatened rain. 

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Sometimes, but not today.

OVERHEARD - 

It is impossible not to hear the game-long rooting from Matlow's dad.

"HERE WE GO BAYCATS HERE WE GO!"

"DA-DA-DA DA, DA-DAAA!"

"WHAT TIME IS IT? DOUBLE PLAY! DOUBLE PLAY!"

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - the northern setting with the gorgeous trees and distance from civilization make this a unique experience in the CBL.  The sunsets are spectacular.  Be warned however that the WIFI up there is very spotty.  Sometimes it goes down and you can only buy food and merch with cash.  No ATM onsite.  Bring paper money or you could end up being unable to get anything there.  Other than that there's only good things to say.  Great views, lots of space.  The atmosphere at this ballpark is always upbeat, which goes with a winning team.  

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - absolutely.  The voyage to and from Sadlonia is one of the more arduous ones in the CBL.  Once there, you don't want to leave.  If this stadium could somehow be physically transplanted to Toronto, it would get rave reviews.  It's worth the journey at least once.

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Guelph...

From the Annex Gleaner: Chasing Dreams and Flyballs at Christie Pits

Maple Leafs outfielder J.J. Dutton pursues baseball success at home and abroad

J.J. Dutton has earned All-Star honours this summer with his batting prowess. (photo: Craig Aikin)

J.J. Dutton has been playing baseball since he was four years old.  

Born and raised in North York, he learned to play catch with his dad, started playing slow pitch as a tyke, and grew up in the little leagues.

By 2023, he was playing collegiate baseball at a college in Iowa. That summer, he took ill and returned to Canada for medical treatment. 

The baseball itch proved incurable and he connected with the Toronto Maple Leafs. They took him on and he made his debut playing the outfield at Christie Pits.

Dutton remembers attending a kids’ baseball camp that the Leafs hosted at the Pits. As a 20-year-old, he became one of them and made an immediate impression.

Over 35 games, he batted .357, scored 20 runs and drove in 15 more. 

“My favourite moment of the season was against the London Majors,” Dutton recalls. “Our team came together and put up 21 runs on the scoreboard just two days after losing to the Majors. It was also the game I hit my very first [Leafs] home run, which I will remember for the rest of my life.”

After his successful rookie season, Dutton returned to college ball in the United States. He played at schools in Iowa and Kentucky, then his ancestry presented a unique opportunity.

“My mom is Hungarian, and it was always her dream that I would play for the Hungarian national team,” he says. After some digging into the team’s requirements and obtaining dual citizenship, Dutton reached out to the head coach and landed a spot on the roster.

Like many teams outside the Americas, Team Hungary consists mostly of players born in the U.S. and Canada. 

In July 2024, Dutton suited up for Hungary at a European Baseball Championship Qualifying tournament in Belgrade, Serbia. The Magyars went undefeated against Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Türkiye. Hungary advanced to the next round of qualifiers with a chance to make it to the World Baseball Classic, the sport’s highest-level international championship which was played earlier this year.

“It was a different baseball culture out there,” he says. “The tournament was held in a park like Christie Pits, nothing super fancy.” Games attracted curiosity seekers more than hardcore followers. An announcer conducted ongoing play-by-play commentary on a loudspeaker to help spectators follow along. Instead of hot dogs, the crowd chowed down on large quantities of grilled meats.

Dutton was unable to continue with the team because of school commitments, but he remains an active member of the Team Hungary roster.

After completing his collegiate baseball career, he came full circle and returned to the Leafs for the 2026 season.

Since his first go-around, the club has undergone wholesale changes under new ownership. Dutton was impressed by the improvements to the park, seeing more sponsors, more social media presence and a better quality organization. The league has also gone pro, which means a regular monthly paycheque.

As for the outfielder, he picked up right where he left off.

Early in the season, he led the club in batting average. He has since been overtaken at the plate by veteran teammates like Yasiel Puig and Marcus Knecht. Dutton, still just 23, looks up to his teammates and acknowledges them as leaders in the clubhouse.

“Puig and Knecht, they’re both outfielders and teach me so much about the game,” he says. “They’ve been there, done that, they’re at the level I want to compete at.”

Dutton’s early season performance did not go unnoticed. He was one of three players chosen to represent Toronto at the Canadian Baseball League’s All-Star Weekend July 11-12.  Joining him for the festivities in Chatham were Puig and pitcher Nick Veselinovic.

At the All-Star Game, Dutton went 1-for-2, scored a run and drove in two more. Teammate Veselinovic pitched one inning and ended up as the game’s winning pitcher.

It has been a season of great individual performances, but the Leafs have been struggling.  At the halfway point of the season, they languish in last place with a 6-17 record.

“We’ve been too inconsistent,” Dutton says. “Sometimes when our pitching is on, our bats aren’t working, and when the bats are working our pitching isn’t.”

During the offseason, the Leafs overhauled their roster and brought in a lot of fresh faces. 

“It’s a new team, and new teams like this are slow to start. We have a lot of games left and hopefully we can click and get a winning streak going.”

Asked to look beyond this summer and where he sees himself in the future, Dutton responds without hesitation.

“Pro baseball. That’s always been the dream.”

He hopes that his second turn with the Leafs will build his resume and provide a springboard to a return to States. With his stats, All-Star status and optimism, it may not be a difficult leap.

The Maple Leafs season continues through August.

More information about the Leafs can be found at www.mapleleafsbaseball.com. 

[This story was originally published in the August 2026 edition of the Annex Gleaner.] 

CBL Odyssey: Hamilton

Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium, Hamilton

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, a film that is already being hailed as the blockbuster 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, the Steel City.

BERNIE ARBOUR MEMORIAL STADIUM

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you drive the QEW and connect with the Red Hill Parkway, which takes you up the escarpment aka the mountain.  As they say in Hamilton, "You don't go up the Mountain, you ascend."*  The stadium is not far after you exit the Parkway, and it's nestled within a sports complex.  Transit options are more convoluted, requiring GO and HSR.  

* No one says that.

PARKING - there are a couple of parking areas adjacent to the stadium grounds, but they are tight.  Get there early if you want to park there.  Once it fills up, the hunt is on for a spot on one of the nearby residential streets.

BALLPARK VIBES - it's Bernie's place, home of the Hamilton Cardinals.  Once inside, you enter a baseball bubble.  Most views beyond the diamond are of other sports fields or general greenery, so there are few outside distractions.  The grandstand seating is elevated, as are the bleachers along both baselines, which creates a physical separation between fans and field.  There are narrow strips of grass between the bleachers and baseline fences if people want to stand close to the field.  The views are great and attendance has been climbing in recent years so the place is bustling with energy.  There is plenty of merch available.  

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - Emily Thompson is the Cardinals' in-game host and she is energy personified.  Between each inning she revs up the home fans with her infectious personality.  The game I attended was "Murder Mystery Night" and Thompson conducted an inning-by-inning investigation with fans.  There's also music and contests.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - everyone can roam the park from one end to the other, but the elevated seating does make you feel cut off from the players.  The stadium requires some exploration to find interesting photo angles.  Some previously good spots are now taken by Cable 14 TV cameras.  Best bets are the narrow areas fieldside.

BALLPARK CUISINE - a complicated subject.  This stadium used to have a partnership with Hutch's, home of the best french fries in Hamilton/the world.  The partnership ended and Denninger's European grocery stores, which is just as much a Hamilton institution, now provides the ballpark food.  I tried a sausage with fries.  It was... okay.  The sausage was rubbery and the basic hot dog bun broke apart immediately.  The fries were better, thick and crispy.  But once you've had the best fries in town, everything will feel a step below.  A return of Hutch's fries to Bernie Arbour would be Hamilton winning the ballpark food championship.

BALLPARK BEER - there was no team-branded beer available so I tried a Barrel Shed Pale Ale from Shawn & Ed Brewing Co., based in nearby Dundas.  Good stuff.

TEAM MASCOT - in previous years a large Cardinal mascot has been at the park, but on the night I attended the big bird was not around.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"The fries are good."

"The fries are pretty good."

[if they only knew what they could have had]

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - everything at Bernie Arbour is directed towards the diamond, so it's a nice place to enjoy baseball without distractions for a few hours.  It's not a park that puts on airs because Hamilton is not a place that needs to put on airs.  Emily Thompson provides nine innings of bonus entertainment.  A neat feature is a TV hung on the wall near the concessions area, so fans don't have to miss a pitch.  I wasn't going to go on about how the food could be better but here we are.

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - as a Hamilton native I've been going to baseball games at Bernie Arbour since I was a teenager.  There are years of memories and nostalgia for me here.  It always feels like coming home.  The seating layout is not the best, but at least you can move around and watch from many different vantage points.  If I ever get banned from Christie Pits maybe the Cardinals would welcome a dedicated gonzo blogger? 

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Barrie...