Modern Woodmen Park: The Diamond on the Mississippi (Ballpark Review)
Quad Cities River Bandits - Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals
Modern Woodmen Park – Davenport, IA
Address: 209 South Gaines Street, Davenport, IA 52802
Opened: 1931 with major interior renovations completed in 2004
Capacity: 4,024
Ticket Prices: $5 – Berm, $7 – Bleachers, $9 – Lower Box, $12 – Club
Parking: $2 in large, paved lot next to ballpark on South Gaines Street. An additional, unpaved overflow lot is located underneath the Centennial Bridge.
Dates Visited:
June 25 – Box Score & Summary
Overview
Location, location, location. What holds true in real estate holds true in baseball as well. In no sport is stadium location as important as it is to baseball, where the backdrop of a ballpark can be as recognizable as the ballpark itself.
When done right, a stadium’s surroundings can provide aesthetics while also interacting with the playing field in ways that create lasting memories. Whether it is the memory of fans swimming after a Barry Bonds home run ball in the Bay of San Francisco’s AT&T Park, or the image of “2,131” being unfurled on the brick warehouse overlooking Camden Yards in Baltimore, some of the most iconic moments of modern baseball were enhanced because of stadium location.
And while the Major Leagues have their share of famous backdrops, one visit to Davenport, Iowa proves that the big leagues do not have a monopoly on stadiums with a view.
Modern Woodmen Park, home of the Low-A Quad Cities River Bandits, offers one of the most unique vistas in all of
The Centennial Bridge provides a unique backdrop for baseball
professional sports. Situated underneath the Centennial Bridge on the banks of the Mississippi River, Modern Woodmen Park combines classic stadium architecture, modern amenities, and dramatic river views to create a ballpark experience that is one of the best in all of Minor League Baseball.
Ballpark Features
Literally and figuratively, the star of Modern Woodmen Park is the Centennial Bridge. The iron bridge, with its graceful arcs, dwarfs the stadium below as it connects Iowa and Illinois, giving fans a dramatic view of the structure from nearly any seat in the ballpark. At dusk the bridge lights up, providing illumination that further accentuates its curves. It’s that view that had Hollywood calling in 2008, when producers picked the stadium as the main shooting location for the movie Sugar, a “fish out of water” story that portrayed life in the minors through the eyes of a Dominican pitcher.
On the ground, Modern Woodmen Park successfully combines old and new elements. The exterior of the park was constructed in 1931 and, aside from a few name changes to the front of the building, its classic red brick exterior and white concrete accents are still present in their original form – no small feat considering that the park was victimized by major floods in 1965, 1993, 2001, and 2008.
The interior of the stadium was gutted and redone as part of a massive $12.5 million renovation that was completed prior to the 2004 season. As part of the upgrade, the 78-year old ballpark now boasts a concourse that circles the entire ballpark, two outfield berm seating areas, a picnic and kids play area, a sky deck, 20 luxury suites, two souvenir shops, covered batting cages, and a pair of new scoreboards. The renovation has paid dividends at the gate, as attendance has increased nearly 56% since 2003.
In addition to the modern amenities, Modern Woodmen features two quirky, if not conflicting, twists. The area beyond the right field wall is home to Tiki Village, a three hut establishment where fans can relax and enjoy Mississippi Mai Tais
The Modern Woodmen Park Field of Dreams
amid a tropical setting. While Tiki Village does have a water view and lounge beds, it feels somewhat out of place thanks to its neighbor across the field – 10 rows of Iowa corn that inhabit the area next to the left field bleachers.
Seating options at Modern Woodman range from $5 to $12 and include club seats, box seats, bleachers, and berm, with the best spots – those that offer a view of the Centennial Bridge and the Mississippi River -residing along the third base side.
Stadium Atmosphere
For a stadium that has a tiki-village in right field and a fully functioning cornfield in left, the atmosphere at Modern Woodmen Park is surprisingly low-key. Between inning entertainment, a staple at most Minor League parks, is kept to a minimum and is unobtrusive. Even the mascot Rascal, a tall raccoon decked out in a bandana and a cowboy hat, was scarcely seen in the seating bowl on the night I was in town.
The fans at Modern Woodmen were on the older side, with fewer kids at the park than I had encountered during other stops in the Midwest League. As a result of the older crowd, the action on the field seemed to be the number one attraction. This was especially true for two of the gentlemen seated next to me. One was a season ticket holder who was capable of giving scouting reports on every Cardinal farmhand who was playing with Quad Cities, and the other was a gifted heckler who found plenty of opportunities to hone his craft during the lopsided 12-3 affair. Even as the score grew out of hand early in the game, few fans left the stadium – a further testament to the high-level of interest River Bandit fans bring to the park.
I also had the chance to chat with an usher, Dave, who gave me an impromptu history of the ballpark as well as details on the filming of the movie Sugar. After one evening at Modern Woodmen, I left convinced that the park never has a shortage of friendly, Midwestern folks ready to talk baseball.
Conclusion
The turnstiles have been clicking at a rapid pace in 2009 for the Quad Cities River Bandits, and for good reason. Modern Woodmen Park is a complete baseball experience in a one-of-a-kind setting. Fans who find their way to this diamond on the Mississippi will not be disappointed, as it is one of the gems of the Midwest League, if not all of Minor League Baseball.
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What type of camera did you use to take these wonderful shots? I use a Nikon D80.
I’m not much of a photog. I use a Canon PowerShot A540 (6.0 MP) that I bought a few years ago. It does ok as long as what you are taking a picture of isn’t moving and there’s plenty of light, but it’s pretty much a standard point-and-shoot job.
I still think they’re great pictures. Maybe one of these days we can meet at a ballgame and you can show me how to take better pictures!