Deltaville Ballpark facts for kids
Deltaville Ballpark is a special baseball field built in 1948. It is owned by the Deltaville Community Association. You can find it at the end of Ballpark Road in Deltaville, Virginia. Many different baseball teams and groups play their games here.
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History of the Ballpark
The ballpark first opened in June 1948. Its first big update happened in 1976. At that time, much of the main seating area was rebuilt to make it safer. Another update took place in 1996. This included building new dugouts and replacing the outfield fence.
A multi-year renovation project started in 2016. This project aimed to keep the ballpark in good shape. In 2016-2017, the old roof was replaced. Workers used special wood and metal to make it look like the original. The scoreboard was also replaced. A light pole with a large woodpecker hole was replaced too.
In 2020, the second phase of updates was finished. This mainly involved building a new, modern snack bar. This also created an easy-access ramp for wheelchairs into the grandstand. Some seats were changed to fit wheelchairs. The outdoor area where fans walk was also made bigger. Future plans include building new easy-access bathrooms. They also plan to update the lights and fix the field.
The Field and Stadium
The ballpark has wooden grandstands that offer covered seating for about 300 fans. A special crab pot wire fence protects fans from foul balls. A small press box is located at the top behind home plate. It has phones to the dugouts, scoreboard controls, and a sound system.
Next to the home team dugout (along the third base line) is a small extra seating area. It can hold about 15 to 20 people.
The infield playing area is made of dirt. It drains water very well. Hundreds of holes are drilled under the surface. These holes are filled with rock to help water drain away. The outfield walls are about 300 feet down the left field line, 365 feet to center field, and 295 feet down the right field line. The metal wall is about 9 feet tall. Even with the high wall, many home runs are hit because the distances down the lines are short. An Osprey bird family lives in a nest on one of the light poles. Sometimes, they leave fish remains for players to find!
Who Plays Here?
Many teams use Deltaville Ballpark as their home field. Games are played regularly from late February through early November.
Current Teams
Deltaville Deltas
The Deltaville Deltas are a semi-pro baseball team for players aged 18 and older. They use wooden bats. The team has been around even before the ballpark was built. The ballpark has been their home field since it opened. Their season usually runs from May to early August. Most players are college students from the local area. Some former college and professional players also play for the Deltas.
Two players who pitched for the Deltas later won the World Series in Major League Baseball. Keith Atherton and Jim Coates both played for the Deltas after their time in the MLB.
Tickets for Deltas games cost $6 for adults and $3 for teens. Kids aged 12 and under get in free.
Middlesex Little League
Before the Middlesex Sports Complex was built, Deltaville Ballpark was a main place for youth baseball. Now, most younger games are played at the complex. However, sometimes older Little League teams (ages 13-18) still play at the ballpark. This might be due to scheduling or just for fun. These games often have music and announcers, just like a typical game.
Since 2016, Deltaville Ballpark has hosted "Little League Weekend." During this event, youth teams from ages 7-8 up to 15-16 play games at the stadium. Admission to these Little League games is always free.
241 Baseball
In 2020, a new youth league called 241 Baseball started. It replaced American Legion baseball in the area. Seven teams for high school-aged players (13-17) share the ballpark and another complex as their home fields.
Former Teams
Middlesex High School Chargers
The local high school, Middlesex High School, used the ballpark as its home field for varsity baseball from 1996 to 2014. Their games ran from early March through mid-May. The high school also hosted tournaments and important playoff games here.
In 2015, the high school opened its own new baseball field. The team moved there. However, in 2019, Middlesex High School returned to the ballpark for one special game. They hoped to make it an annual event. But, games planned for 2020 were canceled due to COVID-19.
Middle Peninsula Mariners
The Middle Peninsula Mariners were another semi-pro team that played in Deltaville. They also used wooden bats and played from May to early August. Many players were college students or former college players. The Mariners played in the Virginia Baseball League until 2009. They won the league titles in 2008 and 2009. The Mariners stopped playing after the 2010 season.
For many years, the Deltas and Mariners played against each other at the ballpark. These games were often called "The Battle for the Ballpark." They always drew large crowds and were exciting games.
Other Uses of the Ballpark
The ballpark has been used for other events too. These include recreational softball games and pickup baseball games. It has also hosted charity events like outdoor concerts and even donkey baseball games.
Heritage Day Celebrations
For many years, around the 4th of July, Deltaville held an event called Heritage Day. The day included arts and crafts, crab races, and a parade. It always ended with a Deltas baseball game at the ballpark. After the game, there was a short "Old-Timers Game." In this game, former Deltaville players of all ages played for a couple of innings.
The night ended with a large fireworks display to celebrate Independence Day. The grandstands would be full for this game. Fans would even go onto the field after the lights went out to watch the fireworks. More than a thousand other people would bring blankets and chairs to watch the fireworks from the large field next to the ballpark.
The Deltaville Community Association stopped Heritage Day in 2014. They started a new event called the Deltaville Seafood Festival, usually held in May. Fireworks have not been at the ballpark since 2012. However, there have been efforts to bring back the town's Independence Day celebration.
