Rohnert Park Stadium was my home for four years as a Crusher and two as a visiting player. I wish you could have seen the park at its best. There were three full sections of at least 25 rows up 30 across of covered seating under the press box and owners suite. Directly behind the backstop were field level seats which were actual plastic patio chairs...sound hokey but it worked great. Bleacher seating worked its way down both lines beyond the dugouts. Beyond that were a set of bleachers acquired from the Oakland Coliseum renovation. Behind the leftfield line bleachers were the two clubhouses which were double-wide portable buildings. Both were rather cramped. The visitors had dark wood lockers, minimal lighting, and astroturf flooring...rather uninviting which I’m sure was intentional. The home clubhouse was well lit and painted bright white. I can still hear Dick Dietz yelling from his office to “close d door”. The man liked his air conditioning. The visitors did not have the luxury of AC.
On the field the home bullpen was on the field down the 3rd baseline with easy access to the clubhouse. The visiting pen was behind the rightfield fence, was poorly lit, and totally uninviting. The surface was fast and maticulously maintained. The dirt was hard and faster than the grass. As a first baseman I was always trying to get the crew to raise the mowers, at least on the right side. If the fog was in, the dirt would hold its moisture. No fog and it was like a parking lot. The dugouts were sunken, but most chose to stand or sit outside in the out of play area. I usually only went down in the dugout to pout or break something after a poor at-bat. The outfield dimensions were fair. There was a double wall in left. As a hitter I absolutely loved hitting there. The hills of Sonoma County made a perfect hitter’s backdrop and the wind was usually blowing out to left. There was a huge BBQ pit down the rightfield line where they started cooking tri-tip before batting practice. Sometimes the smoke could get thick blowing across first base, but the smell made it worth it.
The fans were incredible. They loved their Crushers. Sunday day games would have the boosters BBQ’n in the parking lot and the players were invited out to eat before the game. There is no way to explain how gracious the fans were with my family for 4 years. They loved their team and cared immensely for their players an individuals.
That stadium holds a lot of incredible memories for me. Long homestands, the sun, the fog, the smells, that old gal did right by us. It is truly sad that those fans do not have a team or venue to care for. When they tore down Rohnert Park Stadium they truly “paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”