Minor league baseball offers a great and unique opportunity for fun with friends, family and kids of any age. Baseball, at its innocent and pure core, is a beautiful game. It’s played by people who are chasing a dream and having fun doing so. The easy to understand rules mixed in with the occasional obscure play. The rhythms of a pitcher winding up and tossing a fastball, followed by the thud of the ball in the mitt. The crack of the bat as a ball is sent screaming into the outfield. The bam-bam sounds of a close play at first base; either the runner’s foot followed by the ball or the other way around. All of those great sights and sounds are left uninterrupted and are up for display at Prince George’s Stadium, located in Bowie, Maryland, where the Bowie Baysox play.
Located just a half an hour from either Washington DC or Baltimore, Prince George’s Stadium is convenient and easy to get to. The Baysox are the class AA farm team for the Baltimore Orioles. The stadium in itself is very pleasing to the eye, with red brick walls and a forest of trees just beyond the outfield walls. The stadium can hold 10,000 fans, which makes it the largest minor league stadium in Maryland.
As mentioned, minor league baseball largely caters to families and young children. The Baysox do not disappoint in this regard, as there is a kids area located on the 1st base side of the concourse, where a small carousel can be found, along with several games to play. The mascot for the Baysox, and a child favorite, “Louie” can be seen dancing around and wandering the stands throughout the entire game. During the breaks between innings various games and contests are played. While the prizes are nothing too large, a free appetizer at a local restaurant for example, the games are fun and entertaining and typically involve the kids. In fact, some of the less than stellar prizes included a bag of onions, and another of the prizes was then given out to every fan as they were leaving the game. Some of the games played include musical chairs, kids tossing water balloons at their fathers and people in sumo wrestling costumes. On Beach Night, the fans were also “treated” to sub par “hula dancers”, who seemed to be clapped for not upon completion of their great dance but rather for leaving the field in a timely fashion.
Smoking is not allowed throughout the ballpark; however there is a small smoking area for those who wish to use it, located on the 3rd base side of the stadium. Expect typical stadium food, with a typical minor league flare. Unique options such as fruit smoothies can be purchased at a small stand. At the “Black Angus Grille”, a food concession area with a Southwestern taste and styling, you can purchase extra large burgers and hotdogs.
The Baysox host a ton of promotional nights, including the aforementioned Beach Night. The most common of these promotions is a fireworks display following the game. The fireworks are very entertaining and last for over ten minutes. After recently viewing the Washington DC fireworks for July 4th, the Baysox’s fireworks hold up quite well in comparison, especially considering the proximity of the fireworks and the small budget of a minor league team.
Tickets are cheap and easy to come by. You can purchase them at their website www.baysox.com, or at the box office. The price of tickets range from $6 for children in general admission seats to $14 for adult reserved tickets in the lower seating area. For a pleasant change from a major league park – parking is completely free. The stadium opens up to fans approximately an hour before the game starts. If you’re looking for a fun night with the family, an activity with your buddies or even a date night, a trip to Prince George’s Stadium to see the Baysox play will be worth your while.
