POHLMAN FIELD

Pohlman Field is not yet an old-time stadium, but is still older than many of the Midwest League's ballparks. It was built in 1982 when the Beloit Snappers began playing, and is a nice park to spend a few hours in. 

The main difference between Pohlman and other minor league parks that I have seen is the location of the box seats - in Pohlman they are actually slightly away from the field, and on a raised platform. In most parks, those seats are right next to the fence. There are actually about 6 rows of these box seats, and then some reserved benches. Separate from the grandstand is the general admission section, which is where you should sit if you want some foul ball chances. Down the first base line is the picnic area, which looked like a great place to enjoy the game with a few friends.

Sunset at Pohlman

The location of the ballyard is a bit tough to find. If you arrive off I-43, you can drive straight on US81, turn right at Cranston, and then right again after about a mile, using the lights as a guide. Parking is plentiful and free, including that right on the street. There are some areas that are not for parking, but they are clearly marked.

Concessions are located on the outside of the seating area behind home plate, and there is a nice grill along first base line. As usual, I recommend the grill, although by the time I got there, most of their offerings were sold out. Starting lineups are also posted outside, beside the team shop, which has a good collection of Snappers' merchandise. I also liked the logo (snapping turtle) and the mascot, Snappy, is very popular with the kids, signing autographs throughout the game. One interesting feature is the dressing rooms are located behind the playing field, so you can meet the players as they walk to the field. Good for autograph hounds, and it is cool to hear the crunch of spikes on pavement.

Snappy stops to sign for his fans

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in this stadium. There was waitress service to the box seats, you could sit in the sun if you wanted, or the shade if that was better, and it was bigger than the other Midwest League parks. With Beloit being so close to both Chicago and Milwaukee, any Midwest baseball tour should make an effort to see a game here.