Minute Maid Park
From BR Bullpen
Home of the Houston Astros, 2000 to present
(also known as Enron Field, 2000 to 2002, and Astros Field, 2002)
Capacity: 40,950
Dimensions: Left field - 315 feet Left-center - 362 feet Center field - 435 feet Deepest point - 436 feet Right-center - 373 feet Right field - 326 feet
Hitter or Pitcher Park?: Hitter
First Game (Exhibition): March 30, 2000 - Astros 6, New York Yankees 5
First Game (Regular Season): April 7, 2000 -Philadelphia Phillies 4, Astros 1
- Octavio Dotel (L) vs. Randy Wolf (W), Wayne Gomes (Sv); HR: Scott Rolen, Ron Gant, Richard Hidalgo
- First Hit: Doug Glanville
- First Double: Rico Brogna
- First Triple: Tim Bogar (April 8th, 2000)
- First HR: Rolen (off Dotel)
- First Run: Rolen
- First RBI: Rolen
Location: Hamilton Street (US Highway 59), Texas Street, Crawford Street (LF) and Congress Street (RF), Houston, Texas
Ballpark Overview: Minute Maid Park is the home of the Houston Astros. The stadium features a retractable roof that can open or close in approximately 15 minutes. When the Astros faced the New York Yankees for the first exhibition game, it was the first time Major League Baseball was played in Houston on real grass and under the sun since 1964. The park was originally called Enron Field. After the Enron Corporation collapsed in a huge scandal, the Astros were able to terminate the naming rights contract with the company and the stadium was briefly known as Astros Field until a new naming rights deal was met with Houston-based Minute Maid. That last deal has led the stadium to be nicknamed the Juice Box.
Unique features of the stadium include the replica 25-ton, 19th-century train filled with giant oranges, an in-play flag pole in dead center and the 30° hill it's placed on known as "Tal's Hill" after team president Tal Smith.
Google Earth: View Minute Maid Park in Google Earth
| Current ballparks in Major League Baseball | ||
| National League | American League | |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T Park | Busch Stadium | Chase Field | Citizens Bank Park | Coors Field | Dodger Stadium | Dolphin Stadium | Great American Ball Park | Miller Park | Minute Maid Park | Nationals Park | PETCO Park | PNC Park | Shea Stadium | Turner Field | Wrigley Field | Ameriquest Field | Angel Stadium of Anaheim | Comerica Park | Fenway Park | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Kauffman Stadium | McAfee Coliseum | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | Progressive Field | Rogers Centre | Safeco Field | Tropicana Field | U.S. Cellular Field | Yankee Stadium | |
