Ballpark Tour: Allentown, PA

The next stop on my 2010 ballpark tour was Coco-Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, home of the Iron Pigs, AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. I'd been meaning to make the trek to this ballpark since it opened in 2009. And on Father's Day, when the Iron Pigs were playing the Scranton Yankees, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

As you pull into the parking lot, the first thing you notice is this is truly a ballpark, not a stadium. You don't see it towering in the distance like Scranton's PNC Field, and from foul pole to foul pole it's wide open. It features a handsome brick exterior, similar to the majority of recently opened major and minor league parks.

Once inside, Coca-Cola Park is a stunning sight as well. It sports marvelous views of the field from any of the almost 10.000 seats, a "dugout seating" area right behind home plate, and numurous luxury boxes. As with most minor league ballparks, you're right on top of the action. The players seem to be right next to you, not miles away.

Another feature that was a big plus for me, is that the consourse completely encircles the park. You can walk out to the outfield and stand right above the pitchers as they warm up in the bullpen (I spotted Scranton's Kei Igawa from this vantage point, a rare sight indeed). And unlike in some parks, those with lawn seats (as we had) can sit in some empty box seats if they're available (as we did).

Again, as is the usual at minor league parks, there was plenty to do for the kids, including a playground in the left field corner, visits by the resident "pig" mascots, games like mini-golf and mini batting cages. After the game, kids were invited to run the bases (this done every Sunday at Coca-Cola Park), and for Father's Day, Dads and kids were invited on to the field for a game of "catch".

Looking for some star power? Well, there wasn't much of that here. There were, however, a few recognizable names - players who have seen some Major League action, such as Brandon Duckworth, Cody Ransom and Eric Bruntlett - and top prospects susch as the Yankees' Jesus Montero. Mostly, though this AAA game was clearly (and not surprisingly) a notch or two below Major League play. There were quite a few easy double plays, for instance, that were not turned, leading to runs you normally don't see in the bigs.

What about the food, you say? I didn't sample much, but what I did have was outstanding. Especially delicious was the "Aw Shucks" roasted corn, not normally a ballpark staple. The ears are roasted on the premises and served with the husk still attached, then dipped in a mixture of butter, parmesan cheese and spices. Amazing! The "Pretzel Burger" ( a burger with a soft pretzel in place of a roll) also looked great, but I didn't get a chance to try it.

Coca-Cola Park in Allentown certainly isn’t the best of the AAA ballparks I’ve seen (Louisville Slugger Park in Louisville is my favorite), but it’s definitely worth the trip. Father's day with your son, baseball and roasted corn? What could be better?