Backup Field for this Sunday: McConnell

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:05 pm

Hey, we're planning to use Curt Flood this Sunday, but be aware of the possibility of having to use the backup field, McConnell. As always, check the website or call the hotline (510 835 7694) after 9:20 AM Sunday morning. McConnell is less than a 10 minute drive from Curt Flood.

Directions to McConnell (7921 Olive St, near Olive & Ritchie, near Olive & 80th Ave, off 580):

580 East toward Hayward/Stockton.
Exit and go RIGHT on Edwards Ave. CONTINUE onto Sunkist Dr.
Turn and stay LEFT to get onto Hillmont Dr.
At McArthur Blvd, stay STRAIGHT and BEAR LEFT as Hillmont Dr. turns into 73rd Ave. (Pass Eastmont Mall on your right.)
Turn LEFT onto Bancroft Ave.
Go 5 blocks and take a RIGHT on Ritchie St. Ritchie St. runs into the park. (Olive St. is 1 block off of Bancroft Ave.)

A description written a year ago without having played the field:

Very interesting field. Similar infield to Curt Flood, part grass in the inside diamond, then dirt. The infield dirt is very smooth & nice I noticed. Access appears to be no problem. There are bathrooms. Lights also. Stands on one side. Mound. Infield size similar to Curt Flood. Big trees in foul territory on both 1st base and 3rd base sides. LF was marked at 280', and there is a foul pole there. Large 25-30' fences in both LF and RF, which had unmarked distance. CF is deepest, also unmarked. It's another situation where there are 2 fields adjacent to one another, so deepest part of CF (probably beyond play) is the dirt infield of the other field. A plus other fields don't have are the big foul nets down the 3B side.

Post by **retep** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:51 pm

So why don't we play there...? 280 is much better than 310

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:51 pm

This Sunday is a "live" game (real pitching, standard MLB rules) at Curt Flood
(McConnell is Backup Field, driving directions for both at bottom).

Game time is 11:00, arrive early enough to warm up, so like 10:15-10:35.

CHECK THE WEBSITE SUNDAY MORNING TO KNOW WHICH FIELD TO GO TO!
www.parkbaseball.cjb.net OR, CALL THE HOTLINE
(510) 835-7694 - [both updated by 9:20 AM -- If you need to be updated prior to that call 510 681 4373]

***We will be playing another organized team, and there will be an umpire calling balls and strikes. If you play, you need to give $4 for your share of the umpire cost.
***Since we're only fielding one team, we will put the best team out there of the available players. Remaining players will be used as substitutes as needed.

***If you're on your way to the field, and are on time, call to let us know you're coming so we can draft the best possible lineup. ------- Call (510) 387-9241 if you're on your way and are on time.

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS to CURT FLOOD FIELD:

It is located at Coolidge Ave & School Street, off of 580 East (coming from SF/Berkeley/Downtown Oakland). NOTE: I said Hwy 580, not Hwy 880.

SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS: 580 East (not 880), exit at Fruitvale Ave & stay STRAIGHT to go onto Harold Street (go about 5 blocks on Harold St.), RIGHT onto Wilson to park and enter field. You can also park on Harold Street, and walk down Wilson to park entrance. Or, if you don't see parking, keep going down Harold and go right onto Coolidge to circle the field and look for other parking. You can loop around by taking rights and end up circling the field. There's access to the field on School Street if gate locked on Harold St.

If you're coming from the South Bay: 880 North, 238 South, 580 West, exit Coolidge/Fruitvale. Then, left onto Coolidge Ave, field on your right.

Coolidge Ave is in between the Fruitvale and 35th Ave exits. It's a few exits
past the Grand and the Park Blvd exits. School street is the first main street
off of 580 when you exit on Coolidge Ave and go right. So the field is very
close to 580.

BACKUP FIELD IS McCONNELL FIELD (8 min drive from Curt Flood):

It is located at 7921 Olive St, near Olive & Ritchie, near Olive & 80th Ave, off 580

580 East toward Hayward/Stockton.
Exit and go RIGHT on Edwards Ave. CURVE RIGHT onto Sunkist Dr.
LEFT to get onto Hillmont Dr.
At McArthur Blvd, stay STRAIGHT and BEAR LEFT as Hillmont Dr. turns into 73rd Ave. (Pass Eastmont Mall on your right.)
Turn LEFT onto Bancroft Ave.
Go 5 blocks and take a RIGHT on Ritchie St. Ritchie St. runs into the park. (Olive St. is 1 block off of Bancroft Ave.)

I recommend printing out these directions.

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:52 pm

retep wrote:So why don't we play there...? 280 is much better than 310

I assume you're saying Curt Flood has a LF distance of 310... is this right? I don't really know.

Anyway, the impression the guy who's actually played on McConnell gave me was that LF distance was inadequate at McConnell. Whether he means that the 280 distance itself is inadequate I'm not sure. But, even though his team doesn't prefer using that field (and sees Curt Flood as superior), they have managed to have games there, so it must be somewhat usable. And who knows the difference between our teams, maybe it will be just right for us.

Anyway, even if it's not used as a backup this Sunday (like if we are able to use Curt Flood), we will try out McConnell soon.

Since Curt Flood was so thoroughly locked up last week, I think there's a good shot we'll need to use McConnell this Sunday.

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:25 pm

Hey I just went by Curt Flood and it is locked up, so using McConnell appears increasingly likely. Still, check the website/hotline tommorrow morning after 9:20 AM.

When you exit (and go right) on Edwards Ave off of Hwy 580, you have to curve to the right---Just AVOID making a sharp left on Sunkist when you see that first curve coming up. Then you go left on Hilltop Ave to make the most direct/downhill route to the flatter parts (MacArthur Blvd, Bancroft Ave, Olive St.). Left on Bancroft, right on 80th to get over to Olive St and the field.

This field is more like 6 minutes away from Curt Flood.

AntMoOAK · Post by **AntMoOAK** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:33 pm

When you exit (and go right) on Edwards Ave off of Hwy 580, you have to curve to the right---Just AVOID making a sharp left on Sunkist when you see that first curve coming up. Then you go left on Hilltop Ave to make the most direct/downhill route to the flatter parts (MacArthur Blvd, Bancroft Ave, Olive St.). Left on Bancroft, right on 80th to get over to Olive St and the field.

I'm a native born and raised Oaklander and I'm confused by the above. Edwards Ave goes STRAIGHT DOWN the hill from 580. If you just go STRAIGHT DOWN THE HILL and turn left onto Bancroft, then right on Ritchie, you'll be aight.

Edwards changes names to 73rd (and eventually to Hegenberger) on the way to the airport.

By STRAIGHT DOWN, I mean don't turn off of or veer onto ANY side streets. Edwards is curvy.

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:25 pm

Yeah, I totally agree with Antmo's above description. Don't accidentally go left on sunkist, when you just need to keep curving right with edwards ave

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 1:14 am

Edwards Ave goes STRAIGHT DOWN the hill from 580. If you just go STRAIGHT DOWN THE HILL and turn left onto Bancroft, then right on Ritchie, you'll be aight.

Edwards changes names to 73rd (and eventually to Hegenberger) on the way to the airport.

By STRAIGHT DOWN, I mean don't turn off of or veer onto ANY side streets. Edwards is curvy.

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 7:46 am

Once again, see Antmo's description in the above post about the best way to get to McConnell field from Edwards Ave off 580 (Hayward/Stockton).

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 8:48 am

Hey, it's McConnell for today, Feb 19th. Don't Go to Curt Flood!

Go to McConnell Field!

Take Edwards Ave exit off Hwy 580. Go RIGHT after exiting.
Take Edwards downhill-----it's curvy.
Pass McArthur Blvd.
Go LEFT on Bancroft.
Go RIGHT on Ritchie
Go LEFT on Olive St.

Park is at Olive St. and 80th Ave. (About 6-7 minutes away from Curt Flood)

Post by **retep** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 10:33 am

For next week's "normal" game, should we just plan on McConnell?

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:13 pm

Probably. I'm going to ask the guy who runs the team we played (that tipped us off on McConnell... or at least got us to consider it again) whether they are using it next Sunday, so I'll get back to everyone on that.

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:43 pm

If you didn't read it elsewhere, McConnell is in use until after April 2nd. That's not so bad in terms of waiting... anyway, plan on using Nicholl Park in Richmond this Sunday.

AS ALWAYS - USE THE WEBSITE AND PHONE HOTLINE NUMBER SUNDAY MORNING TO DETERMINE CURRENT FIELD STATUS/CONDITIONS.

Map for Nicholl Park: http://www.geocities.com/leathersscott/ ... _paint.bmp

tallguy · Post by **tallguy** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 1:48 pm

I can give someone a ride from Oakland if anybody needs it. SF people I could pick up at a BART station (West Oakland is best)

TheLegend · Post by **TheLegend** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:02 pm

hot diggity damn! that means i don't have to leave the house at 9:00!

woottttt!