Sims-Galle Field - Spring Hill College

General Admission

History

Located in Mobile, AL, Sims-Galle Field proudly boasts its title as the oldest active collegiate baseball field in the country. Organized baseball was first played here in 1889 (though it's believed it was first played here in the 1860s), and Spring Hill is the oldest institute of higher learning in the state of Alabama. The history at this park abounds, from being the birthplace of Cuban baseball (two alums returned to Cuba in 1864 and brought baseball home with them) to the story of Babe Ruth taking batting practice here, it truly belongs on every baseball fan's pilgrimage list.

Atmosphere

The fan section of Sims-Galle is filled with local fans and students. It has a small bleacher area, but most folks bring their lawn chairs. I chose a spot on the deck they built above the home dugout, creating one of the coolest views in sports. This also means you get to hear the team below you, adding an extra layer to feeling in the game. Behind the main concourse is administrative building, which makes it feel like they found an open lot and decided to play baseball - it feels classic in the best way.

Concessions

While Spring Hill doesn't have concessions, they highly encourage you to bring in food and drinks from surrounding businesses. From fast food to beers from local spots, I saw a wide variety of food and drink brought into the game. For a game with no parking fee or admission cost, truly the only cost associated with stopping in for a game is whatever food you decide to bring with you.

Access

Like mentioned above, admission to all games at Sims-Galle Field is free. There is an adjacent parking lot where parking is free as well, and when I was there, parking spots were more than enough even with a well sized crowd. The college is just off of I-65, which makes is very accessible by car. As a warning, it's tucked back a bit into campus, and I had a bit of a 'am I going the right way?' moment. You are, I promise, just trust the GPS.

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned above, a trip to Sims-Galle is more than a trip to a D2 baseball field. It's a trip back in time to baseball history. If you're a baseball purist or just a lover of the game, a trip down to Mobile is a must stop.