The New Fredericksburg Nationals Stadium
by Mike Lunsford, Editor-in-Chief of GGR
photos by Jax Lunsford, plucky photo journalist intern
Whether it’s going to Popeyes to try their infamous chicken sandwich or trying to replicate a recipe we had at Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival, I have tried to come up with creative ways to keep my son entertained during quarantine. It’s been more than 100 days at this point, I’m running out of ideas. There are only so many episodes of Phineas and Ferb on Disney+. One of the things we were looking forward to doing before the coronavirus outbreak was going to see the newly christened Fredericksburg Nationals in their new stadium. At this point, there hasn’t even been an announcement as to whether there will be a Minor League Baseball season in 2020 but the Fred Nats (as they’ve been nicknamed) had decided to grow some excitement for the new team. They had an open house to show off their new facility and we decided to go.
The boy and I have been anxiously awaiting the completion of the stadium since construction started earlier this year. We would drive by the site, see if we could see anything taking shape but never got a really good view. This was probably a weekly event for us, mostly just to get out of the house, but also because we both really wanted to see some baseball in our home town. For him it was something new, a chance to have the excitement of seeing a professional baseball game but instead of having to commute all the way to D.C. to see the big league Nationals, we could drive 5 minutes to see their minor league little brothers! For me, it was a parallel to my own life.
The Fred Nats made the same move that I did 13 years ago, from Woodbridge to Fredericksburg. I grew up in Woodbridge and the Potomac Nationals (formerly the Prince William Yankees/Pirates/Cannons) played their games a few miles from my childhood home. I used to love going to the games as a kid but the stadium was outdated and falling apart. Even back in the 90s this was an issue. The owner of the team tried very hard to build a new stadium in the area, improve the facilities and in general get some help to keep the team in Woodbridge but the area was not interested in keeping the team. This fits with Woodbridge as there really isn’t anything to draw anyone to the area, other than a giant outlet mall that is essentially the only thing the area is known for. And, for the most part the residents of Woodbridge all are commuters. Their interests are all in D.C. They’ll go to see the pro Nats instead. I really think that’s part of the reason why the team didn’t get a new deal in Woodbridge.
“but…we’re not just a mall! We’re a ‘fashion district’ now! We’ve got a Cheesecake Factory! That would keep Vince Young here! Wait Nats! Come back!!!”
Fredericksburg is different. It already has a draw in that it is a historic town. People live here who are from here, which is rare with Woodbridge. People care about this area and its history but more importantly, will come to Fredericksburg to do things. When the boy and I would make our weekly drives to check out the stadium, we would notice there were always other residents doing the same thing. People gave a crap about the Fred Nats and they hadn’t even played a game yet.
We headed on down to the old (new) ballpark for the open house. It is not 100% complete at this point. However, it wouldn’t take much to make the field playable. It was nearly perfect. It’s the amenities such as the box office, the food vendors, party decks, and the facade of the stadium that incomplete. As a lifelong baseball fan, it was super exciting to walk on the field, especially because I was interested how their artificial turf felt.
The field surface, which is surprisingly not natural grass, is an artificial field turf and the first Minor League stadium to feature this particular variant. The tour guide pointed out that to keep the surface cooler (typical turf tends to be 20 degrees hotter than natural grass) they use a mix of coconut husks and other natural materials to keep it, on average only 10 degrees warmer than grass. This surface was a necessity as the stadium would not just be a baseball field, but also a concert and event venue for the Fredericksburg area.
Sharing the experience with my son made it that much cooler. He thought the whole thing was amazing and wanted to bring his own camera (we got him a cheapo digital one just so he could get used to taking pictures himself). Take a look at our shots!
The stadium looks amazing, and it’s not even finished! I can’t wait to see the final product. Even in its partial completion, it is a massive upgrade from Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge in every way possible (a stadium so outdated, visiting teams had to sign a waiver as the field and stadium did not meet the minimum requirements of MiLB). It was a really fun afternoon adventure, but additionally I want to thank the awesome Fred Nats staff. My son is far from shy and is constantly curious. This translates to a barrage of questions to our tour guide, which he happily answered. In fact, because of his questions, we learned that in addition to the typical hot dog, nachos, burgers, french fries and chicken finger menu most sporting venues supply, there will also be a spot in the outfield behind the visiting bullpen where food trucks will be parked. Plus, the stadium will feature local beer options. Way to go, boy! Asking the tough questions everyone needs to know!
I hope that we will get to see a finished Fred Nats Stadium this year. Ultimately, the health and safety of the ball players, fans, and staff are much more important than a game. If there is baseball in Fredericksburg in 2020, we’ll be there. If we have to wait until 2021, we’ll be there then, too.