
C.O. Brown Stadium is the home of the Michigan Battle Cats of the Midwest League. The Battle Cats are the Class A affiliate of the Houston Astros.

This ballpark has a classic feel to it, despite having been built in 1989. The grandstand is rather small, consisting of mostly bench seating, with backs. There are three rows of box seats at the front rail, but the view from these is not as good as from the benches, not to mention that the benches are more comfortable. The grandstand wraps from just beyond 1st base to just beyond 3rd. The feature that defines this stadium, though, is the roof. It is an old-fashioned, full roof that covers all of the grandstand seating except for the box seats. It is raised high above the seats and therefore does not obstruct any fan's view. Such a large roof does not come without a price and here it is paid in the form of pillars which obstruct some portion of the field for everybody sitting in the main seating area. I don't think this detracts from the stadium, but adds great character, especially since I found a seat where the pillars didn't block the pitcher or batter.
There is a small erector-set grandstand down the left field line and beyond that a bar and grill with three tiers of stool seating along a counter. There is another section beyond the left field fence with a couple of rows of chairs on a tiered wooden platform. All of these extra pieces add to the shape and definition of the park, giving it a hodge-podge, yet well maintained appearance. The right field line is home to a picnic area with tables and such.

The crowd, though small, was really into the game and the sound effects were not overdone, although the ones they had were still too loud, misplaced, and annoying. The stadium is located in a public park, which makes for a nice setting and parking is free.

Overall, this is a very nice place to see Class A baseball. Intimate and boasting a lot of character for a stadium built so recently. I would recommend a visit if you happen to be wandering through Battle Creek.


