The "Coop" was built in 1931 and has been renovated several times, but still retains the classic look of a 1930s ballpark. A big, semi-circular grandstand covered by a massive roof. An intricate lattice-work of steel supports the roof and pillars keep it from falling down.

Interestingly, the park is outside of the heart of the city, with the downtown visible in the distance over the left field fence. Usually, one expects older ballparks to be woven into the heart of the city. Instead, Cooper Stadium's location has a 1970s feel; near the highway, surrounded by a sea of parking lots.

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There was a high school practice going on during my non-game visit and the 15,000 empty seats looking on gave it an eerie feeling. Still, it's a great looking park and really big. It's hard to imagine that they fill the place, but whether they do or not, it will be a shame if they decide to replace a classic like this with a cookie-cutter new park. Syracuse and Rochester used to have parks like this. There just aren't that many left.

The luxury boxes on the roof are very unusual looking, but they don't detract from the place. Rather, they give it a unique, quirky quality as modern baseball economics jostles with classic ballpark design.