Up until the construction of Baseball Heaven in 2004, it was extremely rare to find a turf field on Long Island. Additionally, there was less places with lights and multiple fields that could accommodate hosting a tournament the way that BBH can.
With that said, as time has gone on in the past 15 years, many more school districts have funded turf facilities but lights are still hard to come by.
With baseball being a passion of mine, I still enjoy the nuances of the game like a perfectly manicured natural grass field with lights. Over the past several years, as I have made this my livelihood, I have been to just about every high school, college and town field on Long Island. I would love to hear people’s feedback on the best fields on Long Island. We will include facilities, but I don’t want it to be limited to them because there are only a handful of Plainedge Parks, Eisenhower Park, Wantagh Parks, etc.
This list is my opinion, but I would love to hear the feedback so make sure to tweet us your opinion!
High Schools
- Bethpage
I enjoy the modern feel to it. I also covered two games there and I was treated to terrific match ups. That always subconsciously factors into a subjective argument.
- Harborfields
I was there for the first time this year and it felt like I was in a movie scene. The grass was perfectly cut, the dirt was just the right shade of brown and the sky was blue. It’s possible my thoughts were shaped by the incredible sky but it just felt like the way a baseball field should be.
- Hauppauge
The reason why I enjoy going to Hauppauge is mainly because my cousin, five years older than me, was a star there in the early 2000s. I have fond memories of going to the games and being blown away by varsity pitchers. I also like the location being that it’s similar to a fish bowl with all the cars on Vets Highway able to watch the game. The natural grass gives it a real feel as well.
- Sayville
Sayville has the most professional look to their field. Their stadium-style seating is the only high school that I can think of in the area that has it. Additionally, they always have the music blasting between innings and the natural grass is manicured well.
- Centereach
Okay this one is a personal bias because I went there. I remember the feeling of elation when they added the turf infield. As a pitcher that relied heavily on my infielders, this was the best news possible. I always trusted that I wouldn’t give up home runs so the short porch in left field (275 feet) never really mattered. Squaring off against TJ Pecoraro in the playoffs in 2009 was a great memory as well in front of a packed house. Beating West Islip and Newfield is right up there as well.
- Massapequa
Their new field is incredible. It differs from the previous fields on the list in the sense that it is brand new, state-of-the-art and turf. It makes for the perfect facility to host a championship game with the large bleachers behind the plate, the press box (a favorite of mine) and the all-weather turf. They will be hosting plenty of playoff games there.
- Shoreham-Wading River
Making the postseason 35 consecutive years makes them a powerhouse but the field adds another layer to it. I remember being a player and feeling that sense of intimidation when you get off the bus after a 40 minute ride and not really knowing where you are. Then you walk through the woods and see all the retired uniforms and you start to think maybe I don’t belong on the same field as them. That is all done on purpose to intimidate the opponents. It’s worked pretty well for them. The field is always maintained beautifully and the bleachers behind the plate forces the spectators to interact while also enjoying the game from a close view.
Colleges
- Farmingdale
I think it’s pretty clear they have the best facility on the island. With the stadium holding over 1,000 people and being centrally located directly in the middle of the island it makes for the perfect championship venue. They have also hosted a number of Skyline Conference playoffs so it has plenty of great history over the past decade. With the turf being resurfaced this season, it should be brand new for the 2020 season.
- Mitchell Field
Having a turf surface is one thing, but I think the view makes it even nicer. I always try to take a picture when the sun is bouncing off the building in left field. It’s also an ideal location for a conference playoff or showcase with the bleachers, bullpens, dugouts and unobstructed views behind the plate.
- NYIT
After redoing the field a few years ago, it has now become one of the nicest facilities on the island. They hosted the ECC Playoffs this year and it was perfect due to the capacity of the bleachers, and the press box behind the plate. With the help of Adam Rubin, they are now able to live-stream every game which gives it a professional feel with the HD cameras. The only knock is the long walk from the parking lot to the plate but everything else is ideal.
With town fields like Diamond in the Spikes, Medford, Moriches Complex, Baldwin, and others, there’s plenty of other great fields not mentioned on this list but wanted to limit it to fields that teams can call home.
