City Island ballpark offers views

HARRISBURG — Assignment: Visit the Harrisburg Senators and report on my findings.

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Commerce Bank Park on City Island — which is owned and operated by the city of Harrisburg — has the distinction of being one of only two stadiums in the country located on an island. The other stadium is Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The stadium sits on the island in the middle of the Susquehanna River between Harrisburg on the east shore and Wormleysburg on the west shore. It is surrounded by trees and offers a view of the city from the grandstand.

Baseball here dates back to 1907 when the team played in the Class D Tri-State League. After the 1952 season, the then Harrisburg Senators and the Class B league they played in called it quits.

In 1987, as part of the revitalization of the city's downtown, the stadium was built, once again allowing the city to boast of hosting a minor league baseball team.

The Senators, the midstate's only Double A baseball team, are affiliated with the Montreal Expos. The team is the first in league history to win four Eastern League titles in a row, between 1996 and 1999.

And the stadium has been recognized as one of the top locations for a ballpark in minor league baseball.

Other attractions on the island include RiverSide Village Park concession stands, docking area for the Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat, horse-drawn carriage rides, miniature golf, a kiddie train ride that circles the park, a carousel, batting cages, volleyball courts, a sports complex and children's play area, fields for softball, soccer and football, nature trails, a riverwalk and parking areas.

A catering staff is available to provide meals, which include barbecue chicken, New York strip steaks, and corn-on-the-cob to groups of 25 to 500 at the stadium.

I recently attended the Senators game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. My baseball buddy and I got to see Line Mountain High School graduate Dominic Rich play second base for the Cats.

We left for the ballpark early to take advantage of the fine concession stands located on the RiverWalk.

We ordered two pit roast beef sandwiches and french fries.

We sat down at a picnic table with a beautiful view of the capital city and the Pride of the Susquehanna to enjoy our snack.

Cost: $2 each for fries and $4.50 each for sandwiches.

Getting tickets was no problem.

We paid $10 each for the best available box seats that I had requested: Down the right field line with a good view of the field.

Speaking of our seats, they were large enough for the average person and came equipped with cupholders, which was a very nice touch.

Located right behind us was a very large handicapped area, which was equipped with wheelchair accessibility and several green plastic lawn chairs.

Throughout the game, there were T-shirt tosses, a mascot race where Rascal lost to a very small child, sumo wrestling by two fans chosen from the audience, and the Camp Hill 9-10-year-old All-Star softball team was honored between innings. It is a pleasant and fun atmosphere for the entire family.

The beer was cold and it was Yuengling. Another plus on our checklist, right ahead of clean restrooms.

At the end of this season, Commerce Bank Park will undergo a $20 million upgrade which will include seating expansion, the addition of skyboxes, a new press box, new and expanded clubhouses, new offices the construction of a new grandstand roof that will allow an unobstructed view of the field.

The park would have 1,700 more seats for a total of 8,000; and total capacity for 9,500 fans; 20 new skyboxes; 766 club seats; and a party deck above the right field fence. Also planned is a restaurant above the fence in left and a grand entry for the fans.

The stadium could also become home to a new team, possibly a Class AAA minor league franchise, the Ottawa Lynx, a Baltimore Orioles farm club, if Mayor Stephen R. Reed can make a deal to sell the AA Senators.

The deal might not be in play, though, until 2006.

Reed has proposed a 65,000-square-foot sports hall of fame museum that would cover all sports, both amateur and professional.

The museum would have a restaurant overlooking the river and the city, a theater, exhibits and a gift shop. Funding of $9.5 million has been earmarked for the sports museum.

Park improvements are expected to be completed for the start of the next baseball season in April, according to team officials.

"We believe we have the best stadium around. We invite fans to come to the island early and walk around to see all the attractions we have on City Island," said Mark Mattern, the Senators' assistant general manager of baseball operations. "We offer friendly, courteous service, affordable family entertainment, a clean facility and fun atmosphere for the entire family."