Baseball in Battle Creek

C.O. Brown Stadium in Bailey Park

The Michigan Battle Cats--later the BC Yankees, then the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays--arrived at this ballyard in 1995 and left after the 2006 season.

A national championship series for city league baseball teams, the Stan Musial National Championship Series, was contested in Battle Creek's Bailey Park for several decades (and may return). C.O. Brown Stadium was constructed to replace an earlier stadium in Bailey Park in 1989; its original purpose was to host amateur baseball.

Photograph by Joel Dinda, June 27, 2003.

Source of Name: The stadium memorializes Cooper Othniel Brown, a baseball entrepreneur who helped make Battle Creek a hub for amateur tournament baseball in the 1930s.

Directions

• I-94 to I-194 (Exit 98B)
• Take I-194 North to downtown
• I-194 becomes Division St.
• Continue north through downtown to Capital Ave. NE
• Follow to Bailey Park (about 7 miles from I-94 exit)

Or follow this map from Battle Creek Parks.

Ballpark Characteristics

  Left Center Right Seating
  322  402    333   6,000  (2000)
  322  402    333   6,600  (1999)
  325  400    330   6,600  (1997)

Park Effects

The Stats 1998 Minor League Handbook indicates that C.O. Brown Stadium is a generally neutral ballpark. The only statistic which seems to be inflated is triples. (1 years' data.)

Attendance Record

  Year Attendance
  2006     84,969
  2005    105,340
  2004     95,845
  2003     93,321
  2002     84,723
  2001     66,088
  2000     88,125
  1999    108,033
  1998    107,137
  1997    126,947
  1996    162,029
  1995    171,794*