Southwestern
College

"It's like a
professional
field -- there is
not a flaw in it."

Mike Parks is one of dozens of ballplayers San Diego has contributed to the rest of the country.  He grew up in Spring Valley and is now second baseman for Culver-Stockton College in Missouri.  He played at Southwestern College when he was on Mesa's team and says of the school's field:    "It's like a professional infield--there is not a flaw in it."

Most who've played ball in San Diego rave about Southwestern's field.  But fans, beware, the hard metal bleachers will make you wish you'd brought a beach chair.

A Southwestern game is worth attending just to see coach Jerry Bartow, who started in 1976 and has more than 800 career wins.  No truth to the rumor Bartow leaned the game straight from the mouth of Abner Doubleday.

City College and Mesa College usually field good squads, but their playing fields are cursed by geography. City's is built on a landfill that's sinking.  The unevenness of the outfield is noticeable from the stands.  Outfielders would be advised to beware of sinkholes.  Filthy park bathrooms are a long walk from field, and the bleachers are less than fan-friendly.

The Mesa College field sits in a ravine.  Spectators must choose between bleachers that are the near-equivalent of upper-deck seating, or hike down steep stairs to bleachers that offer limited views.

The best of the best when it comes to local ballparks:  Point Loma Nazarene.  Indeed, a few innings at Point Loma may be one of the least-appreciated entertainment bargains in Southern California.

"It's amazing," says Point Loma Sea Lions pitcher Chris Hill.  "Sometimes I just go out to center field to relax and look at the view."  But there's a catch, he adds:  "At times, I can't concentrate.  I'm an avid surfer, and my mind drifts down the cliffs."