Why did they get rid of Tal's Hill?

Tal's Hill has been a staple of the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park since it first opened in 2000. It was announced last year that after the 2016 season, Tal's Hill would be removed in order to build some standing room sections and a new restaurant.

What happened to the hill in centerfield at Minute Maid Park?

The Houston Astros owner told MLB reporter Brian McTaggart this week that the team planned to bring in the center field fence at Minute Maid park in the offseason, removing the unique incline in front the wall known as Tal's Hill as well as the in-play flag poles.

What happened to Tal's Hill?

In June 2015 the Astros announced Tal's Hill would be removed in a major renovation project during the 2015-2016 offseason, to be replaced with additional seating, concessions, and escalators for fans. This would result in center field dimensions of 436 feet (then the longest in MLB) being reduced to 409 feet.

Why did they remove the hill at Minute Maid Park?

Minute Maid Park to undergo renovation of center-field area

The Astros are removing Tal's Hill next season as part of a $15 million renovation of the center-field area to include more fan amenities.

Why was it called Tal's Hill?

The hill was the idea of then team president Tal Smith, who wanted to implement elements of classic ballparks like Crosley Field.

Astros consider removing Tal's Hill from Minute Maid Park

Who has the deepest outfield in MLB?

12. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) With the deepest center field of any park in baseball—one that features a flagpole and hill that are in play—you'd think that Minute Maid Park in Houston would be more of a pitcher's park than a hitter's park.

Why are there no seats in center field?

Having a dark surface behind the center field outfield wall allows the baseball batter to get the best view of a pitch coming to them. Without this batter's eye screen behind the center-field fence, hitters would be unable to pick up the ball coming to them since the view of the baseball might get lost in the crowd.

Why are they called Crawford Boxes?

They're called “Crawford Boxes” because the left-field wall in front of the seating is parallel to Crawford Street in Downtown Houston.

What is the Astrodome used for now?

In 2000 they moved into Minute Maid Park. Today, the Astrodome remains virtually idle as it sits in the shadow of the Houston Texans (NFL) home, NRG Stadium. Since its closing after the 1999 season, the Astrodome has sat empty.

Is Fenway Park field below street level?

Since Fenway Park is 10' below street level a 10' incline was built to hold up the LF wall. It stayed 1912-1933. not to be picky, but you never see "Detroit Tiger's" in official print.

Who is Tal's Hill named after?

The 90-foot wide, flagpole-topped incline in Minute Maid Park's center field will be removed at the end of this year's baseball season. Tal's Hill is named for the Houston Astros' former president, Tal Smith.

What was Minute Maid Park before?

Houston's downtown ballpark was originally named Enron Field on April 7, 1999, and was renamed Astros Field on February 27, 2002, by agreement of the Houston Astros and Enron Corp. The Minute Maid Company is an operating unit of The Coca-Cola Company and the flagship of its worldwide fruit beverage business.

Why is it called Minute Maid Park?

Before Minute Maid Park, there was the Colt Stadium and the Astrodome. Named after The Minute Maid Company after the Houston Astros expanded their partnership with them, Minute Maid Park is a one-of-a-kind ballpark that many Houstonians have fallen in love with.

How much does it cost to open the roof at Minute Maid Park?

The roof, which cost $65 million, retracts completely off the ballpark when open, which is supposedly 60 percent of the time.

Is the Astrodome still abandoned?

But the Astrodome eventually became obsolete and, by 2008, it no longer met Houston's fire code. Voters there turned down a proposal to upgrade it in 2013, and now it sits abandoned.

Can you go in the Astrodome?

The Astrodome, once the gem of the city, has been allowed to deteriorate ever since, save for a three-week stint in 2005 when it got a curtain call in the national spotlight as home to tens of thousands of displaced Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Today, the Astrodome has no permanent tenant and it isn't used for events.

Why was the Astrodome abandoned?

The Astrodome was declared non-compliant with fire code by the Houston Fire Department in 2008 and parts of it were demolished in 2013 after several years of disuse.

Are the Crawford Boxes good seats?

All Astros Crawford Box seats provide a great view of the baseball game from against the wall in left field. Many fans prefer the Astros Crawford Box tickets in the front rows of each section as these provide the best opportunity to catch a home run.

How far is Crawford Boxes from home plate?

The Crawford Boxes are located in left field in Minute Maid Park with one of the shortest porches in baseball. The home-plate-to-wall measurement of the boxes is only 315 feet (96 meters).

Does Minute Maid Park have an organ?

The organ he plays at Minute Maid, he said, has a service record dating to at least 1959. "It's like driving a Model-T or a Model-A," he said. "It's a workhorse. You know what it can do and what its limitations are.

What is the ugliest MLB stadium?

When it comes to cherished ballparks, the odds are not in favor of the Ringcentral Coliseum where the Oakland Athletics play. The Coliseum got no love from baseball fans, ranking number one across the board as the ugliest place to play ball.

What's the nicest MLB stadium?

Petco Park - San Diego Padres

Petco Park is simply the best place to watch a baseball game. The location (embedded in downtown San Diego), the weather, the food, the beer and, of course, the stadium itself — it's all phenomenal.

What is the smallest stadium in the MLB?

1. Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati Reds) Widely considered the pre-eminent “bandbox” of Major League parks, the ball flies out of Great American Ball Park.

What is the hardest park to hit a homerun in?

1. Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks) While it is 374 to right-center and left-center, the highlight is the 413 just to the left and right of center as a challenge. Further, the high wall in center makes reaching 407 and 413 more difficult.

What's the farthest home run ever hit?

Major League Baseball's longest verifiable home run distance is about 575 feet (175 m), by Babe Ruth, to straightaway center field at Tiger Stadium (then called Navin Field and before the double-deck), which landed nearly across the intersection of Trumbull and Cherry.