Cobb Field
Template:Infobox Baseball Stadium
Cobb Field is a baseball stadium located in Billings, Montana. It was originally named Athletic Park. It has been the home of the Billings Mustangs, the Pioneer League Rookie Affilliate of the Cincinnati Reds, since 1948. Cobb Field was named after Bob Cobb, who was responsible for bringing the Mustangs to Billings. It also hosts home games for local American Legion baseball teams.
Cobb Field seats 4,200, though crowds have been known to eclipse 5,000, particularly on promotional free ticket nights such as "Kwik Way Night," in which local Billings Kwik Way gas stations give out tickets to customers.
Ticket prices are reasonably affordable. Box seats (first four rows in the stadium) are priced at $6.50. The rest of the stadium is composed of long rows of benches assigned as general admission. Sold at $5.00 a ticket, a fan with a general admission ticket can sit anywhere they desire within the designated general area. Students and Seniors can get a general admission pass for $4. In the 90's the Mustangs had a "Knothole Gang" promotion for children to get a t-shirt, a 10 game pass, and an autograph day with the Mustangs for a set price. The "Knothole Gang" has since been revived and children between 6 and 12 years of age can get a season general admission pass (all 38 home games) for $12.
Cobb Field's concessions have overgone a drastic overhaul in the past few years. In addition to the basic hot dog, pizza, candy, and pop products offered by the main concession, the Mustangs added the "Cobb Grill" and "Betisse's Bullpen", a patio on the left field line where Mustangs fans can enjoy a beer and roam about freely. "Betisse's Bullpen" also hosts pre-game tailgating parties.
Cobb Field has a natural grass surface which is attended to by head groundskeeper John Barta. Mr. Barta had been on the grounds crew for many years before taking the head position in 2005. Its dimensions are 335 feet to left, 405 feet to center, and 325 feet to right.
In 2006, the stadium welcomed the re-formed NCAA baseball team from nearby Montana State University - Billings. The Yellowjackets play in the Division II Heartland Conference. From March to May, home games are played at the Field (the college season starts in February, but due to the weather in Montana, the Jackets are forced to start the season on long road trips).
Cobb Field's future is uncertain. There is talk about replacing Cobb Field. The stadium is primarily made up of the same wood used 70 years ago and is showing substantial wear. The handrail on the exit on the 3rd base side shows considerable splinting of the wood and many areas of the stadium have needed wooden boards to be installed over holes in the floor. It seems a new stadium soon will be a necessity, not just a luxury. A crucial levy will be voted on later in 2006 regarding funding the new stadium project (which would be constructed on the same site of the current field).