Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.29
Preston Field 99 Stadium Dr Westminster, MD 21157
Home of the Green Terror
Located in Westminster, Maryland, you will find McDaniel College, home of the McDaniel Green Terror athletics program. McDaniel competes in Division III of the NCAA, in the Centennial Conference. The school was originally known as Western Maryland College, after the railroad, not the region, but changed its name in 2002 as the railroad is long since defunct.
The Green Terror baseball team competes at Preston Field on the McDaniel campus. It is located adjacent to Kenneth R. Gill Stadium, home of McDaniel football, and several other McDaniel athletic facilities.
There are several different possible stories for where McDaniel's unique nickname came from, but all stem around someone describing the athletes as "green terrors" or something similar in some long-ago media report.
Food & Beverage 0
There is no food or drink for sale at Preston Field, but fans are free to bring their own.
Atmosphere 2
As mentioned above, Preston Field is located on a hill that makes up the McDaniel campus, surrounded by trees and several other McDaniel athletic facilities. There are several sets of bleachers at the field, although they are nowhere near each other. A couple of sets behind home plate are off-center at an odd angle and behind a metal fence, making viewing difficult. A few bleachers further down the line offer a better view, but may still be partially obstructed by the padded protector on top of the fence.
It will be below eye level, but may still obstruct a portion of the field. Some fans choose to stand behind the backstop directly behind home plate. It offers a good view, but there is no place to sit A scoreboard is located in the outfield and shows the linescore.
It is a pretty basic gameday experience. Music is played between innings and between McDaniel batters, but not between pitches or visiting batters. However, depending on what else is going on at adjacent fields, you may hear music from there at virtually any time during the game, including during live action, which is normally a major no-no.
Neighborhood 3
Westminster is a suburb, or perhaps exurb, of Baltimore, but is quite a good distance from there. It is a small town, but that does not mean it has nothing to offer. Your best bet is to head downtown, a short distance from campus, where you will find many options. Rafael's Steak and Oysters and Maggie's are two local favorites, but there are plenty of other options as well. The downtown area is small, but certainly not empty.
Fans 2
The crowd at McDaniel is mostly friends and family of the players, which is pretty typical for Division III. Those who do attend are knowledgeable about the team, coming to many games themselves. Unfortunately, the spread-out nature of the bleachers means the fans are even quieter than they otherwise would be.
Access 2
If coming from Baltimore, you can take I-70 West to Maryland Route 97 north, or you can take I-795 to State Route 140. From the DC area, you will take I-270 to some local roads the rest of the way. However, you can often make good time on these local roads, so getting to the McDaniel campus is not hugely difficult.
Once on campus, there are several lots near the stadium to park in, and some fans will park on the grass down the left-field line as well. There are no restrooms at the baseball field, but there are some in the football stadium down the hill that you can access during games.
Return on Investment 4
Admission to McDaniel baseball games is free, and you will not incur any other costs except gas. However, there isn't enough here to earn the top score.
Extras 3
Look for the water tower with the McDaniel logo looming over the field.
A second star for the chance to see multiple games on the same day nearby. It is even possible to see multiple games at the same time if you plan right, as the football/lacrosse field is visible from the home plate bleachers if you turn around.
Finally, be sure to check out the Western Maryland Railroad box car. It is technically part of the football field, but is visible from the baseball field and you will probably pass it on your way into the parking lot.
Final Thoughts
Preston Field has a unique, if not completely ideal, setup for a baseball game, with many different vantage points to watch from. Unfortunately, however, baseball is just not a huge deal here (not unsurprising for a school of this size in this part of the country) and the facility and gameday experience reflect that. Still, baseball fans in the area may want to check out a baseball game here. It's hard to argue with free baseball, especially with a name as awesome as the Green Terror.