3. Holt-Moffitt Field — Lexington, N.C.
Holt-Moffitt Field features a hill in play, so left fielders might have to do some climbing to catch fly balls.
Photo courtesy of Ballparkreviews.com
Catching a deep fly ball in left field requires a significant elevation change at this former minor league baseball facility.
Holt-Moffitt
Field features a slope in left field that rises well above the
otherwise flat field. The top height of the hill isn't exactly known,
but
Lexington (N.C.)
coach Sam Mackey estimates that the top of the hill is about 25 feet
higher than the rest of the field. It's sloped but steep, and wraps from
foul territory near third base all the way to center field. It's 324
feet down the left field line but with the elevation change, it takes
about a 350-foot shot to clear the fence, Mackey said.
"There's
been many guys who run and when they get to the hill their foot patterns
are the same and they just eat it. You really have to know how to play
that field," Mackey said. "Every school that comes in and plays us here,
they never get another shot to play in a ballpark like that."
Word has it that Bobby Bonds and Ted
Williams once played at Holt-Moffitt Field, while these days, just
Lexington High and the local American Legion teams call it home.
Mackey's
team has found a way to make the hill work in its favor aside from the
intimidation factor. Players use the hill for conditioning drills.
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