 The main approach to Balsitis Park, Aug-2018. |
 Looking in at the bleachers from beyond third base. |
 A look out at the field from behind home plate. |
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The main approach to Balsitis Park, Aug-2018. |
Looking in at the bleachers from beyond third base. |
A look out at the field from behind home plate. |
The city does have several amenities, including a few town parks. With the independent Pecos League expanding into California League territory with the relocation of that affiliated loop’s Adelanto and Bakersfield franchises to North Carolina, they looked to establish an entire California division to minimize travel costs. One team landed in Monterey, while another wound up here in California City.
The trouble is, the regulation field at Balsitis Park (which also contains two softball diamonds) is barely adequate for sandlot ball. While the infield is well irrigated and maintained by the city (and is one of the rare green areas anywhere within city limits), the bleachers are lucky to hold 150 spectators with the aid of a shoe horn. There is no stadium structure whatsoever; the only scoreboard is a post-up variety mounted atop one of the 50-seat bleachers. There are no locker rooms; the Whiptails utilize a trailer for storage, although there is a batting cage on site.
Somehow, the Pecos League managed to keep the Whiptails here for both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and they were included on the 2019 schedule. I am not shocked that the team has returned for another year despite the decidedly underwhelming facilities amid the isolation of this mostly deserted corner of Kern County.