Return to the Texas Panhandle

Impressive "rotunda" entrance to Hodgetown, Jul-2019.

Looking in from down the right-field line.

A capacity crowd enjoys a Saturday evening game.

Chronological Tour: Stop 402

• Location: Buchanan Street and SE 8th Avenue, Amarillo, Texas (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 2019
• Home team: Amarillo Sod Poodles, Texas League (2019-present)
• Capacity: 6,631

Rating: 4 baseballs

The Multi-Purpose Event Venue, or MPEV, as the city officially calls it, has received the name “Hodgetown”, honoring Jerry Hodge, a local businessman and civic leader who spearheaded efforts to bring affiliated ball back to Amarillo. The team has been named the Sod Poodles, apparently a local nickname for the ever-prevalent prairie dogs during pioneer days.

The park is comfortable enough, and the game-day staff does a respectable job with announcements, not blasting music over them so they can’t be heard. Unfortunately, during the 2019 season there is no lineup board and no handout with the starting lineups, and the announcer introduces the home team players by position as they take the field, not by batting order. These are nits to pick with a very nice park.