Marinelli Field

Exterior of Marinelli Field, Sep-1999.

A look at the seating configuration.

The field looks out at the 15th Avenue bridge and the Rock River.

Chronological Tour: Stop 171

• Location: Black Hawk Park, 15th Avenue at Rock River, Rockford, Ill.
• Opened: 1960s (1988 for professional baseball)
• Home team: Rockford Expos (1988-92), Royals (1993-94), Cubbies (1995-98), Reds (1999), Midwest League; Rockford RiverHawks, Frontier League (2002-05)
• Capacity: 4,000

Rating: 2 baseballs

The field was used for amateur games and tournaments until 1988, when a stadium was built around it to accommodate a new Midwest League team. That club was affiliated with four Major League clubs in its 12-year history.

The park itself was constructed mostly of aluminum, with brick facing to make it look a little more like a stadium. There was regular seating in the box-seat areas, while the upper grandstand and bleachers were strictly bench seating.

In 1999, the team was purchased by a group that hooked up with the Cincinnati Reds and arranged to move the team to Dayton, Ohio. The RiverHawks of the independent Frontier League moved in for the 2002 season, resurrecting the facility. However, they moved to a new facility in Loves Park, north of the current facility, in 2006. Construction delays prohibited the club from moving in 2005.