“Intimacy.  That’s the key to me,” said Baseballparks.com reviewer Joe Mock of the attributes that prompted the win for West End Field.  “The Greenville Drive franchise is affiliated with the Red Sox, and they wanted their new park to be reminiscent of Fenway Park.  In the area of intimacy, they really nailed it.  In an age when we are seeing larger and larger ballparks, particularly in the Minors, West End Field provides the most welcome sense of intimacy I’ve seen in a new park in a long time.”

It wasn’t just the architecture that drew Mock to West End Field.  “The ballpark’s setting is also wonderful,” he noted.  “Nestled in Greenville’s ‘historic West End,’ the stadium is within a couple of blocks of quaint shops, trendy restaurants, galleries and a beautiful city park.”

Drive fans showed support of the new park throughout 2006, breaking Greenville’s all-time attendance record on Aug. 3 with three weeks remaining in the regular season.  The stadium was privately financed by the team ownership group as part of the Drive’s commitment to the betterment of Greenville, and constructed by an experienced team of contractor and architecture firm.

“The success of West End Field is due to the synergy and shared vision of the project’s key players, including contractor EMJ Corp., architect DLR Group and the City of Greenville,” said team president and co-owner, Craig Brown.  “Each entity was committed to providing a top notch facility for Greenville:  from the reclaimed brick façade and attractive streetscape that integrate the park into the existing downtown neighborhood, to the playing field constructed by Major League Baseball’s top expert, to the intimate atmosphere, comfortable seating and open concourse that the fans enjoy.”

Brown continued, “The Green Monster and field design are a distinctive replica of Boston’s fabled Fenway Park, while many other special features of West End Field make it uniquely Greenville’s own.  We wanted a park worthy of vibrant downtown Greenville and the dynamic Upstate area, and we’re proud that these efforts have been recognized with the Ballpark of the Year award.”

The statue of Greenville’s own Shoeless Joe Jackson and his historic home, soon to be a museum dedicated to the famed player, were also cited as desirable extras for West End Field’s visitors in Mock’s review.

“We’re honored to have been selected by Baseballparks.com as Ballpark of the Year,” said Mike deMaine, Greenville Drive general manager.  “West End Field is truly an ideal venue to provide a world-class sporting and family entertainment experience.  The enthusiastic support we’ve had from our great fans and sponsors has been tremendously gratifying, and we are looking forward creating many more fun times and happy memories for everyone over the seasons to come at West End Field.”

Baseballparks.com’s webmaster, Joe Mock is also the author of “Joe Mock’s Ballpark Guide” and a self-proclaimed “ballpark expert,” with visits to nearly 250 professional baseball parks under his belt.  Mock’s criteria for Ballpark of the Year include marks for design, desirable site selection and fan amenities.  Professional baseball parks with a 2006 debut, built for either major or minor league teams, are eligible for the award.  Competitors for the 2006 award included St. Louis’s Busch Stadium and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College, Pa.