Once known as BOB, Chase still has a personality

Chase Field is home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the National League.

It opened in 1998 and is the only park the team has ever called home. Its design is somewhat unique for the big leauges, although inside it is a traditional three tiered stadium. To incorporate the retractable roof, architects designed a rectangular frame and shoehorned a ballpark into it so that the foul lines form diagonals within the box.

With a seating capacity of about 48,000, the Arizona ballpark, once known as "BOB" due to its former name, Bank One Ballpark, is one of the larger parks in the league. Many of the often empty seats comprise the largest upper deck in the major leagues.

Against the backdrop of a farily unimpressive Phoenix skyline, Chase Field stands out almost like a terribly oversized warehouse. Inside, though, it is one of the nicer and more interesting new ballparks. It was the first retractable roof stadium to sustain natural grass - its field is one of the finest in baseball.

Notable features include the 19-foot center field wall which was designed to create an abundance of triples. Also, the park is well known for the hot tub in right center field. One of the new parks not designed by HOK, the design does feel somewhat liberated from that style.

Despite being and indoor ballpark - and for the most part feeling like an indoor ballpark - BOB does have panels in the outfield that open to reveal desert sunsets. Unlike many new parks, the outfield view is away from downtown despite the park's setting just minutes away from the Phoenix city center.   

This was one of the first parks to angle seats toward home plate, and it preceded Comerica Park which employs a similar architectural plan. The center field scoreboard is one of the most complete in baseball, and the lineups are creatively displayed in the outfield corners, hung from the roof electronically.

BOB's first two decks provide excellent views, and even its upper deck sits lower than most. The concourses are dotted with colorful signage but are not in other senses unique, although there are large plaza/lobby spaces in the corners of the box framework.

Notably, the D'Backs have a deal to sell McDonald's within the park. There is also a TGI Friday's atop the left field upper deck with excellent views of the park. Unlike many teams, Arizona allows fans the option to bring their own food to the ballpark.

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