Stockton Ballpark offers diamond days and nights for generations of fans

Spend enough time at Stockton Ballpark and you learn almost everyone has a story.

Some remember attending Stockton Ports games as children. Others are bringing their own kids now. A few are discovering the ballpark for the first time, while many have been returning for years.

The Ports have called Stockton home since 1941 and serve as the Single-A affiliate of the Athletics. The team has been a fixture of summer evenings in downtown Stockton since moving to Banner Island Ballpark in 2005.

For Ariana Rodriguez, those summer nights have come full circle.

Rodriguez attended Ports games as a child. Now, she brings her 4-year-old son, Leo, and 2-year-old daughter, Rey, to the ballpark.

“Just seeing them get excited, seeing them interact with everyone, that’s what makes me excited,” Rodriguez said.

Her children already have their own favorite parts.

“The ball,” Leo said when asked what he likes most about coming to games.

“The food,” Rey added.

Adeline Theodor, a Stockton resident who now works at the stadium, remembers bringing her sons to games years ago. She fondly recalls when local youth baseball players were invited onto the field before a game, remembering how excited the youngsters were.

Today, she helps welcome families and create those same lasting memories, noting that the people are what make the experience so special.

“I love that families are actually going out,” Theodor said.

Stevie Cardona, 16, has attended Ports games for as long as he can remember.

The Stockton teen’s favorite memories include visiting the bullpen with family and getting baseballs from players.

“It’s community,” said Stevie, who plays baseball at Lincoln High School. “Once you start going, it opens up a lot of other games or events in Stockton.”

Lex Elias, a rising freshman at Saint Mary’s High School, said he enjoys watching the Ports players and studying how they approach the game. The research helps him as a player; he’s a pitcher and also a first baseman.

But the 13-year-old said some of his favorite moments have come between innings, with activities and games around the stadium.

One memory especially stands out: “I did a golf mini-game thing between innings, and I won it,” Lex said. “I remember it was really cool because I was pretty little too.”

Brian Macias of Ripon recently visited the ballpark for the first time after his son asked to go to a game.

He said it felt welcoming from the moment he arrived.

“You’re just kind of here to hang out, watch a baseball game and enjoy the weather,” Macias said, adding that he expects his family will return.

“It’s close. The price is great. But you still get that baseball-field environment,” he said.

Before the fans fill the stands, employees are working behind the scenes to set the right scene.

Sara Beasley, the Ports’ director of business operations, helps coordinate theme nights, giveaways and promotions throughout the season.

“We want it to be a great atmosphere,” Beasley said. “We want people to walk in and have a good time.”

She said creating an entertaining environment remains a priority, whether for die-hard baseball fans who are coming to watch a game, or families who are enjoying fireworks, special events or simply a night out.

Splash, the Ports’ mascot, also helps keep the fun going. Ricky Brown, who wears the Splash costume, said some of his favorite memories are of Education Day games, when thousands of students pack the ballpark.

“The smile on the kids’ faces, the interaction. You’re basically part of the game,” he said.

As the sun sets behind the outfield and the stadium lights illuminate a summer night, children continue chasing Splash through the concourse. Parents gather around concession stands. Teenagers lean against railings, watching the game. Grandparents point toward the field.

The score changes from night to night. Yet the memories stay much longer.

And the tradition is worth passing down.

“You don’t get that a lot in Stockton right now,” Theodor said. “And when you do get that feeling, you just love your hometown.”