Bernie Arbour Stadium - Hamilton Cardinals
- Dave Cottenie
- Aug 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 22
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
CARSTAR Field @ Bernie Arbour Stadium 1100 Mohawk Rd E Hamilton, ON L8T 2S4
Year Opened: 1970
Capacity: 3,000
A Fresh Coat of Red Paint
With the 2023 Intercounty Baseball League season, the Hamilton Cardinals began a new era. The purchase of the team by Eric Spearin and his group brought forth a ton of changes. First and foremost, the identity of the team saw a punch of the reset button with a new, modern logo, which strayed from the traditional St. Louis Cardinals type logo and embraced some of the local lore.
The new hammer-wielding cardinal was not the only change. A new focus on the fan experience and promotions thrust the team out of the traditional “1919” era (the year that the league was formed). In 2025, the Cardinals also made a splash, signing 48-year-old, former Major League closer, Fernando Rodney. The Cardinals have come a long way since their original Hamilton Beaver days. The team was also known as the Red Wings, Marlins, Real McCoy's, and Thunderbirds.
Home for the Cardinals is CARSTAR Field @ Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium. Bernie Arbour Stadium, the common reference for the home of the Cardinals, opened in 1970 and was a former home to Minor League Baseball with the Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals calling Hamilton home from 1988 to 1992. The team was known as the Hamilton Redbirds and played in the New York-Penn League.
Hamilton also housed the Hamilton Red Wings, a charter member of the PONY League, a precursor to the NYPL, from 1939 to 1956. The stadium is named after the late Bernie Arbour, who was a former Hamilton police sergeant and had a number of roles in youth sports in the city.
Food & Beverage 3
The concession options available at Bernie Arbour Stadium are found at The Bird Feeder Concession Stand and have improved over the years. Hot Dogs, sausage, fries, poutine, pretzels, popcorn, freezies, and ice cream are all available. Adding chili or pulled pork is also an option. Cans of Coca-Cola products are the crux of the soft drink options, which also include water, coffee, and tea.
Alcoholic beverages are available from local Shawn & Ed Brewing as well as Flat Rock Cellars, and Vodka Friday. A number of unique options are available. The Cardinals employ a unique system where purchases are made at a desk, and customers are given tokens to redeem at the concession window. Some vendors also come through the grandstands periodically, which is definitely unique to this league.
Atmosphere 3
Bernie Arbour Stadium is located at Mohawk Park and is part of a massive sporting complex complete with other baseball fields, football and soccer fields, and a track facility. Being a former MiLB affiliate, it does feature a permanent structure that is a decent size. With the new branding, Bernie Arbour Stadium has received a facelift, complete with new logos and more use of the colour red overall. The exterior of the stadium is unassuming and welcoming.
The permanent structure houses the main grandstand, concessions, washrooms, and press box. In the concourse, a renewed focus on merchandise is found at “The Perch” pop-up team store. Along the chain link fence, behind the third base line, the Cardinals have some nods to their history with banners showing the variety of logos they have employed over the years, including the brief Hamilton Thunderbirds period. A banner celebrating Tyler Duncan and his 2023 IBL MVP award and the retired number 13 for Dean Dicenzo is also found here.
The main grandstand is raised from field level and is an inverted octagon with 11 rows of plastic-covered aluminum benches. The sightlines are terrific from this vantage point, which is probably the highest compared to any other IBL stadium. At the top of the grandstand is the press box, and on the front is another nod to the retired number 13 and an acknowledgement of the Cardinals lone IBL Championship in 1978. On both the first and third base sides, there are sets of “permanently temporary” bleachers to handle the overflow. The natural surface field boasts massive amounts of foul territory, which is great for the pitcher but not so great for the batters.
The gameday atmosphere at Cardinal games appears to have been a point of focus. The improvement is significant with a renewed focus on the fan experience. Regular promotions include the “beer batter,” where it becomes “happy hour” for an inning, and there are specials on alcoholic beverages if the specific opposing batter strikes out.
As opposed to posting “Ks”, as seen in many ballparks, Little Caesars sponsors the Cardinal strikeouts, with a young intern running across the grandstand with a spear impaling pizza-designed pillows equal to the number of strikeouts. The in-game host is full of energy and does what she can to engage the crowd. The staple 50/50 draw is also found at Cardinals games.
A variety of other promotions take up the season calendar. For the game that was reviewed, it was “Murder Mystery Night,” and the team gave away little notebooks at the door. The in-game host led the crowd through a murder mystery involving various Cardinals personnel, encouraging fans to try to figure out “who-done-it.” A very unique and well-done promotion.
Neighbourhood 2
Bernie Arbour Stadium is found in Mohawk Park, which is located on “The Mountain” in Hamilton, in the southern half of the city, near the Lisgar, Huntington, and King’s Forest neighbourhoods. A nice area of the city, Mohawk Park is huge, with numerous sports facilities; however, there are not a huge number of pre- and post-game options for food or drink. Lime Ridge Mall can be found to the west of Mohawk Sports Park, but for the most part, chain restaurants are what will be found there.
There are a few other sporting options that can be found in Hamilton. First and foremost, would be the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL and Forge FC of the CPL, who play at Hamilton Stadium. The Canadian Football Hall of Fame can be found on the second level of Hamilton Stadium.
The newly renovated TD Coliseum can be found downtown and is the home of the NLL’s Toronto Rock. As of this writing, the City of Hamilton is hoping to attract an AHL franchise to town. The Hamilton Kilty B’s can be found on the Mountain as well. On the northwest side of the city is McMaster University, and the Marauders play football at Ron Joyce Stadium and basketball at Burridge Gymnasium. The south end of Hamilton is where the airport can be found, and a top-notch tourist attraction near the airport is the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.
For fans looking for a place to stay close to Bernie Arbour Stadium, the Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton near South Hamilton Square is available.
Fans 3
Assessing fans in the Intercounty Baseball League is difficult, as nearly all teams do not publish and compile attendance figures. That being said, the IBL has boasted improved attendance figures, league-wide, over the last few years. Anecdotally, the crowd at the game that was reviewed was solid, spreading out to one of the sideline bleachers. The fans were definitely into the promotions as well as the action on the field.
Access 4
Getting to Mohawk Sports Park is not difficult at all. The park is north of both the Lincoln Alexander Parkway and Red Hill Valley Parkway and is significantly easier to get to than the downtown venues from out of town. There is plenty of parking available in the park for the number of fans that attend Cardinals games. There are HSR bus stops along Upper Kenilworth on the west side of the park for those who wish to take public transportation. Fans should consult the Hamilton Street Railway website for schedules, fares, and maps.
Moving around the ballpark is not difficult at all; however, there are plenty of stairs in the grandstand and bleachers, which could be limiting for those with mobility issues.
The washrooms are part of the permanent structure and spacious enough to accommodate Cardinals patrons.
Return on Investment 5
Intercounty Baseball offers one of the lowest-cost sporting experiences around. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door for $12. Parking at Mohawk Park is free, and concession prices are decent. The experience that the fan receives for the very small investment is great, and fans will want to make a return trip, especially with the renewed focus on the fan experience.
Extras 4
An extra mark for the Hamilton Cardinals Alumni Association, which connects former players and the teams to the community and fanbase.
An extra mark for kids running the bases … at the top of the 3rd Inning!
An extra mark for the improvement in the gameday experience and focus on fan engagement.
An extra mark for the “Murder Mystery Night” promotion, which was unique and engaging, and something that should be an annual part of the Cardinals calendar.
Final Thoughts
Taking in a Hamilton Cardinals game is a great way to spend a summer evening or afternoon. Bernie Arbour Stadium is one of the best venues in the province, too. It may not be a tourist destination, and Intercounty Baseball may be lower than the affiliated ball; however, it is the top league in Ontario, and for a hardcore ballpark traveler, a trip to Bernie Arbour Stadium will be worth it. The new paint at Bernie Arbour, along with the renewed focus on the fan experience, enhances the trip to the ballpark and will have fans wanting to make return trips.
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