Photo by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Frank Mann Field 3700 Commonwealth Ave Alexandria, VA 22305
Year Opened: 1978 Capacity:
Acing It In Alexandria
Frank Mann Field is home to the Alexandria Aces of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League. The CRCBL is a summer collegiate wood bat league featuring six teams in the Washington, D.C. area. It formerly contained as many as 12 teams, but has decreased in size in recent years. Three of the teams are based in Maryland, two in Virginia, and one in the District of Columbia itself.
The stadium was built in 1978 and hosts the Bishop Ireton High School team as well as several youth teams in addition to the Aces. It is named after former Alexandria mayor Frank Mann. Prior to hosting the Aces, it was the home of the Alexandria Dukes of the Carolina League from 1978 to 1983. The Dukes later relocated down I-95 to Woodbridge, and after adopting several other names, became known as the Potomac Nationals. Following the 2019 season, the P-Nats moved again and became the Fredericksburg Nationals. In addition to the subpar facilities, the Dukes were reportedly concerned about the prohibition on alcohol sales due to the stadium being located next to a school.
Food & Beverage 2
The food selection at Frank Mann Field is nothing special, but you will certainly not go hungry here either Concessions are sold out of a tent behind home plate, and the only meal options are freshly grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. There are also a wide variety of snacks, plus soft drinks and bottled water. As Frank Mann Field is located on school grounds, alcohol is not available for sale.
Prices are reasonable, with nothing costing more than a few dollars, and payment can be made with cash, PayPal, or Venmo.
Atmosphere 2
This is truly baseball at its basics. There are only a handful of metal bleachers seating maybe a few hundred fans. All seats are separated from the field not by netting but by a chain link fence that can make it difficult to see the action. There is a scoreboard in left-center field that shows the line score and count and the team plays music in between innings, but there really isn’t that much else here. A 50-50 raffle offers fans the chance to win a cash prize while raising money for the team, but that is about it. For baseball purists, this will be a fun experience, but those who enjoy the between inning distractions will be out of luck.
Neighborhood 5
Frank Mann Field is located in Alexandria, just across the Potomac River from the District of Columbia. Although there is not much within walking distance of the stadium, those willing to drive around Alexandria will find quite a bit.
The Old Town neighborhood a couple miles south is one of the nicest parts of the entire metropolitan area. Visitors will find riverfront views and streets lined with restaurants, shops, and more. As Alexandria is a very diverse area, you will find ethnic food of just about every nationality, whether it’s Bolivian, Salvadoran, or Italian. Il Porto Ristorante has fantastic Italian food and is conveniently located just up King Street from Pop’s Old Fashion Ice Cream, where you can finish off your meal with homemade ice cream.
Hotels are ample in supply as well – check out the Old Town or Crystal City areas.
Fans 3
The Aces draw a decent crowd of a couple hundred fans per game. While the bleachers won't be full, the crowd here is about what you see at most venues in the league, maybe a little bit higher. The crowd is a mix of longer-time fans and young families, and kids can be seen scurrying around the seating area during the game. You'll hear some cheering after big plays, but this crowd generally doesn't get too involved.
Access 4
Frank Mann Field is located just off Commonwealth Avenue in the City of Alexandria. Parking is free in a lot adjacent to the stadium, with additional spaces being available beyond the outfield fence. Do not park on the street or you will be towed. Be careful about parking too close to the entrance, as you will be in foul ball territory.
All Aces games start at 6:30 PM, which means you will likely be dealing with rush hour traffic to get to a game if you come on a weeknight. D.C. traffic is some of the worst in the country, so be sure to allow a lot of extra time. It’s not quite as bad in the summer as during the rest of the year, but that isn’t saying much.
The recently opened Potomac Yard station on Metro's Blue and Yellow Lines is about a 20 minute walk from the stadium.
Return on Investment 5
Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children. Concessions are incredibly affordable as well. This makes an Aces game a great value.
Extras 3
There is a tent near the entrance selling team merchandise.
There is a table near the entrance offering not just free roster cards (for the Aces only, not their opponent) but free copies of a local newspaper's special edition about the Aces' season.
A dubiously named dunk tank down the right field line provides fans with the opportunity to throw balls at a bucket of water to make it dump its contents on the person below. This is quite popular with kids and others looking to cool off during the game.
Final Thoughts
Although not well-known in the Alexandria area, an Aces game can be an enjoyable way to spend a summer night watching baseball. It is affordable fun in a great city, and it is a shame that more people don't know about the team.
Comments