Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Homewood Field
3399 San Martin Dr
Baltimore, MD 21210
Year Opened: 1906
Capacity: 8,500
The Home (wood) of College Lacrosse
Johns Hopkins University has one of the most storied programs in the sport of college lacrosse. The team was founded in 1883 and has won 44 national championships including nine NCAA Division I titles (1974, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2005, and 2007), 29 USILL/USILA titles, and six Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association titles.
The university was named after its first benefactor, the American entrepreneur, abolitionist, and philanthropist Johns Hopkins. And yes, his name was “Johns”, not “John.” Don’t look like an outsider by pronouncing it wrong.
The university is one of the most recognized colleges in America. Thirty-six Nobel Laureates have been affiliated with Johns Hopkins over the years. Famous departments in the university include the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the Peabody Institute, the Applied Physics Laboratory, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. There are also, of course, world-famous affiliated medical hospital campuses as well.
The Johns Hopkins University’s sports team are called the Blue Jays. The rest of their teams are Division III, but the lacrosse teams are Division I. Starting in 2016 the Blue Jays men’s team is now an affiliate of the Big Ten Conference, joining Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Rutgers.
Homewood Field opened in 1906 and is also the home of men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, and football for the university.
Food & Beverage 4
There are no permanent food stands at Homewood Field. The school does sell peanuts and sodas in roving carts. What makes up for the absence of any permanent stands are the food trucks. Five or six trucks are at the north end of the stadium and offer a pretty amazing variety of food, especially for a sports event. One of the best options, if the truck is there, is the Elvis Got The Blues burger at Chowhound.
Atmosphere 5
I have heard Homewood Field referred to as “the Yankee Stadium of Lacrosse.” That may be an overstatement (never mind that the new Yankee Stadium is hardly legendary either), but this is a facility that has hosted some of the greatest lacrosse players ever.
Homewood Field does have one of the best lacrosse atmospheres in the sport. If you are a fan of this sport, you must attend games here in Homewood. Johns Hopkins does have a small pep band as part of the atmosphere. For 2023, the school has added a larger video board.
Neighborhood 4
The University is located in the Charles Village and Homewood neighborhoods of Baltimore.
There are numerous bars and restaurants in the Charles Village area where Hopkins is located, such as THB Bagels, Gertrude’s at the BMA, and One World Café.
The Baltimore Museum of Art, or BMA, is located right next door to campus. Try and stop by and see some of the great masters of the art. It is a real treasure of a museum. And it makes quite a unique pre-game ritual.
Baltimore is a great metropolitan city, with many fun and exciting places to spend time both before and after a game.
Relatively close to the stadium is the Mt. Washington neighborhood that straddles I-83 South (known as the Jones Falls Expressway, or the JFX, by locals). The Mt. Washington Tavern is an excellent restaurant with both a fine food and bar food type of menu. The place is large, and there always seems to be room for more. Parking is the biggest problem here, so it would be worth paying the nominal valet charges. There is a Doubletree Hotel located across the street from the stadium.
Right down the street is Miss Shirley’s Café on West Cold Spring Lane. Their fried green tomatoes are quite tasty. They are also quite well known for their breakfast offerings. Also close to Johns Hopkins is the Hampden neighborhood, with its variety of quirky shops and restaurants.
Fans 5
The Johns Hopkins lacrosse fans are arguably the most knowledgeable in the sport. They understand every detail and minutiae of what is happening on the field of play.
Access 3
The stadium is not far from the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83). Take the Coldspring Lane exit east and go south on Roland Avenue and it is a short drive to the university. There is paid parking around the stadium and campus.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets are $12 to $15 with kids getting in for $5. You will see a pretty high quality of lacrosse being played so the prices are quite reasonable. You will likely have to pay for parking at varying costs depending on where you end up.
Extras 3
You will see the history of Johns Hopkins lacrosse on display in this stadium when you see the banners and trophies all around. The sense of lacrosse history is pretty evident.
The JHU Hall of Fame in the lobby of the neighboring Newton H. White building will show the storied history of the lacrosse program, as well as other teams on campus.
The Baltimore Museum of Art is a great place. The highlight of the museum is the Cone Collection. That collection includes works by artists including Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Manet, Degas, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Renoir.
Final Thoughts
While Homewood Field may not be on par with new lacrosse venues, Johns Hopkins’ status within the sport makes Homewood Field worth a visit for any lacrosse fan.
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