Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Waterfront Park 1204 Joe DiMaggio Dr
Martinez, CA 94553
Year Opened: Unknown Renovated: 2018 Capacity: 360
Go Fish
Marinez, CA, the birthplace of the late New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio, hosts the independent Pecos League of Professional Baseball team Martinez Sturgeon. The team formed just a few seasons ago, beginning play in 2021. Its inaugural season was supposed to be 2020, but the pandemic halted that.
The Sturgeon won the Pacific Division Semifinals in 2021 but lost in the conference championship. Two former major league pitchers (Ron Witmeyer and Manny Corpus) were team managers.
The Sturgeon play their home games on Field Three at the city’s popular Waterfront Park. The park hosted the 2024 Pecos League Pacific Division All-Star Game. It is also a favorite spot for other sports with horseshoe pits, softball fields, bocce ball courts, soccer fields, and a skate park. Families can picnic here and go fishing.
The Martinez Clippers of the Pacific Association of Baseball played at Waterfront Park in 2018. The city of Martinez canceled the Clippers lease because of the team's ownerships fraudulent investment schemes.
Food & Beverage 2
One concession stand is open during Sturgeon games. The park has a shaded picnic area in front of the concession stand. The menu offers hot dogs, nachos, and brats $5 - $7. It sells snacks of candy, popcorn, peanuts, pistachios, cookies, and chips for $2 - $3.
Drinks include water, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Gatorade, and Orange Soda ($2). Canned beers offered are Michelob Ultra, Stella, 805, Five Suns, Del Cielo, and White Claw ($5 - $7).
Not every listing on the menu is available for every game, so choices are limited.
Atmosphere 3
The Martinez Sturgeon offers a pleasant game day experience.
The City of Martinez renovated Field Three at Waterfront Park in 2017 for the Martinez Clippers of the Pacific Association. The seats consist mostly of metal bleachers with no backs. Bring a cushion. The venue has three rows of green chairbacks behind home plate that look to be reserved for season ticket holders. The seating is wheelchair accessible with an easy-to-maneuver ramp up to the first base side bleachers.
The seats behind home plate and the third base side get the shade. The first base side is in the sun but has a better view beyond the ballpark. Additional bleachers extend beyond the first base stand with no net overhead. A netting protects fans in front and above the seating areas.
Waterfront Park Reserved Seats, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Sit in the first base stands (if the temperature is not too hot) to see ships pass beyond left field, and for a view of the Benicia Bridge over center and right fields.
Right field has the US flag and the scoreboard, just to the left of the foul pole. The scoreboard is a basic dot matrix with the line score. It is not easy to read in the early innings with the sun.
A female announcer calls the game well. Unfortunately, the music person plays tunes while she’s announcing, so you can’t always hear what is said.
The team holds a 50/50 contest. If a fan gets a foul ball, they can return it and get candy. The entire fan base sang Happy Birthday to another fan who just turned 92 at the game I attended. One feels a sense of strong community ties at these games.
Neighborhood 4
Martinez, CA, is near the San Francisco Bay area, about a 40-minute drive northeast. Waterfront Park is a half mile from Martinez’s vibrant downtown, where visitors can find all kinds of food, shopping, and drinking.
Recommended places to eat:
Breakfast or lunch: Sal’s Family Kitchen, Copper Skillet Courtyard
Lunch or dinner: Lemongrass Bistro (Asian), Roxx on Main, Vic’s, Luigi's Deli (sandwiches)
Local breweries: Five Suns Brewery and Del Cielo, though the city has plenty of other bars and places for adult drinks.
Click here for a more complete list.
Other tourist choices include the John Muir National Historic Site, the Martinez Museum, the Viano Winery, and the California Magic Dinner Theatre. If you’re there on a Sunday, visit the Farmer’s Market downtown for local produce, goods, and people-watching.
Downtown Martinez does not have any lodging. A few miles away is a Best Western Jon Muir (I stayed here; it is comfortable, safe, and reasonable), a Motel 6, and a Super 8. A little further away (6+ miles), you’ll find plenty of hotels off I-680.
Sports fans can enjoy the SF Giants or Oakland Athletics (at least till the end of 2024), the Oakland Ballers, and other Pecos League teams in Vallejo, San Rafael, and Dublin.
Fans 3
The fans are a hardy group, paying attention to the game and staying to the end. They cheer all well-executed plays.
Fans appear to know each other. Visitors often hear snippets of conversation like: “How’s your husband?” or “Did you get the invitation to Brad’s party?” Attendees are retired folks, middle-aged supporters, and parents; it’s generally an older crowd. Many fans have cowbells, lots of them!!
Throughout the game, led by the PA announcer, you’ll hear chants of One! Two! Three! “Go Fish!”
Access 4
Getting to Waterfront Park is relatively easy. It’s only a half mile from downtown, so you can easily walk there. It’s less than two miles off I-680, just south of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. If driving, park on the left side before reaching the tree-lined walkway to the field. A golf cart picks fans up at the parking area and drives them to the field if desired.
Map Courtesy of Google
The closest airport is the San Francisco Oakland International Airport (37 miles away). An Amtrak station is just outside Waterfront Park. Bay area fans can also get to Martinez via BART and the Capital Corridor bus service.
The ballpark does not have any bag rules. It has restrooms behind the concession stand.
It is recognizably handicapped accessible. Kudos to the city and the team for going the extra mile for those who experience mobility difficulties.
Return on Investment 4
Attending a Martinez Sturgeon game is an affordable evening out. Tickets are $10 for general admission; sit where you want and move around as desired. Group tickets and season tickets are available for purchase. Parking is free. Concession prices are very reasonable.
It’s a fun time here, and I encourage any baseball fan to visit Martinez and watch a game.
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Extras 3
The fans are very welcoming to all visitors and are easy to strike up a conversation with. The views beyond the outfield from the first base stands are worth mentioning again. And the team having a golf cart to bring fans from their cars to the stands (and back) deserves extra notice.
Final Thoughts
Visiting Martinez, CA and the Martinez Sturgeon is a delightful day trip or evening out during the summer months. Grab your family or friends, take a trip to this historic city, and catch a game.
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