Throughout its' existance, simply put, BAD ASS Baseball has taken place...wherever. The league usually chose softball diamonds with the occasional foray to a traditional 90' baseball diamond. Nearly all games end up played in Santa Clara, Milpitas or San Jose.
Though several times the league has been thrown off a field for a number of reasons, it always bounces back--excluding double dips, no game has been cancelled due to lack of turf, though many have been delayed. In fact, the willingness to scout fields in advance as well as burn up gas going from as many as three different fields in one day are two factors in becoming a true BAD ASS.
From the league's inception thru 2004, the large majority of games were held at Columbus Park in San Jose (better known as Taylor for the street that runs behind it). Whenever the field was unavailable, which wasn't too often, the league would venture a few blocks southwest to Lincoln High, Gill Park in Milpitas, or Elmer Johnson (aka Washington) Field in Santa Clara. Many, if not most, of the league's most memorable moments took place at Taylor...
...until 2004, when both Torance Matsui and Cav Manning took out cars with home run jacks. For most of the next two seasons, BAB went without a permanent home.
In 2005, a good chunk of games were played at Santa Clara High School. This field would make a near-perfect BAB home if not for A) the girls' softball fence that rests a few feet past the infield and stays there into the summer, and B) the fact that if any school personnel is present, BAB will receive the boot.
When SCHS wasn't available, the league would usually venture to Gill Park or Russell Middle School. As the year went on, field finding difficulties worsened, and rarely could the league play at its first choice of field. Often, the fields settled upon posed serious danger to nearby homes and cars.
The troubles continued into 2006 when Greg Minor stumbled upon Goodson Field, a defunct Little League diamond in Santa Clara that is only unavailable one Sunday a month (Vintage League). Some players welcomed it, as the location is decent, no houses are in danger, and most importantly: it was usually free.
Others griped over the poorly-maintained grass and infield, not to mention two unused tetherball poles that dangerously lie near the left field warning track. But one thing could not be denied--despite the dangerous poles, nobody in the league missed driving from city to city just to find a place to play, and Goodson ended up the regular field for 2006's duration with the league playing a stretch of 20.5 of the next 22 games plus the HR derby there.
Towards year's end, there was a push to make newly discovered Miller Field and its controversial 90 foot basepaths the new home for '07, but that push ended thanks to a soccer league, and Goodson was chosen to host BAB for the forseeable future, with an annual game at Piedmont High.
Here is a rundown of BAB parks, most prominent in bold. JD