GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
First National Bank Field
First National Bank Field is the Pirates' High-A affiliate in Greensboro — the Triad's largest city, the furniture capital of America, the city where the 1960 Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in launched the modern civil rights movement. The Grasshoppers are among the oldest continuously operating Carolina League franchises and play in a downtown park that has been central to Greensboro's revitalisation.
PHOTO: Indy beetle · CC BY-SA 4.0
Architecture & History
First National Bank Field opened in 1926 as War Memorial Stadium and is one of the oldest operating professional baseball venues in the Carolina League. Downtown Greensboro's revitalization has transformed the park's surrounding neighborhood.
Build specs
- OPENED
- 1926
- CAPACITY
- Approx 7,500
- DIMENSIONS
- LF 323 · CF 401 · RF 325
Statues & Exterior
EXTERIOR FEATURES
Downtown Greensboro Integration
Surrounding area
One of the most successful downtown ballpark revitalization examples in the Carolinas. The park anchors LeBauer Park greenspace and the Elm Street entertainment corridor.
Names & History
2021–present
First National Bank Field
Named after First National Bank — the Pittsburgh-area community bank.
1926–2021
War Memorial Stadium
Original civic name honoring World War I veterans. One of the oldest continuously operating professional baseball venue names in the Carolinas.
The Food
Lexington-Style BBQ Pork
Lexington, NC — 20 miles southwest of Greensboro — is the epicenter of Piedmont-style North Carolina BBQ: pork shoulder slow-cooked over hickory, pulled, and served with a thin vinegar-and-ketchup red sauce that distinguishes Piedmont BBQ from the Eastern NC vinegar-only tradition.
Cheerwine Float
Beverage stands
Cheerwine — the wild cherry soft drink made in Salisbury, NC since 1917 — made into a float with vanilla ice cream.
Hush Puppies
Southern food stands
Hush puppies — cornmeal batter fried into small rounds, served with honey butter — are the classic North Carolina side dish.
Grasshoppers Dog
Hot dog stands
Standard hot dog with North Carolina mustard and optional Cheerwine BBQ sauce.
The Beer
First National Bank Field features a strong NC Triad craft presence. Gibb's Hundred Brewing and Preyer Brewing represent Greensboro's craft scene.
Preyer Brewing Company Tropical Storm DIPA
Preyer Brewing Co. · Greensboro, NC
Preyer Brewing is Greensboro's most celebrated craft brewery.
Gibb's Hundred Brewing Throwback Lager
Gibb's Hundred Brewing · Greensboro, NC
Gibb's Hundred, named for a Greensboro historic district.
Natty Greene's Brewing Buckshot Amber
Natty Greene's Brewing · Greensboro, NC
Natty Greene's — named for Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene — is the city's original craft brewery.
Sun & Weather Guide
Piedmont NC summer heat
Greensboro summer heat and humidity make day games in July and August demanding.
Greensboro piedmont evening air
Evening games at First National Bank Field from May through September are comfortable after 6PM.
Insider Tips
The One Thing
First National Bank Field is the best ballpark in downtown Greensboro — a city that has reinvented itself around walkable neighborhoods. The LeBauer Park greenspace adjacent to the ballpark is worth exploring before the game.
Best Seat in the House
Home plate box sections give you the best angle in this well-designed downtown park.
Getting There
Downtown Greensboro is easily accessible from I-40 and I-85. The ballpark is walkable from the Elm Street restaurant corridor.
Pilgrim Stops Near Greensboro
Weird, wonderful, and worth the detour.
World's Largest Chest of Drawers
A 38-foot Victorian dresser with giant socks hanging out the bottom drawer stands on a corner in High Point, NC — the Furniture Capital of the World. The socks honor the textile industry.
Brontosaurus on the Ellerbe Creek Trail
A life-size fiberglass brontosaurus hidden in the woods along Durham's Ellerbe Creek Trail. A local artist put it there. It was decapitated once, then lovingly restored by community donations.
Eno River State Park Durham
17 historic mill ruins on a river that a Durham schoolteacher saved from a reservoir in 1966.
Plan your pilgrimage
Every Park a Pilgrimage.
Plan a baseball road trip through Greensboro and beyond.
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