Krieg Field

PROS:
1. FREE
TIPS:
1. Take Badger Balm Bug Spray with you.
2. Check sun times because the place lends itself to beautiful photo opportunities
OBSERVATION:
A man, stopped about 200 meters down the trail, from where I was standing; walked into the woods, and then urinated into the bushes…
Which leads me to wonder where a Port-​A-​Potty station is in this park-​anyway–

I have spent a fair amount of time at various softball fields over the years… both on and off the fields. Krieg Field is one of the nicest fields I’ve been to. The complex is very clean and well maintained. I’m on the fence about 4 or 5 stars. Frequently the bathrooms are out of toilet paper which is more of a maintenance issue.
There are roughly 11 softball fields are located very close to each other which makes it very convenient for tournament play.
Covered bleachers and a separate picnic table area next to each dugout is great for players to gather before and after the game.
There are no vendors at the field so make sure you bring your own snacks and plenty of water.

Is there anything more American than baseball? Apple pie, perhaps. Mall walking? Mexican food?
Actually, there is not much baseball played at Krieg Field. In fact, I think it is strictly softball.
My husband plays on the softball team for Whole Foods. (GO HUGH!)
Once a week my darling husband dons his cleats, team shirt (the Ten Hit Misfits), shorts, and ball cap, sticks a six pack of Lone Star in a cooler and gathers up his glove and sunglasses for a few innings at the ball park. The closer we get to the field the more he fidgets until he’s worked himself into such a state of softball fervor that when we arrive he leaps from the car to slap hands with teammates, swig from a can, and throw the softball around– he calls this part «warming up».
Now, some Austinites probably prefer the shiny newness of Dell Diamond, all of the concessions they have to offer, the cute uniforms the players wear, how fast they can throw the ball, etc, etc. While Krieg Field offers none of the above, true fans will appreciate the PASSION that the players here bring to the game. You can see it in the jaunty way they turn the bases, albiet middle-​aged bellies jigglin and thighs-​a-​burnin. You can see it in the focus of the umps, all seriousness, spitting on the field, rubbing themselves, and shouting incoherently at the players. You can see it in the fans, all 5 of them, cheering and clapping and laughing hysterically at the foibles and often truly remarkable plays made by their significant others. (No, really.)
When a team wins, it is pure joy… beers passed around, all, «Did you see that slide? Man…» «Dude. I TOTALLY tagged him out! That was an OUT!» All hand slapping and «Good game!» and «Let’s go to the bar!»
When teams lose, it is silent car rides home and regretful re-​plays of mistakes made.
It’s dirty bathrooms (minus one star), dirty players, BYOB, cool breezes and sunsets, FREE all-​American hilarious and sometimes tragic FUN.