"Historic" Sam Lynn Ballpark | |
 | |
| Location | 4009 Chester Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°23′51″N 119°01′21″W / 35.397556°N 119.022384°W |
| Owner | Kern County Parks and Recreation |
| Operator | Kern County Parks and Recreation |
| Capacity | 3,500 permanent seats |
| Field size | Left Field: 328 feet Center Field: 354 feet Right Field: 328 feet Backstop: 50 feet |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | December 3, 1940[1] |
| Opened | April 22, 1941[1] |
| Renovated | 1994 |
| Tenants | |
| Bakersfield Blaze (CL) 1941–2016 Bakersfield Train Robbers (PL) 2017–present Wasco Reserve (PL) 2022 | |
Sam Lynn Ballpark (also known as "Historic" Sam Lynn Ballpark) is a baseball venue in Bakersfield, California and was the oldest ballpark of the Class-A Advanced California League. It was built in 1941 for the Bakersfield Badgers, which began the 1941 season as a charter member of the California League. The ballpark's current tenant is called the Bakersfield Train Robbers, which plays in the Pecos League and are not affiliated with any team in Major or Minor League Baseball.
It is one of two ballparks in organized professional baseball where the batter faces west, causing them to directly face the sun (the other being Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts). This forces the Train Robbers to start most games later than any team in professional ball. From mid-June to mid-August, games can begin as late as 7:58 PM.
Sam Lynn Ballpark was named for the former local owner of a Coca-Cola bottling company who donated much of his income to youth baseball leagues in the area.