📍 Altoona, Pennsylvania
⚾ Home of the Altoona Curve

Nestled in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, the city of Altoona is as blue-collar as they come. Once thriving on the railroad industry that induced its existence, the town suffered the same fate as many in the Rust Belt did when rapid deindustrialization hit the region in the late 20th century. But Altoona has found new life in recent years, with a focus on revitalization and providing new entertainment options for the tight-knit community. In particular, the city’s treasured minor league baseball team, the Altoona Curve, has helped reinvigorate the area. And more than a quarter century since they first left the station, the Curve continue to captivate folks at their top-notch ballpark, Peoples Natural Gas Field.

The Curve’s one-of-a-kind nickname is not just a reference to pitchers’ nasty curveballs, it also pays homage to Altoona’s railroad heritage and the city’s iconic landmark, the Horseshoe Curve. A feat of engineering just west of town, this world-famous bend was built in the mid-1800s by the Pennsylvania Railroad in order to reduce the grade of their tracks as they wound through the steep Allegheny Mountains. A true marvel, the Horseshoe Curve allowed trains to easily navigate the rugged terrain and shaved priceless time off of the route westward. While many minor league clubs feature some element of railroad-themed imagery, Altoona – a long-standing and significant hub for the industry – perhaps deserves such a theme the most.

The Double-A affiliate of the nearby Pittsburgh Pirates since their founding, the Curve are not actually the city’s first professional baseball club. That would be the Altoona Mountain Citys, an MLB franchise that folded just a handful of games in to the 1884 season.

With MLB’s expansion in 1998 necessitating new minor league clubs for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays, it gave Altoona – located in a state rich with baseball teams – the opportunity to finally host a minor league franchise of their own. For their new team, the city built Peoples Natural Gas Field, which opened in time for the Curve’s inaugural season in 1999. The quirky, 7,000-seat ballpark soon found its place as a minor league gem, featuring a smattering of food options and all the modern amenities required by a Double-A facility and then some. From boozy ice cream to a stuffed animal creation stand, PNG Field does cater quite well to fans of all ages. There’s even two separate kids play areas – a playground on the third base side and “Kinder Station” for tiny tots on the upper level. The stadium’s charm also extends beyond the fences, with the Skyliner roller coaster looming over right field and lighting the night up after dark. Beyond it, Leap-The-Dips – the world’s oldest wooden coaster – can be seen.

Fans of baseball history will appreciate the many Opening Day roster banners that hang on the concourse. The Curve do a great job of immortalizing their accomplishments and the Major League talent that has come through Railroad City. They even honor legendary humanitarian and Pirate player Roberto Clemente, displaying his retired number on a light pole in the outfield.

The Curve have been quite successful on the field, clinching four division titles and steaming to two Eastern League Championship titles in 2010 and 2017. As a vital part of the pipeline to the Pirates, stars like Andrew McCutchen, Gerrit Cole, Chase d’Arnaud, Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon have all had their time on the diamond in Altoona before catching the midnight express to The Steel City.

With some uniquely Altoona ingredients rounding out the gameday experience – from a Meatball Race in the middle of the 5^th echoing the Great Pierogy Race in Pittsburgh, to the antics of mascots Loco and Al Tuna – a night out at Peoples Natural Gas Field is not just the best entertainment bargain in the Alleghenies, but indeed all of the minor leagues as a whole.