Murry Bergtraum Softball Field

dirt infield which runs deep enough for baseball. softball outfielders will normally end up standing on the dirt. the rest of the field is turf, but non-​metal cleats ARE allowed. nice views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. a previous review said turf and no cleats allowed, but that’s incorrect. nice field, but well out if the way. best path is F train to east broadway stop, but that’s still a 4 – 5 block walk from there.

I’ve played company softball on this field several times over the past few years. It used to be a really crappy field (read: torn up grass, weeds, divots, shoddy infield, pretty much dilapidated and forgotten– conditions not conducive to a softball or baseball game) up until a couple years ago when it was totally renovated.* Now, it’s totally, shall I, say beautiful?
Well, if you like turf, it’s quite nice. So, obviously it’s a no cleats field. There is a really nice track that surrounds the one field as well. There are stands for observers, bathrooms (which is a HUGE plus for athletes. Trust me… when ya gotta go, ya gotta go. Also, the bathrooms are clean, AND they have soap and hand towels! I was amazed.**), and locker rooms, but those aren’t open to the general public and are solely for students who go to MB high school.
The field is impeccably maintained too. I saw one groundskeeper (no, it wasn’t Willy) who actually raked the infield when we were finished with our game last night. I guess my only gripe is it’d be great if the infield was covered to protect it from rain. It was slightly muddy at home plate last night. Oh, and since it’s almost directly under the Manhattan Bridge, it can get a little noisy, so you might have trouble hearing your infield.
So, if you belong to a NYC softball league and are scheduled to play here, you’re lucky, because it’s one of the nicer turf fields in the city.
*This could also be called «Verizon Field» if you want to be all corporate about it. I think they gave the high school money for remodeling.
**Maybe if I knew you better I’d tell you of the bathroom horror stories at most softball fields… flies, no doors, port-​o-​potties, or no bathroom at all, which doesn’t help if say, you’ve drunk too much Gatorade and can’t stand and pee like a guy. Oh, I’ve said too much.