Transforming a Neighborhood with A Night Market and Baseball

 

I was headed to my first Oakland Ballers game and while waiting for the gates to open with some friends we noticed this little market going on. It turns out it is the Prescott Night Market which is held once a month:

They had a roasted pig that you could buy pulled pork from

I bought these cookies and they were good

Artists were also painting these cool street murals on walls: 

We walked back to Raimondi Park, the home of the Oakland Ballers. The Ballers play in the Pioneer League which is one of the four partner leagues in Independent Minor League system. 

The Ballers came about due to the Oakland 68s which is a fan group who want preserve the fanaticism of the Oakland A's fans. The 68s went out and raised over $2 million dollars last year to create the Ballers after MLB approve the relocation of the Oakland A's to Las Vegas after this season.

Another cool this was the further renovation of the Ballers home park - Raimondi Park in West Oakland. Raimondi Park was originally built in 1910 and know as Bayview Park. The Park was named after former Oakland Oaks player and Oakland native  Ernie Raimondi who was killed in World War II.  Major League Baseball great such as Vada Pinson, Curt Flood and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson all played there while a part of McClymonds High School in the 50's.

One of the cooler aspects about the park is some of the murals that have been done inside the park. They honor the city of Oakland and its rich heritage:

It was Vada Pinson night and they gave away Vada Pinson cups

For me, the coolest thing about the market and the Ballers is that it is bringing new energy into a part of Oakland that really needs it.  The Prescott neighborhood is a former industrial area and is being transformed with new housing and new retail developments are planned. The Ballers and The Prescott Night Market are part of that positive change for the neighborhood. The 68s are hoping to use the ballpark for community gatherings such as movie nights.