Baseball is the national pastime for a reason, and each pocket of the country has its own unique connection to the sport. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of this nation, we’re taking you on a summer road trip across the U.S. with Baseball in America, presented by Booking.com, 50 stories from all 50 states. Follow along here.
If you want to watch baseball in person, you’re probably going to have to make the trip out to a local ballpark, right? Well, what if we told you there was a way to take in a live game from the comfort of your own apartment rental.
Only in Starkville, Mississippi.
The Left-Field Lofts at Dudy Noble Field, home of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, offer fans the unique opportunity to stay in an apartment that is located inside the stadium. Never did rooting for your home team take on more literal meaning.
The building features 12 two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments available for short-term rent. They are fully furnished with an open-concept kitchen and living area, and a washer-dryer in each unit. Of course, most importantly, all of the rentals have a balcony that overlooks the field for a viewing experience unlike any other.
These loft apartments were finished in 2019 and replaced the iconic Left-Field Lounge at Dudy Noble Field, a staple of the ballpark for nearly 50 years that was known for its incredible atmosphere and make-shift seating, sometimes even atop trailers.
Two years after the Left-Field Lofts were built, the Bulldogs won their first College Baseball World Series, upsetting a juggernaut Vanderbilt team that featured two future Texas Rangers at the top of its pitching staff – Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker.
In the winner-take-all Game 3 of the final that year, Mississippi State’s Will Bednar – the brother of Yankees closer David Bednar -- stole the spotlight from Rocker, tossing six hitless innings en route to claiming the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor. It was the first national championship for the school in any team sport.
Notable alumni from the baseball team include active players Brandon Woodruff, Brent Rooker and Adam Frazier and former Major Leaguers Will Clark (six-time All-Star), Jonathan Papelbon (six-time All-Star, World Series champ) and Rafael Palmeiro (four-time All-Star).
The current Mississippi State roster has a potential future big leaguer manning the hot corner. Third baseman Ace Reese is ranked as the No. 21 Draft prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.
And if you want to see him in action, there’s probably no better option than the balcony of a two-bedroom apartment just beyond the left-field wall.