And the people watched in wonder, how they'd laugh and how they'd cheer

From the book Sinatra! The Song Is You:

At first, "Ballpark" seems to be an old-time sports fan's recollections of an extinct baseball field. [Songwriter Joe] Raposo astutely makes the first word "And" so as to commence with the concept that we've caught some old codger rambling on in midsentence.

Within a few lines it becomes clear that Sinatra is talking about something much broader than baseball or sports.

"There Used To Be A Ballpark" has an air of mystery and mystique that speaks to millions who never so much as threw a pop bottle at an umpire.

Will Friedwald

I don't care about the parks, but I'm moved by this song.

I remember how much I hated it when Candlestick Park, San Francisco, became "3Com Park."

Again, not because I'm a fan (I'm not). I just mourn the loss of romance in our language.

See to me, if you say to someone,

"Where you going?"
"To the game!"
"Where they playing?"
"...Candlestick Park."

...yeah. There's a romance to that name, a tang...it sings.

Now compare that...to this:

"Where you going?"
"To the game!"
"Where they playing?"
"3Com Park."

(Since then the stadium's been named, god help us, "Monster Park.")