As I said in my first blog entry, I have been to 15 major league ballparks in my life. I have written about five of them in my first two entries. Of the remaining 10, five are American League parks and five are National League parks. This entry will concentrate on the American League ballparks.
Let's start north of the border. Toronto's Rogers Centre (it was known as SkyDome when I went there) is one of the most massive and amazing sports structures in North America. Built in 1989, it is one of only two stadiums that still has artificial turf. It has a humongous retractable roof that can open for good weather and close in bad weather. The best amenity in the stadium is the fact that there is a hotel inside the stadium. Some of the rooms have a view of the playing field, so you can watch a live baseball game from the comfort of your hotel room. The rooms, as you can imagine, are pretty pricey. A room with a view of the field is over $300 a night (and no, I did not stay in the hotel while I was there). I was also impressed by the city of Toronto itself. It was one of the nicest and cleanest cities I have ever been in. The people were super friendly and the area that the stadium was in was very nice.
Moving on to Detroit, Michigan, I went to Tiger Stadium, in 1998, the season before it closed. Like Wrigley Field, it was one of the last remaining ballparks from the early 20th century. Getting there was a little bit of an adventure. I arrived in town the night before the game and got lost in Detroit. This was before GPS, and there were like no signs for the stadium once I got off the highway. So, I'm diving around Detroit (at night), not knowing where I'm going. Downtown Detroit is definitely not a place that you want to be lost in at night. It was kind of a scary experience. Now, turning to the stadium. It was a pretty neat ballpark. The history of it was the best part. I love seeing all the old ballparks. One thing that I didn't like was that there was some obstructed views of the field. There were big steel pillars that were holding the upper deck up all over the lower deck, which obstructed the view of the field if you were sitting behind one. One unique aspect of the stadium was that it sold mixed drinks (I don't remember what kind) in the stands. Just like most stadiums have a beer vendor, they had a mixed drink vendor.
U.S. Cellular Field (it was known as New Comiskey Park when I went there) is located on the South Side of Chicago. It was really the first "new" ballpark to be built with the old time feel to it. It has a smaller capacity than the Old Comiskey Park, but that adds to the nostalgia of the ballpark. Fans are close to the field and there isn't a bad seat in the house. I sat right behind home plate when I went there and it was a fun and enjoyable afternoon.
The first ballpark that I ever went to outside of Pittsburgh was Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. In the fall of 1993, I was a student at Clarion University. One of my friends was a huge Cal Ripkin fan, so a few of us took a road trip to Cleveland when they were playing the Orioles. It was the last season for the stadium and it couldn't close quick enough. It was basically a dump of a stadium by that point. We got there early and ended up getting really good seats. The right field outfield seats were all general admission, so we actually got front row seats behind the home run fence. There were only about five more games after this one left in that stadium, so I got to see one of the last games played there. One thing that made it so horrible for baseball is that it seated about 80,000 people and when the Indians weren't good (which was most of the time), it looked like they were playing in an empty stadium. We had a vendor offer to sell us beer, even though none of us were 21. I think, at that point, even the workers had stopped caring.
The only ballpark, besides PNC Park that I have taken my 10-year old daughter to is Tropicana Field in Tampa. We were on vacation at Disney World two years ago and the Pirates were playing the Rays in Tampa, so we decided to take in a game. This was one of the best experience I have had at a game. First of all, the parking situation was phenomenal. Their main lot was right next to the stadium, so we had about a 30-second walk to get inside. This was the most kid-friendly ballpark I have been in. From video games to a carnival to a batting cage, it had it all. But the best attraction of all was a sting ray tank in the park, where you could actually interact with and pet sting rays. It was like a zoo and an amusement park all wrapped up in one. And, oh yeah, you could watch a baseball game too. We sat in the front row behind the right center field fence and narrowly missed catching a home run ball hit by Andrew McCutcheon. The Pirates lost the game, but that pales in comparison to the outstanding time I had with my daughter at the ball field.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Cinergy and Wrigley Field
In the summer of 2002, I travelled from New Castle, PA to Silverthorne, CO to visit my sister. Since it is such a long drive, and I am a huge baseball fan, I decided to break up my drive by stopping in a few places along the way. My first stop was Cinergy Field in Cincinnati, where the Pittsburgh Pirates were playing a weekend series. This was perfect, because not only did I get to see a new stadium, but I got to see my favorite team as well.
Things got off to a rough start. I was barely a few hours into my trip when I got pulled over for speeding in Ohio. As if that wasn't bad enough, the officer didn't believe my story about where I was going and since I 'looked nervous', he decided to search my whole car, while I sat in the back of his police car. It was humiliating. So he finally let me leave and I arrive in Cincinnati. I check into my hotel and decide to walk to the ball park since it was only a few blocks away. Cinergy Field (formerly called Riverfront Stadium) was almost identical to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. There was nothing that impressed or stood out to me about the stadium. It was like so many others that were built in the early 1970's. So, the game goes into extra innings and when it was finally over (around 11 pm), I go to walk back to the hotel and I apparently went out a different gate than I went in, but did not realize it. I tried to follow the directions back to my hotel but I was going the wrong direction (remember, this is before GPS and smartphones). So I wandered around downtown Cincinnati (not the ideal place to be lost on foot at midnight) for about an hour or so before I finally found my way.
The other ballpark that I want to discuss on this blog entry is Wrigley Field in Chicago. It is my favorite all-time ballpark (other than PNC Park). I went there in the summer of 1998 (on another trip to my sister's). This was the season of the famous Sammy Sosa-Mark McGwire homerun chase to break Roger Maris' single season homerun record. I arrived early just so I could soak up the atmosphere and ambiance of the stadium. Wrigley Field is basically right in a neighborhood. As a result, there isn't (or wasn't back then anyway) any stadium parking lots to park in. So all the nearby businesses open up their lots and charge whatever they want for parking (I think I paid $25 or $30, which was a lot for parking back then). Tickets for games during that season were hard to come by, so the only thing I could get was standing room only tickets. That was fine with me because I got to walk around the stadium in between innings and see the whole ballpark. The best aspect of the ballpark was seeing the ivy on the walls up close. And seeing the apartment buildings beyond the outfield was neat also. It was awesome to see an old time park instead of all the new stadiums that were being built. And to make the trip even better, Sosa hit two homeruns in the game.
Things got off to a rough start. I was barely a few hours into my trip when I got pulled over for speeding in Ohio. As if that wasn't bad enough, the officer didn't believe my story about where I was going and since I 'looked nervous', he decided to search my whole car, while I sat in the back of his police car. It was humiliating. So he finally let me leave and I arrive in Cincinnati. I check into my hotel and decide to walk to the ball park since it was only a few blocks away. Cinergy Field (formerly called Riverfront Stadium) was almost identical to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. There was nothing that impressed or stood out to me about the stadium. It was like so many others that were built in the early 1970's. So, the game goes into extra innings and when it was finally over (around 11 pm), I go to walk back to the hotel and I apparently went out a different gate than I went in, but did not realize it. I tried to follow the directions back to my hotel but I was going the wrong direction (remember, this is before GPS and smartphones). So I wandered around downtown Cincinnati (not the ideal place to be lost on foot at midnight) for about an hour or so before I finally found my way.
The other ballpark that I want to discuss on this blog entry is Wrigley Field in Chicago. It is my favorite all-time ballpark (other than PNC Park). I went there in the summer of 1998 (on another trip to my sister's). This was the season of the famous Sammy Sosa-Mark McGwire homerun chase to break Roger Maris' single season homerun record. I arrived early just so I could soak up the atmosphere and ambiance of the stadium. Wrigley Field is basically right in a neighborhood. As a result, there isn't (or wasn't back then anyway) any stadium parking lots to park in. So all the nearby businesses open up their lots and charge whatever they want for parking (I think I paid $25 or $30, which was a lot for parking back then). Tickets for games during that season were hard to come by, so the only thing I could get was standing room only tickets. That was fine with me because I got to walk around the stadium in between innings and see the whole ballpark. The best aspect of the ballpark was seeing the ivy on the walls up close. And seeing the apartment buildings beyond the outfield was neat also. It was awesome to see an old time park instead of all the new stadiums that were being built. And to make the trip even better, Sosa hit two homeruns in the game.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Pennsylvania ballparks
My sports blog is going to focus on my own experiences going to different major league ballpark across the country. I have been to a total of fifteen different major league ballparks. My first blog entry will focus on the three Pennsylvania stadiums that I have been to.
Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the first ballpark that I went to. Growing up a sports fan in Western Pennsylvania, Three Rivers Stadium was the place to go. The Pirates and Steelers were two of the most successful franchises in sports in the 1970's. My first game was in the early 1980's when I was about six or seven years old. My dad and I went to over 100 games together in the '80's and '90's. Even though the Pirates were bad for most of that time, I will always treasure my time spent at Three Rivers Stadium.
Three Rivers Stadium was built in the early 1970's and was more conducive for football. While every Steeler game was sold out, the Pirates often played in front of crowds that were about one-tenth of the capacity of the stadium, especially in the mid-'80's. The stadium had six levels which meant that there were many seats in which you could not see the entire field, especially in the upper deck. Three Rivers was among many multi-purpose stadiums that were built around the same time, and they all pretty much looked the same.
Going to the stadium was a good time for young and old. There were many different games and activities to do while you walked around the stadium. My favorite was a pitching cage in which you could guess the speed of your own pitch and win a prize. The food was excellent as well and had a lot of local favorites, which included Primanti Brother's.
My favorite memories of the stadium include the playoffs in 1990-1992. I went to nearly every home playoff game with my dad during those years. Even though the Pirates lost each year, the memories will always stay with me.
Moving across the state to Philadelphia was Veteran's Stadium. This stadium, like Three Rivers, no longer exists. The two stadiums were built around the same time and had a very similar look and feel. I had taken a weekend road trip there to see the stadium in the late 1990's and got to see the Phillies take on the Boston Red Sox. Interleague play was still in its infancy, so this was my first look at an interleague matchup in person.
Even back then, I had a desire to be a sports broadcaster. My favorite aspect of this ballpark was a booth that they had set up in which you could do play-by-play of a half inning (or even an entire game, if you had enough money). Obviously it wasn't broadcast over the air, but they made a recording of it and gave it to you. That was a really fun experience.
My favorite ballpark in Pennsylvania is, without a doubt, PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Built in 2001, it is smaller and much more beautiful than Three Rivers was. It has an old time feel to it. From the Clemente Wall (the 21 foot wall in right field in honor of the greatest right fielder in history) to the North Side Notch (an area in left center field in which the fence juts back away from home plate) to the view of the Pittsburgh skyline, PNC Park is one of the most unique and most beautiful ballparks in America. Adding to its uniqueness is its Pierogi Race every fifth inning and a playground behind right field for parents to take any restless kids that just can't sit still for three straight hours.
My favorite memory of this ballpark was October 1, 2013. The Pirates had just made the playoffs for the first time in two decades and played the Cincinnati Reds in the wild card game. I have never been in a better environment for a sporting event. From the first pitch to the last, the stadium was electric. The Pirates won that game, and the memory of that game will be with me forever. I don't think I will ever have a similar experience at a sporting event (well, maybe if the Pirates make the World Series).
My sports blog is going to focus on my own experiences going to different major league ballpark across the country. I have been to a total of fifteen different major league ballparks. My first blog entry will focus on the three Pennsylvania stadiums that I have been to.
Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the first ballpark that I went to. Growing up a sports fan in Western Pennsylvania, Three Rivers Stadium was the place to go. The Pirates and Steelers were two of the most successful franchises in sports in the 1970's. My first game was in the early 1980's when I was about six or seven years old. My dad and I went to over 100 games together in the '80's and '90's. Even though the Pirates were bad for most of that time, I will always treasure my time spent at Three Rivers Stadium.
Three Rivers Stadium was built in the early 1970's and was more conducive for football. While every Steeler game was sold out, the Pirates often played in front of crowds that were about one-tenth of the capacity of the stadium, especially in the mid-'80's. The stadium had six levels which meant that there were many seats in which you could not see the entire field, especially in the upper deck. Three Rivers was among many multi-purpose stadiums that were built around the same time, and they all pretty much looked the same.
Going to the stadium was a good time for young and old. There were many different games and activities to do while you walked around the stadium. My favorite was a pitching cage in which you could guess the speed of your own pitch and win a prize. The food was excellent as well and had a lot of local favorites, which included Primanti Brother's.
My favorite memories of the stadium include the playoffs in 1990-1992. I went to nearly every home playoff game with my dad during those years. Even though the Pirates lost each year, the memories will always stay with me.
Moving across the state to Philadelphia was Veteran's Stadium. This stadium, like Three Rivers, no longer exists. The two stadiums were built around the same time and had a very similar look and feel. I had taken a weekend road trip there to see the stadium in the late 1990's and got to see the Phillies take on the Boston Red Sox. Interleague play was still in its infancy, so this was my first look at an interleague matchup in person.
Even back then, I had a desire to be a sports broadcaster. My favorite aspect of this ballpark was a booth that they had set up in which you could do play-by-play of a half inning (or even an entire game, if you had enough money). Obviously it wasn't broadcast over the air, but they made a recording of it and gave it to you. That was a really fun experience.
My favorite ballpark in Pennsylvania is, without a doubt, PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Built in 2001, it is smaller and much more beautiful than Three Rivers was. It has an old time feel to it. From the Clemente Wall (the 21 foot wall in right field in honor of the greatest right fielder in history) to the North Side Notch (an area in left center field in which the fence juts back away from home plate) to the view of the Pittsburgh skyline, PNC Park is one of the most unique and most beautiful ballparks in America. Adding to its uniqueness is its Pierogi Race every fifth inning and a playground behind right field for parents to take any restless kids that just can't sit still for three straight hours.
My favorite memory of this ballpark was October 1, 2013. The Pirates had just made the playoffs for the first time in two decades and played the Cincinnati Reds in the wild card game. I have never been in a better environment for a sporting event. From the first pitch to the last, the stadium was electric. The Pirates won that game, and the memory of that game will be with me forever. I don't think I will ever have a similar experience at a sporting event (well, maybe if the Pirates make the World Series).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)