Actually all of the parks I have seen a game in. (maybe)
I took Carolyn to a game there in
the summer of 2001 on the way to orientation at the University of Maryland.
It's a pretty cool park. We got seats close to the field behind the 3rd base
dugout for about 50 bucks total...I don't know if that is a lot any more. It
has some quirks: funny corners in the outfield, short right field bleachers
where a guy could hit a home run into the river, etc. It was easier than I
thought to park downtown and walk across the Clemente bridge
to the ball game. The hardest part of getting to the game was getting through
the tunnel on I-279. The traffic was incredible. It took a couple of hours. I
surely would be interested in knowing what is the best way to
get to downtown Pittsburgh from Morgantown, WV--because I-79 to I-279 ain't it. We took some
pictures while we were there. Jeanne
and I watched about 10 games a season there in 2010 and 2011.
Three
Rivers Stadium.
Where I first
watched baseball. Roberto Clemente played
right field in those days. He was the best! They have a statue of him out front
now. (Well they did from 1994 to 2001. Three Rivers Stadium
was torn down on February 11, 2001. The Pirates moved to
Milwaukee
County Stadium.
This is one of my favorite parks. I
know they want to build a new one, but I love this place. It feels like
baseball there. When I last visited there, the Brewers were in the American
League. (
Turner
Field.
June 21, 2003,
Jack
Murphy Stadium.
We got great seats walking up the
day of the game. There seemed to be thousands of service men in uniform in
attendance that day. (The Padres last played there September 28, 2003)
My favorite dome.
For some reason it looks more reasonable for a baseball game to be going on
there. Most domed fields look fake to me. (Astros last
played there October 9, 1999)
Busch Stadium.
I took the girls to the game there
in 1998 when Mark McGwire was on the way to passing Roger Maris. He didn't hit
any home runs that day. The stadium is about the same as
Riverfront
Stadium.
We sat in the last row in the red section (top deck). It was so steep, I felt like if I leaned forward that I would lose my balance and fall over and begin tumbling and not stop until I had flipped off the top deck and landed on the field -- a bit like flying off of a ski-jump. (Demolished December 29, 2002.)
Kauffman
Stadium.
A better park than ever now that
they have grass.
Tiger
Stadium.
An old stadium that brought back
memories of Al Kaline and Norm Cash... (The Tigers
last played there September 27, 1999. Demolished June 30,
2008.)
Fenway
Park.
We sat in the bleachers in right
field. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house.
Oriole
Park at Camden Yards.
All the seats are green. It looks
really cool. People lined up to get a standing spot in the picnic area in the
outfield. We sat half-way up in the box seats along the third base line about
mid-way out in the outfield. I think it was the most expensive park that I've
visited. The Ticket price was much higher than elsewhere, and the food was
expensive. Update: Since Carolyn has lived in Baltimore a number
of years, this is my second must frequently visited ballpark through 2012
(behind PNC Park in Pittsburgh, of course).
Oakland-Alameda
County Coliseum.
Nice grass field. Nice park. Saw a super fan there called "Super A" who
was wearing a tie-dyed shirt and a cape. Cool.
The concrete ceiling makes this
place look odd to me. (Demolished March 26, 2000.)
Hubert H.
Humphrey Metrodome.
Home of the
inflatable roof. You have to watch your step on the way out. The air
pressure in the building literally blows you out the door. I saw more ground
rule doubles there in one week than I have seen in all my days of watching
baseball. Almost every batted ball wants to bounce off that artificial turf
into the stands. (The Twins play in Target Field as of April 2010.)
New
Comiskey Park.
Not a bad park. Nice and new. I had
a seat in the fourth row just past the 1st base dugout. I would say that they
had the most unruly fans there. People were crawling all over one another to
get Cal Ripken's autograph near the visitor's dugout...right in front of where
I was sitting. Also, there were very few people sitting in my section that had
tickets for the seats they were sitting in. The ushers were the most inactive I
have ever seen.
Anaheim
Stadium.
It seemed odd, but I don't think they sold any beverages of any kind in the stands there; I only saw vendors for peanuts, ice cream, and candy. I was too lazy to walk up to the snack bar.
Lawrence
Dumont Stadium.
Saw various minor leagues play
there in the 1980's or so: Wichita Aeros, Wranglers,
etc. Also home of the annual National Baseball Congress (NBC) tournament.
Update for 2012: I watched the Wichita Wingnuts play a number of
times this year.
Hank Aaron Stadium. Mobile BayBears.
So far, I have gone to one game
there during the 1997 season. It's a new park...a little unusual with the
luxury boxes around the bottom at field level...but nice. As of 2005,
Eddie Stanky Field. Mobile BaySharks
I watched them play their only two seasons there in 1994 and 1995.
Consol Energy Park. Washington Wild Things
Jeanne and I watched the Wild Things there in 2011. I also saw a concert there with my friend Frank on July 13, 2009 that included Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Bob Dylan. Very cool.
Eck Stadium - Tyler
Field.
A park so nice, they named it
twice. Home of the 1989 National Champions. I spent a
million years in College watching baseball there. They are making plans to
renovate the park again! Will they have to add a third name? Update: I attended games throughout the 2012
season after being away for a number of years.
I am not aware of any new names, but the latest renovations are
marvelous.
Alex Box Stadium. LSU Tigers.
I watched too many teams get beat
by LSU in the NCAA regionals there.
Eddie Stanky Field.
Where you would find me from 1990
to 1996…
Sewell
Thomas Stadium.
I watched all of my favorite teams
lose there in the 1996 NCAA Regionals. Including USA and Notre Dame.
We watched three games a day there
when Tulane,
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