Which BALLPARKS have YOU seen a game in?

[DODGER DEB]

Let's get the ball rolling on this new Forum by talking about which BALLPARKS, major league or minor league, YOU have personally seen a game.

c.

[The Real McCoy]

Ebbets Field, Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, Roosevelt Stadium, Shea Stadium, Shibe Park, Memorial Stadium (Baltimore), Fulton County Stadium, Los Angeles Coliseum, Chavez Ravine, Candlestick Park, Pac Bell Park, Oakland Coliseum, Wrigley Field, Sportman's Park, Busch Stadium, Briggs Stadium, Municipal Stadium (Cleveland), Texas Stadium, Kaufman Stadium, Metrodome, Crosley Field, Riverfront Stadium, Astrodome

The minor league parks are not as memorable or as numerous, but Columbia, S.C. , Columbus, O, and Charleston W VA stand out. Of course that's only the Cs.

[Aa3rt]

Great topic, Deb. Thanks for initiating it!

1. New York: Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium
2. Baltimore: Memorial Stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yard
3. Washington: RFK Stadium
4. Pittsburgh: Forbes Field, Three Rivers Stadium
5. Cleveland: Municipal Stadium
6. Anaheim: The Big A(?) in the mid 1970's
7. San Diego: also mid-1970s
8. Toronto: Exhibition Stadium (I have great memories of this one. Went to Toronto on vacation and caught an Angels/Blue Jays game. When the gentleman seated next to me found that I was from the US and had come to see a game he was apologetic that we couldn't buy beer at the game-this was in the late 1970's-so he kept my companion and me well fortified with rum & coke from a Bacardi bottle his girlfriend has smuggled in hidden in an oversize purse.)

Minor League parks in Jamestown, NY (NY-Penn League), Alexandria, VA (Carolina League), Bowie, MD (Eastern League), Richmond, VA (International League).

One of the fringe benefits of serving in the U.S. Coast Guard was that I got to travel a bit.

[ElHalo]

Hm. Let's see. In order of how many games I've seen there...

Shea Stadium, Queens
Yankee Stadium, Bronx
Tiger Stadium, Detroit
Fenway Park, Boston
Camden Yards, Baltimore
Skydome, Toronto
Exposition Stadium, Montreal
Candlestick Park, San Fransisco
Veterans' Stadium, Philadelphia
Astrodome, Houston

[Chisox73]

Here's my list of ballparks I've been to.

Chicago; Old Comiskey,US Cellular Field,Wrigley Field
Cincinnati; Riverfront Stadium,Great American Ball Park
Milwaukee; County Stadium
Denver; Mile High Stadium(1977 Denver Bears)
Kansas City; Royals Stadium(1977)

[riverhawk]

County Stadium
Miller Park
The Metrodome
Wrigley Field

[DODGER DEB]

Let me chime in here, as to the ballparks in which I have seen a game, or two, or three, or more.....

EBBETS FIELD - Brooklyn
ROOSEVELT STADIUM - Jersey City
POLO GROUNDS - Manhattan
YANKEE STADIUM - The Bronx
SHIBE PARK/CONNIE MACK STADIUM - Philadelphia
FORBES FIELD/THREE RIVERS STADIUM - Pittsburgh
WRIGLEY FIELD - Chicago
CROSLEY FIELD/RIVERFRONT STADIUM - Cincinnati
SPORTMAN'S PARK - St. Louis
COUNTY STADIUM - Milwaukee
OLD MINICIPAL STADIUM - Kansas City
FENWAY PARK - BOSTON
MEMORIAL STADIUM - Baltimore
GRIFFITH STADIUM/RFK STADIUM - Washington DC
MUNICIPAL STADIUM - Cleveland
BRIGGS STADIUM - DETROIT

DODGER STADIUM/LA COLISEUM - Los Angeles
CANDLESTICK PARK - San Francisco
JACK MURPHY STADIUM - San Diego
FULTON COUNTY STADIUM - Atlanta
SHEA STADIUM - Queens
EXHIBITION PARK (?) - Toronto

c.

[west coast orange and black]

san francisco giants: candlestick park, pac bell
oakland a’s: oakland coliseum, network
los angeles dodgers: dodger stadium
san diego padres – jack murphy stadium, petco park
anaheim angels: anaheim stadium, edison field
baltimore orioles: memorial stadium, oriole park
atlanta braves: atlanta-fulton county stadium, turner field
boston red sox: fenway park
colorado rockies: mile high stadium, coors field
chicago cubs: wrigley field
arizona diamondbacks - bank one ballpark
seattle mariners: safeco field
houston astros – astrodome
new york mets – shea stadium
new york yankees – yankee stadium, shea stadium
st. louis cardinals – busch stadium II
cincinnati reds – riverfront stadium

[Chisox73]

Let me chime in here, as to the ballparks in which I have seen a game, or two, or three, or more.....

EBBETS FIELD - Brooklyn
ROOSEVELT STADIUM - Jersey City
POLO GROUNDS - Manhattan
YANKEE STADIUM - The Bronx
SHIBE PARK/CONNIE MACK STADIUM - Philadelphia
FORBES FIELD/THREE RIVERS STADIUM - Pittsburgh
WRIGLEY FIELD - Chicago
CROSLEY FIELD/RIVERFRONT STADIUM - Cincinnati
SPORTMAN'S PARK - St. Louis
COUNTY STADIUM - Milwaukee
OLD MINICIPAL STADIUM - Kansas City
FENWAY PARK - BOSTON
MEMORIAL STADIUM - Baltimore
GRIFFITH STADIUM/RFK STADIUM - Washington DC
MUNICIPAL STADIUM - Cleveland
BRIGGS STADIUM - DETROIT

DODGER STADIUM/LA COLISEUM - Los Angeles
CANDLESTICK PARK - San Francisco
JACK MURPHY STADIUM - San Diego
FULTON COUNTY STADIUM - Atlanta
SHEA STADIUM - Queens
EXHIBITION PARK (?) - Toronto

c.

That's an impressive list there Deb. :cool:

[DODGER DEB]

That's an impressive list there Deb. :cool:

Thanks, Chisox73. Each park was unique, and something to see.

And, Aa3rt, glad you are enjoying it.....have fun!

c.

[Chisox73]

Just curious,where did you sit at the LA Coliseum? That place looked like it didn't have many great seats there out of the 92,000 seat capacity.But then again,that place was never intended for baseball.

[DODGER DEB]

Just curious,where did you sit at the LA Coliseum? That place looked like it didn't have many great seats there out of the 92,000 seat capacity.But then again,that place was never intended for baseball.

That place was just AWFUL for baseball!

WE sat between Home and 3rd, but it was so hard to watch the game, everything seemed so "lopsided".

c.

[Yankees7]

Yankee Stadium
Ebbets Field
Polo Grounds
Sportsmans Park
Griffith Stadium
Forbes Field
Milwaukee County Stadium
Fenway Park
Metropolitan Stadium
and many Amateur ballparks across the midwest and northeast

[Aegis]

Busch Stadium, St. Louis

...

I've never lived anywhere with either a team or a stadium. I had to drive 3 hours just to get to St. Louis for a game. My old hometown (Springfield, Missouri) just got AA Cardinals ball. Too bad that I now I live in Utah. The closest team is the Stingers (AAA Anaheim), but I haven't had the chance to go to one of their games. Hopefully I'll be able to this spring. Last summer I missed a game I sorely wanted to see--Andres Galarraga on our side, Hideo Nomo on the other.

If I were any more green I'd have voted for Nader.

[Tim Brent]

Chicago-Wrigley Field, Comiskey I and Comiskey II
Detroit-Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park
Cincinnati-Riverfront Stadium

[Kroxquo]

Philadelphia -
The Vet (more games there than I can count)
Whatever that new stadium is called (sorry I've just been up all night with the new baby) (one game last season)

Pittsburgh -
Three Rivers Stadium (three years living in the 'burgh while in Grad School)
PNC Park - (one game three years ago. Beautiful park)

New York
Yankee Stadium (Sat in the right field bleachers while the Yanks played the Indians and listened to the crowd chant obscenities at Mark Whiten)

Boston
Fenway Park (watched the Sox take on the Mariners. A-rod went 0-3, Junior went 0-3 and made an error, Pedro showed up late and wasn't inserted in the game until the fifth inning. So much for seeing legends play)

Detroit
Tiger Stadium (beautiful, intimate park. Best baseball experience I've ever had. My friend got nailed in the leg by a Canseco home run ball during batting practice and didn't even have the good sense to grab the ball)

Minor Leagues -
Lackawanna County Stadium, Scranton PA (Phillies AAA)
Granger Stadium, Kinston Indians, Kinston, NC (Indians High A)
Tri-County Stadium, Carolina Mudcats, Zebulon NC (Marlins AA)
Durham Athletic Park, Durham Bulls, Durham NC (Devil Rays AAA unless that's redundant)

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

I have visited Dodger Stadium twice in 1995

Dodgers vs Phillies

Dodgers vs Padres (with Fernando Valenzuela, who got a standing ovation from the Dodgers fans).

[VTSoxFan]

I've just been to li'l old Fenway, but it's seen a lot of changes over the last few years, so it's as if I've been to different parks. Fenway of 2000 is very different from Fenway 2004. There was a lot of noise made a few years ago about building a new park partially on top of where Fenway now stands, but I think that idea has thankfully gone by the boards. The new ownership has done what the Yawkey Trust ought to have done years ago, in opening up the concourses and improving the place; the YT seemed content to let the poor old park fall down around their ears.

The H/W/L group still hasn't committed to staying in Fenway -- not in so many words. But they keep adding seats (most notably the Monster Seats and Right Field Roof seats) and as soon as the season was over they rebuilt the playing surface, so it looks like we will still enjoy baseball in this historic little bandbox for years to come. :)

[KHenry14]

I've been to:

Candlestick<--and the freezer burns to prove it!
Oakland Collesuem<--take your binoculars
Dodger Stadium<--it's a gem, but starting to show it's age
Anaheim Stadium<--a nice place to go
County Stadium<--I was surprised how loud it was
Qualcomm<--home of fish tacos
Fenway Park<--saw Tommy Harper hit a homer
Yankee Stadium<--went right before the first remodel. Sudden Sam McDowell pitched a 1-0 shutout. Also, people in the stands bet on ANYTHING during the game. :D

KH14

Jeez, I forgot that I saw a game at Arlington back in 1983. The Rangers were terrible and the game was forgettable. My impression was it seemed like a blown up minor league park, which is I guess true.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

Hm. Let's see. In order of how many games I've seen there...

Shea Stadium, Queens
Yankee Stadium, Bronx
Tiger Stadium, Detroit
Fenway Park, Boston
Camden Yards, Baltimore
Skydome, Toronto
Exposition Stadium, Montreal
Candlestick Park, San Fransisco
Veterans' Stadium, Philadelphia
Astrodome, Houston


I dont know if it's a misprint, or if I'm ignorant, but I have never heard of Exposition stadium in Montréal. We did have a stadium built for the universal exposition of 1967 called the Autostade, but I am not aware of any baseball ever been played there.

[stormcoach25]

Shea Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Candem Yards

[catcher24]

GREAT Thread!! Parks I have been to:

Cleveland: Municipal Stadium (mistake by the lake); Jacobs Field
Pittsburgh: Forbes Field; Three Rivers Stadium; PNC Park (THE ABSOLUTE BEST!!)
Toronto: Exhibition Stadium; Skydome

Minor Leagues:
Russ Diethrick Park (formerly College Stadium) - Jamestown, New York
I have also played ball numerous times at the above park as a member of the Jamestown and Area Oldtimers. BTW,Aa3rt, when were you in Jamestown?
Dreyfuss Field - Columbia, SC
Dunn Tire Park (formerly Pilot Field) - Buffalo, NY
Doubleday Field - Cooperstown, NY
Thurman Munson Stadium - Canton,OH (also played here with the oldtimers)

Drove past but never saw a game there: Yankee Stadium; Polo Grounds; Crossley Field

My goal when I retire (17 months and counting down) is to see a game at EVERY major league stadium. :clapping

[bumsfan4]

Ebbets Field
Yankee Stadium
Shea Stadium
Fenway Park
Olympic Stadium
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Memorial Stadium
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Wrigley Field
County Stadium
Miller Park
Municipal Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Candlestick Park
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Prince Georges Stadium (Bowie, MD)
Municipal Stadium (Waterbury, CT)

[ElHalo]

Actually, funny thing, but the best place to see a baseball game in the NY area is EAB stadium in Islip, Long Island, home of the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks. It has all the modern amenities of a new, modern stadium (luxury boxes, all kinds of interesting things to do, great sight lines, etc., etc.) but in a very cozy atmosphere where every seat is right on top of the field. Somehow, they managed to build a 10,000 seat stadium where no seat is more than 10 yards away from the field (except the upper deck luxury boxes, of course).

[west coast orange and black]

...the best place to see a baseball game in the NY area is EAB stadium in Islip, Long Island, home of the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks.
i will check it out this summer, eh. thanx.

[west coast orange and black]

anyone else here see any of the yankee home games played at shea?

also, has anyone here ever sat up in fenway's monster seats?

[Aa3rt]

anyone else here see any of the yankee home games played at shea?

During the time Yankee Stadium was being remodeled in the mid-1970s, I was part of the crew on a Coast Guard cutter homeported at Governor's Island, NY. One of the perks we enjoyed was being able to sit in the bleachers, FOR FREE, by showing our active duty military ID at both Yankee and Shea Stadiums. I attended many games when my ship was in port and I didn't have duty including a few Yankee games at Shea in 1975. I will admit that after a couple of years I got rather jaded-I loved the games but that subway ride from southern Manhattan to Flushing was a killer so I attended many more Yankee games in Yankee Stadium and didn't follow the Mets as closely.

[ballparks]

Do I get extra points for most parks visited????
In the summer of 1996, I drove around the United States and Canada and saw a game in all 28 parks (Tiger, Comisky, County, Metrodome, Kauffman, Busch, Coors, Astrodome, Ballpark in Arlington, Jack Murphy, Dodger, Anaheim, Candlestick, Oakland Alameda, Kingdome, Wrigley, Riverfront, Jacobs, Fenway, Shea, Yankee, Camden Yards, Three Rivers, Skydome, Olympic, Veterans, Joe Robbie, Fulton County). I have also seen plenty at Exhibition growing up in Toronto, and since my trip have been to some new ones as well (Miller, PNC, Great American, Turner).

Favorite was Fenway.

Total is: 33.

[west coast orange and black]

:clapping :clapping :clapping , ballparks.
i am getting to about 11 parks this summer but always have dreamed of a trip such as yours. lucky dog.

[Bluesteve32]

In order of appearence:

Chavez Ravine
Anaheim Stadium (original configuration) I was floored by the BigA scoreboard :clapping
Anaheim Stadium (reconfiguration) too many football seats :ughh
Tiger Stadium - wonderful old park in the mid 1980s :gt
Edison Field/Angel Stadium (after the renovation) Great baseball park again :clapping
Camden Yards - Loved it :clapping
LA Wrigley (not for a baseball game, just prior before its demolition)
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (only for pro and college football and track, but it was a baseball park)

Exhibition:
Angel Stadium - Palm Springs now a municipal ball field former ST home of the Angels and former home of the late Palm Springs Angels of the California League.

Minor League:
Fiscalini Field - San Bernardino Spirit, now Inland Empire 66ers in a new ballpark
Epicenter - Rancho Cucamounga Quakes
Blair Field - Long Beach

Another notes:
:lookitup
I have personally umpired games in:
Chavez Ravine - HS baseball sectional finals
Blair Field - Big League Regionals, HS sectional finals
Epicenter - Celebrity Softball game prior to regualr game and an exhibition games
Chicago Cubs ST site on Catalina Island - now used by Avalon High's football team and I officiated a Sectional Playoff football game there.

Several other sites in So Cal were used by major league (and old PCL) teams from time to time during spring training and today are municipal fields used by local college, high school, and youth teams.

http://www.digitalballparks.com/PalmSprings.html
http://www.digitalballparks.com/LasPalmas.html
http://www.digitalballparks.com/Blair.html
http://www.digitalballparks.com/Amerige.html

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Actually, funny thing, but the best place to see a baseball game in the NY area is EAB stadium in Islip, Long Island, home of the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks. It has all the modern amenities of a new, modern stadium (luxury boxes, all kinds of interesting things to do, great sight lines, etc., etc.) but in a very cozy atmosphere where every seat is right on top of the field. Somehow, they managed to build a 10,000 seat stadium where no seat is more than 10 yards away from the field (except the upper deck luxury boxes, of course).

I just went to digitalballparks.com to check. It is a nice and cozy ball park indeed. It reminds me of the two "baseball stadiums" we have in the Netherlands. They are about the same size, maybe a bit smaller.

[bigtime39]

In approximate order of when I first went there:
Major League
RFK Stadium (Senators II)
Memorial Stadium
Camden Yards
Tiger Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Tropicana Field
Jacobs Field
Citizens Bank Park
Minor League
Prince George's Stadium (Bowie Baysox)
Harry Grove Field (Frederick Keys)
Ripken Stadium (Aberdeen Ironbirds)

Orioles' short-season A farmhands must expierence extreme culture shock when they move from Ripken Stadium to the other minor league parks in the O's' system. Ripken Stadium is first class all the way. If you're in the area, and can get a ticket (which is not easy) I definitely recommend it.

[Grantland Rice]

Old Yankee Stadium
New Yankee Stadium
Shea Stadium
Houston Astrodome
Angels Stadium

Not many. Oh yes! One other......

Elysian Fields :D

[Donnybrook @ Second base]

Shea
Yankee
The Vet
Memorial Stadium.

[AnaheimAngelsFan]

1. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
2. Dodger Stadium
3. Anaheim Stadium/Edison International Field of Anaheim/Angels Stadium of Anaheim
4. Qualcomm Stadium
5. The Kingdome
6. Safeco Field
7. Fenway Park
8.Yankee Stadium
9. Shea Stadium
10. Veterans Stadium
11. Oriole Park at Camden Yards
12. US Cellular Field
13. Jacobs Field
14. Wrigley Field

Took my son on a Road Trip in 2003 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) and another in 2004 (12, 13, 14). This year's will add the stadiums in SF, Oakland and San Diego.

[69Mets]

1. Yankee Stadium
2. Shea Stadium
3. Camden Yards
4. Great American Ballpark
5. Wrigley Field (By far the best I ever seen)
6. Jacobs Field
7. West Shore Babe Ruth Complex

[Sixty-Two]

Shea Stadium
Yanqui Stadium
Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Mike High Stadium
Coors Field
Pro PLayer Stadium
The Big Sombrero (Tampa)

[totalautoracing]

This is a list that I keep updated constantly. I am hoping to add 10-15 new parks this year.

Major Leagues

Atlanta-Fulton County - Atlanta Braves
Camden Yards - Baltimore Orioles
Wrigley Field - Chicago Cubs
Coors Field - Colorado Rockies
Comerica Park - Detroit Tigers
Houston Astrodome - Houston Astros
Minute Maid Park / Enron Field - Houston Astros
Yankee Stadium - New York Yankees
PNC Park - Pittsburgh Pirates
Busch Stadium - St. Louis Cardinals
Arlington Stadium - Texas Rangers
Skydome - Toronto Blue Jays

Minor Leagues

Hoover Metropolitan Stadium - Birmingham Barons
DeVault Memorial Stadium - Bristol Tigers (now Sox)
Memorial Stadium - Fort Wayne Wizards
Applebee's Park - Lexington Legends
Tim McCarver Stadium - Memphis Chicks
Herschel Greer Stadium - Nashville Sounds
O'Donnell Stadium - Quad City Swing
T.R. Hughes Ballpark - River City Rascals
Frontier Field - Rochester Red Wings
V.J. Keefe Stadium - San Antonio Missions
Alexian Field - Schaumburg Flyers
Lackawanna County Stadium - Scranton/W-B Red Barons
Fair Grounds Field - Shreveport Captains
Duncan Park - Spartanburg Phillies
Drillers Stadium - Tulsa Drillers

[totalautoracing]

In an effort to add to my above list, I have planned out 4 possible trips this summer: California trip, Pac NW trip, Carolina trip or Midwest trip (from St. Louis). I am also considering a weekend trip (or 2) here in Texas (I'm in Houston) to get to see some of the stadiums that I haven't been to yet. Now I just need to find some people to go with so I don't have to incur all the cost myself.

Last June I took my father on a 9 day trip from St. Louis to Detroit to Toronto to Rochester to Scranton to Pittsburgh to Fort Wayne to Chicago (Wrigley and Schaumburg in same day) to Davenport (QC Swing) and back to St. Louis for a River City game. Ended up seeing 10 games in 9 days. Also fit in the Baseball HOF and Field of Dreams during the trip. Once in a lifetime thing that I wish I could do every year. Made me feel like a boy again spending all that time with my dad at baseball games. Hopefully we can do it again in the near future.

[McNick]

I've seen games at:
Oakland Alameda County Colliseum
Candlestick Park
3-Com Park
Coors Field
Anaheim Stadium
Bank One Ballpark
Dodger Stadium
Safeco Field
Tiger Stadium
Turner Field

[Es LIMA time!!!!]

Not much here lol.
I have seen 2 games at Camden yards, one against the Blue Jays when the O's had Alomar, Ripken, etc.
And the other was against the Mariners, Jay Buhner and Griffey hit a HR so it was worth the money and the o's won lol.

This summer I will be going to watch a National's game and if i am lucky i will get to see a game at Yankee Stadium.

The only minor league park I have been to his Harbor Park, home of the Norfolk Tides, excellent ballpark, great field, not a bad seat in the house.

Also, my high school ballfield (Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, Virginia was voted the best high school field on the east coast, $60,000 lights, $40,000 scoreboard, year round constant attention to grass/infield perfection.

[tyberesk]

I love the trop.....since noone is ever there you can sit wherever you want....and 5 dollar tickets in the beach, im living the dream.

[montewalker1]

Year represents the first time there for a game.

Astrodome '85
Arlington Stadium '86
Mile High Stadium '93
The Ballpark in Arlington '94
Wrigley Field '96 (on a Saturday day game)
Fenway Park '96 (the very next day, Sunday day game Clemens 6-hit shutout)
Coors Field '98


others.
Doubleday Field (Rangers vs. Royals in '99)
Drillers Stadium (Tulsa)

[edclinch]

Riverfront Stadium (1976-77) Cinncinnati
Busch Stadium (1985) St. Louis
Indianapolis Indians (1986) -old field Indy
Wrigley Field (1987) Chicago
Riverfront Stadium (1988) Cincy
Olympic Stadium (1989) Montreal

1997 Tigers Stadium -old one Detroit
1998 Comiskey Park --new one, Chicago
1998 Yankee Stadium Bronx
1998-9 Indianapolis Indians--new one Indy
San Berbardino 66ers field San Beranrdino
2000 Dodger Stadium Los Angeles
2001 Anaheim Field Anaheim
2002 Dodgers Stadium LA
2004 SB stadium San Bernardino
2004 Adelanto Field Adelanto, CA

Teams observed? Pittsburgh Pirates, Reds, Cards, AAA Indians, Expos, Cubs,
Tigers, White Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Angels, 66ers (a), Giants, Marlins, and Buffaloes (a)

Player most motivated by? Rock Raines, then Frank Thomas

[wamby]

I have been to:

Cleveland Municipal Stadium (1972-93)-saw some good baseball and a lot of bad baseball there.
Jacobs Field (1994-2002)-good baseabll there, but not always good atmosphere, especially during the so-called sellout streak.
Wrigley Field (1979, 1989, 1999)-my favorite ballpark.
Jack Murphy Stadium (1984-86)-OK nothing great, there were seats in the outfield where you couldn't see the whole field.
Candlestick Park (1985)-Dump.
Kingdome (1985)-Dump.
Dodger Stadium (1986)-very nice ballpark.
The Big A (1986)-my favorite California park. I was there for games 3, 4 & 5 of the 1986 ALCS. The first post-season baseball I ever attended.Three Rivers (1987-1991, 2000)-not a bad park (except for the turf), the closest good baseball to Cleveland in the early 1990s.
Milwaukee County Stadium (1989)-better then I expected, it looked like a miniatrue version of Cleveland Municipal.
Old Comiskey Park (1989)-It probably looked the same as it had in 1930, was like being in time warp.
Riverfront Stadium (1992)-looked the same as Three Rivers.
Skydome (1998)-saw Jim Thome hit a HR into the Hard Rock Cafe. This place had me wishing the Jacobs Field fans were more like the Skydome fans.

I narrowly missed a trip to Shea, when I was visiting Brooklyn, NY.
I regret never having made the trip to Detroit to visit Tiger Stadium. The only I was ever in Detroit, the Tigers were out of town.

[bluejaysfan93]

anyone else here see any of the yankee home games played at shea?

also, has anyone here ever sat up in fenway's monster seats?


My dad has sat up in the monster seats. I havnt :mad: My dad also saw harry Carrey sing "take me out to the ball game" live. Thats pretty cool.


I have only been to skydome. But I plan to go to every ball park in the league.
I will be going to PNC PARK and What ever The Phillies play at.
I am going to shea stadium too

[bondsgirrrl]

Candlestick
SBC (went when it was still Pac Bell)
Citizens Bank Park (was at the very first game played there)
Oakland Coliseum (went to games and concerts there)
dodgers stadium ( went to games and concerts there)

[lamearm]

Seems like I've done this before, but will try to stir up the memory.

Forbes Field, Crosley Field, Connie Mack Stadium, Tiger/Briggs Stadium, Municiple Stadium, Comisky Park(old), Wrigley Field(smelled like a urinal), County Stadium, Colt Stadium, Astrodome, Enron Field/Astros Field/Minute Maid Park, Arlington Stadium, BP@ Arlington, Busch Stadium, Kaufman, Memorial Stadium, Orioles Pk.@ Camden Yard. I can't remember offhand the minor league parks I've been to.

[redrose14]

Of course Riverfront, season tickets druing the 1980-1987.
Astrodome and now Minute Maid-saw Clemens 11K's and the stadium is beautiful, though not much for Home Run sits from Center to LF :(

Minor League - I have been to Round Rock Express AA for Astros, will be AAA for Astros this April. Currently owned by Nolan Ryan and Managed by son, Reid Ryan (speaking of pitchers that had potential--big ego got in the way of success.) And the Durham Bulls. Both of those stadiums and organizations are really class act.

The rest of you make me jealous and now I am more than ever determined to catch games in more stadiums this summer. Thanks for the motivation.

[RuthMayBond]

In approximate order:
Cleveland's Municipal Stadium: where my batting-practice catching started (including one at the '81 A-S Game)
Jacob's Field: where my BP catching continues (including Manny Ramirez's fourth career HR)
Three Rivers: don't remember much
Riverfront: brother-in-law took me to a Monday night televised game but it rained a lot. George Foster blasted one just below us.)
Atlanta Fulton-County: forgot my glove, batter blasted one to me, just wanted to keep it in front of me, ending up catching it on the fly
Busch: Dusty Baker had just thrown a ball to me at the A-S game the year before, I took it as the Cards played the Dodgers. Dusty was signing and I got in line. He signed for the person before then said he had to go practice.
Wrigley: sister & brother-in-law lived here briefly. Went with my BIL but it was interleague series with ChiSox. Tickets were so scarce he had to get single seats that weren't even together.
Tiger Stadium: went the last week before it closed. Mike Jackson tossed a ball to me. A Tiger later tossed a ball, I got it, he said to give it to this lady and he'd get me another one. He ended up throwing the other one in from about 150 ft. & someone else got it. :grouchy
Skydome: just went last year. Got there later than I wanted but attendance was so sparse I ended up catching three in BP and giving one to these girls who wouldn't stop annoying me.
Twins in spring training: Eric Davis signed, Dave Parker was jogging along the warning track WHILE they were playing the game.
single A Thurman Munson Field in Canton OH: Once I sat closer to the catcher than the shortstop. Had the glove up the whole game (one kid did get hit by a foul).
rookie level Cafaro Field in Niles, OH: My best friend's son hopes to play for them this year
Aeros Field in Akron: I used to work within EASY walking distance of this
I'll be going to the park in Cooperstown around 2111/2112 when Bonds is inducted :clapping
My son has been to PNC but I haven't :grouchy

[west coast orange and black]

Tiger Stadium: went the last week before it closed.

Twins in spring training: Eric Davis signed, Dave Parker was jogging along the warning track WHILE they were playing the game.

I'll be going to the park in Cooperstown around 2111/2112 when Bonds is inducted.
lucky dog to see tiger's last stand.

who would tell the cobra "um, could you please not do that?"

see you there, man.

[RuthMayBond]

On vacation last year, we happened by some Cardinal affiliate in Tennessee (the Biscuits, I think). One of the teams wasn't bright enough to have someone on the lookout for foul liners when the pitchers were warming up down the foul lines. One of the catchers missed by about five feet getting hit with a line drive.

[catcher24]

RuthMayBond: You have GOT to get to PNC. It is the best. I thought nothing would surpass The Jake when I got there, but PNC puts it to shame. I played with the local (Jamestown, NY) oldtimers team at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton. It was a neat experience. Nice little stadium, but my gosh, those aluminum seats are BRUTAL when you're playing the infield and the sun is reflecting off of them! :eek: Cafaro Field in Niles - is that the Mahoning Valley Scrappers? They are in the NY-P League (short season A), along with our Jamestown Jammers. I hope one summer after I retire to follow the Jammers and see all of the NY-P League ballparks. I LOVE ballparks - have gone to some when there was no game just to see the park. :)

[RuthMayBond]

RuthMayBond: You have GOT to get to PNC. It is the best. I thought nothing would surpass The Jake when I got there, but PNC puts it to shame. I played with the local (Jamestown, NY) oldtimers team at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton. It was a neat experience. Nice little stadium, but my gosh, those aluminum seats are BRUTAL when you're playing the infield and the sun is reflecting off of them! :eek: Cafaro Field in Niles - is that the Mahoning Valley Scrappers? They are in the NY-P League (short season A), along with our Jamestown Jammers. I hope one summer after I retire to follow the Jammers and see all of the NY-P League ballparks. I LOVE ballparks - have gone to some when there was no game just to see the park. :)I am going to PNC by Barry Bonds' last guaranteed year (2006?). The Thurman Munson metal floor was GREAT for making noise! Cafaro Field is indeed the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. If my friend's son makes the team, I'll make sure to have him beat Jamestown :laugh

[west coast orange and black]

RuthMayBond: You have GOT to get to PNC. It is the best.
tell me that you have not been to pac bell and i will leave quietly.
then again, i have not been to pnc. ;)

[RuthMayBond]

tell me that you have not been to pac bell and i will leave quietly. ;)I haven't been to PacBell but it IS over 2000 miles from me

[catcher24]

No, WC Orange, I haven't been to Pac Bell. And in all honesty, from everything I have read and seen about ballparks at different sites, it would probably be the one (if there is one) that could change my mind about PNC. But it would have to be AWESOME to do that :D .

Originally posted by RuthMayBond:

If my friend's son makes the team,

If he does, let me know the name (send me a PM), and I'll be sure to look for him at the Jammer games! ;) And, yes, Thurman Munson would absolutely resonate whenever someone hit a foul ball into the stands!

[RuthMayBond]

If he does, let me know the name (send me a PM), and I'll be sure to look for him at the Jammer games! ;)Will do. I used to play softball with him and, yes . . . he would mop up the place with me :laugh

[west coast orange and black]

No, WC Orange, I haven't been to Pac Bell. And in all honesty, from everything I have read and seen about ballparks at different sites, it would probably be the one (if there is one) that could change my mind about PNC. But it would have to be AWESOME to do that :D .

gotta tell you, though, seein' the clemente bridge, with the twinkin' lights, as the backdrop during the televised night games sure looks purdy. :clapping

[catcher24]

RuthMayBond: OK, thanks! I try to get down to some games every summer. It would be rather neat to "know" a particular individual. ;)

WC Orange: Yes, the ballpark is great. Any seat from about first base on around to left field gives a fantastic view of the city; the Roberto Clemente Bridge; the Alleghany River. Between innings it's cool to sit and watch the riverboats go up and down the river outside the park. BTW, you can take a riverboat to the game if you want, too. I parked across the river (downtown), walked across the Clemente Bridge (they close it prior to and after games; it becomes a "baseball neighborhood" for a while) to the game. You're looking right in from center field - fantastic. And besides the beauty of the park itself, the integration of the team's history into the stadium is marvelous. If you ever have a chance to go, don't miss it! No bad seats in the house, either. I was actually upper deck, behind home plate, the very last row - my back against the wall - and it felt as though I was right next to the field. Undoubtedly my favorite park to date.

[west coast orange and black]

am going to pnc next season, c-24. definitely looking forward to it. thanx for the notes.
(i have been to pac bell 340-odd times. i LOVE that place.)

[KhalilRolenEdmondsJeterChick]

I've been to: Coors Field and Busch Stadium (I know, I don't venture out much.....) I would LOVE to see a game at Yaankee Stadium in the near future.....

Former minor league parks: Lanphier Park (Robin Roberts Field...I think) The Redbirds, Capitals and another team all played there....It's my High School home field now.... :(

[Captain Cold Nose]

There's a team in Niles? How long has that been in effect? I spent way too much time in Niles a few years back trying to find the President McKinley Library.

[RuthMayBond]

There's a team in Niles? How long has that been in effect? I spent way too much time in Niles a few years back trying to find the President McKinley Library.I think it's technically in Howland
http://www.mvscrappers.com/

[2Chance]

Anaheim: Anaheim Stadium (circa 1971)
Cincinnati: Riverfront and Great American Ballpark
Detroit: Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park
Chicago: Wrigley Field and US Cellular

You notice also that the newer parks all have commercialized names. What a pity.

Columbus, O: Clipper Stadium (is that its name?)
Dayton, O: Fifth Third Field
Lakeland, FL: Joker Marchant Stadium

The minor league parks are both great places to see a game. We had good seats at the Cell, but that's the only one I wouldn't go back to. Riverfront was good mainly because we had good seats and great teams in the 70s. All others were good places to see a game.

[RuthMayBond]

Dayton, O: Fifth Third FieldWhat am I thinking, my sister-in-law works there (has a customer letter thanking her enlarged and on the wall in the employee hall). Nice place, one of the visiting guys flipped a line shot foul up to me.

[wamby]

Columbus, O: Clipper Stadium (is that its name?)
Dayton, O: Fifth Third Field

.

While I was attending Ohio State in the mid-90s, the stadium in Columbus was named Cooper Stadium.

[catcher24]

West Coast O&B: You lucky dog! :laugh You must live fairly close to (or in) San Francisco, right? In order to go to PNC Park, I'm looking at a three hour drive each way. Usually go down one day, catch a game, come back the next. Wish I lived close enough to get a season ticket! :(

[west coast orange and black]

West Coast O&B: You lucky dog! :laugh You must live fairly close to (or in) San Francisco, right? In order to go to PNC Park, I'm looking at a three hour drive each way. Usually go down one day, catch a game, come back the next. Wish I lived close enough to get a season ticket! :(
just 16 miles on my sweet sofia- my 1968 lambretta sx150 scooter. cruising over the gg bridge is a blast.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

HELLO here are the ballparks i have been to
1)TIGER STADIUM DETROIT
2)old COMISKEY PARK CHICAGO
3)CROSLEY FIELD
4)YANKEE STADIUM
5)FENWAY PARK
6)CLEVELAND STADIUM
7)WRIGLEY FIELD
8)RIVERFRONT STADIUM
9)THREE RIVERS STADIUM
10)VET in PHILADELPHIA
11)ATLANTA FULTON COUNTY STADIUM
12)EXHIBITION STADIUM TORONTO
13)BUSCH STADIUM STL
14)the POLO GROUNDS(ONLY IN MY DREAMS)
take care all DONALD DETROIT MI :waving :)

[VTSoxFan]

I forgot to mention that I'd been to Centennial Field in Burlington, Vt., home of the Vermont Expos, the short-season Single-A affiliate of Montreal/Washington. Great field, painful seats.

I also saw Bill Lee pitch on a diamond at Rowe Park in Waterbury, Vt. last summer -- just a town field, but cheap (as in free) and beautiful, great seats, great game. The outfield wall was a line of cottonwoods along the Winooski River. Now that's a ballpark I HAVE to go to again. :)

[catcher24]

WEstCoast O&B: Man, you are lucky! Sounds like a great ride. If I lived within 16 miles of ANY MLB team, I'd be broke, because I would have to get season tickets and go all the time! :p But the closest to me is Cleveland, and that's a good 2 1/2 hours each way.

PoloGrounds1957: How did you like the "mistake by the lake" in Cleveland? I have read a lot of bad things about that old cavern, but I always rather enjoyed it. Except when I went in May, and the wind was blowing in off the lake on a 50 degree day :( . And, oh, yeah, when I went to see Nolan Ryan the last time he pitched in Cleveland (the last game he ever won, BTW) and got stuck behind a girder! :mad: Wait, maybe that wasn't such a good park.... :p
And how about Exhibition Stadium? Always kind of reminded me of LA Coliseum, a football stadium they tried to use for baseball.

VTSoxFan: Yeah, my city used to have the Expos until they pulled out to go to Vermont :( . Luckily, Niagara Falls NY-Penn team moved down here, so we still have a team :) (first a Tigers affiliate; then Braves; now Marlins).

[RuthMayBond]

PoloGrounds1957: How did you like the "mistake by the lake" in Cleveland? I have read a lot of bad things about that old cavern, but I always rather enjoyed it. Except when I went in May, and the wind was blowing in off the lake on a 50 degree day :( . And, oh, yeah, when I went to see Nolan Ryan the last time he pitched in Cleveland (the last game he ever won, BTW) and got stuck behind a girder! :mad: Wait, maybe that wasn't such a good park.... :pDude, I was at that game too! Do you remember all the different states license plates on the drive in? Ryan was in the AL before Tampa Bay so Cleveland was basically the closest Ryan would swing by the southeast. I think Ryan gave up a leadoff single, then gave no hits until about the seventh. But there were lots of places to chase batting practice fouls in the empty cavern :rolleyes:

[trosmok]

Great thread, gang, and the only thing in common with all (except the toilet bowl cookie-cutter fossils), are the infield diamond dimensions. 90' X 4, 60'6"!

Ebbets Field
Crosley Field
Comiskey Park
Astrodome
Tiger Stadium
Wrigley Field
County Stadium
RFK
Memorial Park
Busch Stadium
Riverfront Stadium
Three Rivers Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Great American Ballpark
Minor Leagues
Bush Stadium
Victory Field
Cooper Field
Louisville Slugger Field
Fifth Third Field (Dayton)
Fifth Third Field (Toledo)
International
Montreal Stadium "de Lorimier Grounds"
Jarry Park "Stade du Maurier"
Hiram Bithorn
Carolina
Mayaguez
Santurce
Caguas
Ponce

Probably more will come to me, and I could write for days about these places. Guess I'm getting rather long in the tooth, considering how many of my favorites are long gone, and how few of the newer palaces I've actually watched a game.

[totalautoracing]

The field used by the Clippers in Columbus is still Cooper Stadium.

[catcher24]

RMB: I remember that day well. Got stuck in a major accident on I-90 going out; had to drive like a maniac to get there in time. Ended up parking WAY out on a pier somewhere, because of 60,727 who had come to see Ryan's last game in Cleveland. Didn't get into the park until the second inning due to the delays, and missed Juan Gonzalez's homer in the first. :mad: He pitched 7 innings, allowed 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2! Tom Henke picked up the save. Jose Mesa was the starter (and loser) for Cleveland. When Nolan came out for his curtain call in the eighth (after a relief pitcher took the mound) and doffed his cap to the crowd, HE WAS RIGHT BEHIND THAT STUPID POST from where I was sitting!! :evil And being an August game, I couldn't have imagined it would be the last game he ever would win. I got the above info from the boxscore, which I still have.

[west coast orange and black]

WEstCoast O&B: Man, you are lucky! Sounds like a great ride. If I lived within 16 miles of ANY MLB team, I'd be broke, because I would have to get season tickets and go all the time! :p But the closest to me is Cleveland, and that's a good 2 1/2 hours each way.
went to 78 games in pac bell's inaugural 2000. could not get to that many if i had a 5 hour commute.

am gonna see the red sox host during interleague week.
my friend lives about six blocks from fenway.

[ElHalo]

I'm just a few subway stops from Yankee Stadium. During the playoffs, when nobody can get tickets, I always go up during home games and watch the games from the bars on Riverside just outside the stadium. Great atmosphere.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Hello everyone. I was able to go to cleveland stadium for 1 game in the year before the INDIANS last year there. IT was a CHICAGO WHITE SOX at cleveland game.THERE was over 20,000 FANS there but because of how big the stadium was it seemed empty.I LIKED THE STADIUM the place looked like it was well kept as i took a tour of place before the game and took alot of photos.I can guess how noisy the place was when it was full. SO the answer to the question is THAT I liked the STADIUM. also before me and my friend left cleveland we went over to see LEAGUE PARK and i was thrilled to see alot of the old stadium still standing and i took photos there also.GLAD TO HAVE MADE IT TO CLEVELAND STADIUM take care all DONALD DETROIT MI :waving :dance

[west coast orange and black]

"decades after a person has stopped collecting bubblegum cards, he can still discover himself collecting balparks... their smells, their special seasons, their moods."
-thomas boswell washington post columnist since 1984; how life imitates the world series author

[catcher24]

Originally posted by WEst Coast O&B:
"decades after a person has stopped collecting bubblegum cards, he can still discover himself collecting balparks... their smells, their special seasons, their moods.

Uh,oh. Does that mean I'm in trouble because I do BOTH? :confused:

Is that quote from "How Life Imitates the World Series"? I have the book; haven't had time to read it yet. (So MANY baseball books, so little time... :o ).

[sandlot]

Terrific thread idea! Humbling, too -- awesome lists, especially Dodger Deb's and trosmok's. My limited offerings:

Fenway -- my Uncle Ed took me to see the Sox play Cleveland, my first big league game. I ate popcorn and was incredibly excited. Colavito homered to left, and a pop fly hit in front of us and bounced almost up to the beams under the next tier. I was as amazed by the bounce as I was by the home run! Ed's a real Red Sox fan, and when the Bosox won the series last year, I remembered Fenway and that first game 45 years earlier, and felt happy for him and that he'd lived to see the day.

Oakland -- Saw the A's play the Yanks. The first time I'd seen NY live. Reggie was returning as a Yankee. Excellent nachos.

Candlestick -- Lots of memories. The first maybe the best: Sitting in the deep left field seats in the top tier and McCovey hits one out that goes about 30 feet over our heads. I loved the kielbasa sausages. The first park where I visited the locker room after a game.

Memorial stadium -- Got to see a hometown boy and second-cousin play shortstop. The O's played the Yanks.

Pac Bell -- Terrific park, but hate the name and the way parks can be rented to the highest bidder. One or two things are OTT, but 30 years ago I wrote an article proposing a brick ballpark South of Market, so I'm biased. (WCOAB: Hope to catch some games this season.) Food's good but a little expensive. Excellent places to eat nearby and transportation superb.

Cleveland -- Freezing. My father and I left early. Only memory is the cold. I think it was the year ('58?) that Colavito pitched one inning, walking three.

Wahconah Park -- Heard of it? A minor league (A) yard, really of another era (first game 1892, but the grandstand sometimes dated 1919). It's all wooden and as kids we'd watch games through the cracks in the slats. Sounds like a stereotype from a distant age, but true. Last time I was there, the scoreboard was manual but don't know if it remains. There's been talk of a new ballpark, as well as controversial proposals to renovate this one (Jim Bouton's involved), so who knows how long this gem will last? One of only two parks in the US where the sun sets in the batter's eyes, and must be the only one with wooden owls hanging from the rafters to keep birds from nesting. For a historian or nostalgia buff, worth a trip -- if political haggling doesn't doom it. The town, Pittsfield, MA, may have been where the first recorded baseball game was played (there are competing claims). Check out <http://www.minorleagueballparks.com/wahc_ma.html>

[west coast orange and black]

I'm just a few subway stops from Yankee Stadium. During the playoffs, when nobody can get tickets, I always go up during home games and watch the games from the bars on Riverside just outside the stadium. Great atmosphere.
after fenway with my friend i am solo for yankee stadium and oriole park. maybe the two of us can meet up, eh.

[west coast orange and black]

Uh,oh. Does that mean I'm in trouble because I do BOTH? :confused:

Is that quote from "How Life Imitates the World Series"? I have the book; haven't had time to read it yet. (So MANY baseball books, so little time... :o ).
yep. it's a good nonseason read. hit the books!

[Go Nats!]

I was in the process of seeing a game in every park before chronic unemployment has forced me to put a temporary hold on my travelling.

Baltimore: Memorial and Camden. I'm from DC, so...
Philadelphia: The Vet
Pittsburgh: Three Rivers
New York: SHea and Yankee (I was at Yankee stadium the night OJ made his attempt to get away. I turned to the guy behind me who was listening to the chase to get an update, and missed seeing a Grand Slam. I have never personally witnessed a homerun in all the 100+ games I've seen)
Boston: Twice, I'm proud to say. Stayed at that hotel right nearby. That's living, man. Leave your hotel and walk to the ballpark.
Montreal: Stade Olympique (sp?) Worst baseball experience of my life. Came here after my Boston game. This was the early days of the poor management of the team. Pedro Martinez was pitching for them. He beaned someone, a bench clearing brawl followed. The fans cheered. Moises Alou hit a STAND UP TRIPLE and no one cheered or acknowledged he had even gotten a hit.
Toronto:SkyDome. Guy next to me gave me tickets for the next game he couldn't use. They were directly behind the visitor's dugout. Bernie Williams looked directly at me after he flew out and was going back into the dugout.
Houston: Astrodome. Feh.
Rangers: I'm drawing a blank on the name of this place. The new one. Ballpark at Arlington? Whatever. Nice place.
San Diego: The Murph, when they still called it the murph.
Los Angeles: Dodger Stadium: Dodger Dogs are still the best dogs I've ever had.
San Francisco: Candlestick. No Lie: It was an August night game. I caught a cold. I still can't believe I caught a cold in August. The second time I was there was for a day game and it was beautiful.

Minors:
Frederick Keys (MD)
Rancho Cucamongo Quakes (CA)
Lake Elsinore (CA)
Colorado Springs (CO)
Albuquerque (NM)
El Paso (TX) It was either here or Albuquerque that I saw Lance Berkman play. 3 at bats, struck out swinging in all 3. I remember thinking how the kid would be working at Dairy Queen the next time opening day came around.
Round Rock (Austin, TX)

[ElHalo]

El Paso (TX) It was either here or Albuquerque that I saw Lance Berkman play. 3 at bats, struck out swinging in all 3. I remember thinking how the kid would be working at Dairy Queen the next time opening day came around.


I saw a game of the El Paso Diablos, oh, in about 1991 or thereabouts. Very nice little stadium, but it started raining terribly in about the fourth inning (in the middle of the desert!) and the game was called. Shame.

If you really want to see what a minor league ballpark can be, the epitome is probably the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks' park in Islip, Long Island. For two years a couple years back, they were outdrawing the Expos. The Stadium is gorgeous, and has all the amenities of a major league park.

[catcher24]

Go Nats: ARe you serious? You've been to 100+ games and NEVER seen a HR? :eek: That seems impossible in this day and age. You didn't mean grand slam, did you, since you referenced it immediately beforehand?

[RuthMayBond]

Go Nats: ARe you serious? You've been to 100+ games and NEVER seen a HR? :eek: That seems impossible in this day and age. You didn't mean grand slam, did you, since you referenced it immediately beforehand?Either that, or he's a LOT older than we imagined :laugh

[catcher24]

RMB: I have to believe that even in the deadball era, if you went to 100 games you'd see at least one HR (probably an inside-the-park job, but hey, they're REALLY exciting). :)

[Go Nats!]

Go Nats: ARe you serious? You've been to 100+ games and NEVER seen a HR? :eek: That seems impossible in this day and age. You didn't mean grand slam, did you, since you referenced it immediately beforehand?


Heh heh. I did mean Grand Slam. I have never seen a Grand Slam in person. I've seen plenty of actual homeruns.

[RuthMayBond]

Heh heh. I did mean Grand Slam. I have never seen a Grand Slam in person. I've seen plenty of actual homeruns.Did you go to a lot of Jim Palmer's games?

[Baseball Guru]

Wrigley Field(Cubs)

PNC(Pirates)

Oriole Park(Orioles)

Turner Field(Braves)

Jacobs Field(Indians)

Fenway Park(Red Sox

Miller Park(Brewers)

Citizens Bank Park(Phillies)

Comerica Park(Tigers)

Yankee Stadium(Yankees)

Great American Ballpark(Reds)

US Cellular(White Sox)

Pro Player Stadium(Marlins)

Shea Stadium(Mets)

Three Rivers(Pirates)

Tropicana(D-Rays)

Cinergy Field(Reds)

[RuthMayBond]

Everybody who hasn't given at least ONE anecdote on a visit to one of their ballparks, please go back and do so :D

[west coast orange and black]

Everybody who hasn't given at least ONE anecdote on a visit to one of their ballparks, please go back and do so :D
i love going to dodger stadium. always have. oh, i'm always out-numbered, but after some baseball talk everything always ends up cool.
the pavillion's accordion roof, the organ, all the blue. it's pretty decent. oh, and dodger dogs. gotta have one (or two) whenever i go, which has been usually two trips per season for the past 20+ years.

[2Chance]

originally posted by wamby
While I was attending Ohio State in the mid-90s, the stadium in Columbus was named Cooper Stadium.
It still is, wamby. The grey matter gets mushier every season. :rolleyes:

[Captain Cold Nose]

I was able to visit Cleveland's Memorial Stadium once, in 1984, for Indians-Red Sox game. Neither team was particularly good at the time. Parking was hard to come by, not because of the game but because the airport was having an air show at the same time. I doubt there were more than 10,000 people in the stands that day. The Indians won, and some people seemed real happy. Coming from Detroit when the Tigers were having that incredible season, I remember having an "Enjoy what little you have" attitude at the time. And I wasn't really even a Tigers fan beyond hometown interest.

It was a good dozen years or so before I revisited the area. I've actually grown to like Cleveland, although I've only strolled around and past Jacobs Field.

[RuthMayBond]

I was able to visit Cleveland's Memorial Stadium once, in 1984, for Indians-Red Sox game. Neither team was particularly good at the time. Parking was hard to come by, not because of the game but because the airport was having an air show at the same time. I doubt there were more than 10,000 people in the stands that day. The Indians won, and some people seemed real happy. Coming from Detroit when the Tigers were having that incredible season, I remember having an "Enjoy what little you have" attitude at the time. And I wasn't really even a Tigers fan beyond hometown interest.

It was a good dozen years or so before I revisited the area. I've actually grown to like Cleveland, although I've only strolled around and past Jacobs Field.That's MUNICIPAL Stadium to you :laugh And I only strolled around the outside during the playoffs :laugh

[trosmok]

Everybody who hasn't given at least ONE anecdote on a visit to one of their ballparks, please go back and do so :D

Spring training in Dodgertown, if you've never been, by all means go.

Ebbets: Negro League exhibition, little did I know it would be my only chance to visit the cathedral in Brooklyn.

Crosley: Opening day in Cincinnati, cold, parades, folding chairs on the outfield grass; speedy young Frank Robinson came so close to running over me,beautiful

Comiskey: Lots of games, Fisk, Luzinski, Richie Allen, Luis Aparicio, Billy Pierce, Ron LeFlore, exploding scoreboard, pull chain shower in CF bleachers

Astrodome: Like watching a game in an oversized Texan's living room. Seats immediately behind the dugout, first time I noticed how high the mound was.

Tiger Stadium: With my brother in law in '68, wanted to see McLain, but Lolich was on the hill. Final season with my now ex-bro in law. Miss that old park, "where baseball belongs.'

Wrigley: Way too many afternoons when I should have been in school. Caught a Stargell HR by falling in the outfield basket, replay on WGN=busted

County Stadium: Hop, skip, and a jump from Chicago, Robin Yount,'nuf said

RFK:My only Senators game had Frank Howard facing the Twins and Killebrew, gawd them guys were huge.

Memorial Park: Boog, Brooks, Frank, Earl Weaver, can't wait to see OPACY!

Busch: Best old multi-use park, great fans and guest services, always seems like it's 100+ degrees, and nearly as high humidity when I see the Cards.

Riverfront: Closest ML town, used to see a dozen or so games a season. The Big Red Machine was an awesomely talented collection of HOF guys.

Three Rivers: Only one game there, "we are family" era. Beautiful backdrop and I've heard the new PNC park is even more breathtaking

Veterans: They didn't call it the Tombs for nothing. The artificial turf was sun bleached almost white when I went, than goodness for real grass.

Great American: What a gem! Reds won on a come from behind GWHR, kind of the way they won half of them last season. Had Scout seats (behind home plate, twelve rows up, separate washroom with attendant, huge comfy padded seats, double wide armrests with cupholdrs built in, attentive waitress with two assistants.) Spoiled me rotten in my middle age.

Bush: Old ballfield built to the exact same dimensions as Wrigley, sans bleachers and upper deck, but ivy-covered walls and unmistakable charm. Best known as one of the parks in "Eight Men Out."

Victory Field: "Best minor league park in the world", but then, I'm a shameless homer. Hosted 2001 AAA All-Star game, sixty+ games each season for the last four years for me. Best moonlighting imaginable.

Cooper Stadium: Two hours away, Yankees AAA club, Bucky Dent, Stump Merrill, and Don Mattingly, at least once a year for a day game.

Louisville Slugger Field: Peculiar park, but it is close and the Bats are a whale of a team, lately. Saw Deion Sanders last whimpers as a pro there.

Fifth Third Dayton: Toughest tickets to get, they sell out the entire stadium for the entire season before opening day every single year. Kind of a cold concrete place, but you can get on a waiting list or get scalp tix if you get there early enough.

Fifth Third Toledo: Mirror image of Dayton, better ballclub in the Mud Hens (Klinger's favorites), and you can watch the game from a bar across the street if you want.

Montreal Stadium "de Lorimier Grounds: Was on the corner of Lorimier and Ontario streets. Home of the Montreal Royals, AAA Brooklyn, and the place where Jackie Robinson first played pro ball. Only game I saw was with my late Dad in 1954, who was entertaining European & Puerto Rican execs from a very large pharmaceutical company. In addition to freezing my tail off, I remember the Royals had a slim young outfielder that carried himself like a matador both at the plate and in the field. I wasn't the only one that noticed Roberto Clemente, even though Branch used him sparingly and tried to hide him, but the Pirates snagged him in '55.

Jarry Park "Stade du Maurier": First home of the Expos, an odd little place that started out holding 3000 or so, and was expanded for the first season to around 15,000. It was just barely shoehorned into a city park, and now is a sporting venue that features tennis primarily. If anyone has the chance to visit Montreal, it is not a place one easily forgets. It has the look and feel of an old European city, while maintaining a distinct Canadian style all its own. Last visit my companion said it reminded her of New Orlean's French Quarter without the sleaze, and a whole lot cleaner.

Hiram Bithorn: Great place for future MLB expansion. Only drawback is the artificial turf, but there are plans to expand the seating and go to real grass after the Caribbean WS this year.

Carolina, Mayaguez, Santurce (home of the Crabbers), and Ponce are must see places if you ever get to Puerto Rico. Making a big circle around the Island is one of my favorite baseball getaways, and the calibur of play was pleasantly surprisingly good. When I was there last time, it seemed like it rained every afternoon for about an hour, and the heat and humidity were something that took some acclimation for a non-tropical "Blanco Loco from Chicago", kind of guy. :laugh

[west coast orange and black]

Wrigley: Way too many afternoons when I should have been in school. Caught a Stargell HR by falling in the outfield basket, replay on WGN=busted
funny, tros. have never seen that kind of basket catch. :laugh

[catcher24]

Trosmok: If you liked Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, you'll love PNC! I always thought Three Rivers was OK, but PNC is the best ( with apologies to WCOAB).

[rockin500]

wrigley, comiskey (it'll always be comiskey to me), Miller Park, Old County Stadium, Comerica Park

[trosmok]

Trosmok: If you liked Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, you'll love PNC! I always thought Three Rivers was OK, but PNC is the best ( with apologies to WCOAB).

Now that my IndyIndians are the AAA affiliate of Pittsburgh, we will very likely organize a bus trip to PNC park for two games and at least one night. I'm jazzed about seeing the M, A, & O rivers' confluence again, and have heard nothing but raves about the Pirates new digs. They're hosting the '06 All-Star game, yes? I also have a couple aquaintances I'd like to see there, one of them lives east in Monroeville, and the other has some swank palace in Mt. Lebanon. Any tips from residents?

Anyone been to the new Philadelphia ballpark? I'm intrigued by some of the features of the views of Citizens Bank Park, particularly the bi-level bullpen area beyond the RF wall. The grounds crew chief used to have the top job here, and oversaw the field construction from the drainage up . Any personal experiences from the city of brotherly love?

[RuthMayBond]

Spring training in Dodgertown, if you've never been, by all means go.

Fifth Third Dayton: Toughest tickets to get, they sell out the entire stadium for the entire season before opening day every single year. Kind of a cold concrete place, but you can get on a waiting list or get scalp tix if you get there early enough.The year I went to a spring training game I drove by Dodgertown (either we were late or tix were sold out). The lizards on the trees were interesting.
When have you been to Fifth Third Dayton? I went last Labor Day (maybe it was sold out, my sister-in-law works there and got me in)

[tonjes]

i haven't been to many, but i'm still young. hopefully i'll make it to all of them eventually in my lifetime.

the parks i've seen games at are:

busch stadium
coors field
kaufman stadium
mile high stadium - this was back in the rockies first or second season. there were over 70,000 people at this game.
us cellular field
yankee stadium

oh.. my friends and i are planning to go to yankee stadium again in early may. i can't wait. i'd like to go up to boston too, but i hear it's nearly impossible to get tickets. is this true?

[2Chance]

originally posted by Captain Cold Nose
I was able to visit Cleveland's ... Stadium once, in 1984, for Indians-Red Sox game....

It was a good dozen years or so before I revisited the area. I've actually grown to like Cleveland, although I've only strolled around and past Jacobs Field.
Cap'n, Cleveland is a great place to visit. They gear up for tourists in that town, but you almost have to research and know where to go before you get there.

I, too, only been to cavernous Municipal Stadium once. It was for a Paul McCartney concert. My buddy's brother-in-law used to go there all the time, because it was easy to buy the nosebleed tickets and then walk down and sit close to the players. Bob Uecker's routine about calling to ask what time the game was and them replying, "What time can you be here?" wasn't too far from the truth. One of the guys who went from there to Cincinnati also said that the players practically knew the fans by name.

[RuthMayBond]

Cap'n, Cleveland is a great place to visit. They gear up for tourists in that town, but you almost have to research and know where to go before you get there.

I, too, only been to cavernous Municipal Stadium once. It was for a Paul McCartney concert. My buddy's brother-in-law used to go there all the time, because it was easy to buy the nosebleed tickets and then walk down and sit close to the players. Bob Uecker's routine about calling to ask what time the game was and them replying, "What time can you be here?" wasn't too far from the truth. One of the guys who went from there to Cincinnati also said that the players practically knew the fans by name.Does someone want to know something about Cleveland? Yeah in the old days the players did know all ten of us fans :laugh

[catcher24]

RMB: Come on, you exaggerate! :rolleyes: I used to go to Municipal, and there were always at least 20 fans!! :laugh

[RuthMayBond]

RMB: Come on, you exaggerate! :rolleyes: I used to go to Municipal, and there were always at least 20 fans!! :laughYou must have gone on ten cent beer night :laugh

[catcher24]

Good Reply, Rmb!! :D :D :D

[barofsoap1]

Dodger Statium, The King Dome, SafeCo Field, and PGE Park here in Portland where the Portland Beavers a AAA Team for the Padres play.

[Zito75]

Don't know how I missed this thread:

1. Kingdome
2. Safeco Field
3. Jack Murphy
4. Oakland-Alameda
5. Bank One Ballpark (BOB)
6. Every spring training stadium in AZ

[Obri]

Pac Bell Park, San Francisco(It was in 2000)
Camden Yards, Baltimore
Yankee Stadium, New York
Shea Stadium, New York

And in the minors, Keyspan Park, Brooklyn. Home to the Mets A-ball affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones.

[wamby]

Does someone want to know something about Cleveland? Yeah in the old days the players did know all ten of us fans :laugh

I remember going to Municipal Stadium in the years after I got out of the navy (1987-93) and it always seemed like I sat around the same group of people. The scenario played itself out quite a bit: after 3 innings the Indians would be leading 3 to 1. By the end of the ninth it would be visitors 8 Indians 4. We would all be shaking our heads and looking at each other as if to say: why the hell do we keep coming down here for this?

[mikeike]

First of all, this is an awesome board. Glad I found it. Where I've seen games:

Wrigley Field, Comiskey Park (old and new) County Stadium, Met Staduim & Hump Dome, Tiger Stadium (old and new), Fulton County & Turner Field, Riverfront & Great American Ballpark, The Vet, Busch, Rogers (Skydome), Dodger Stadium, Shea, PNC park, & Ballpark in Texas.

Minors, all 9 spring training parks in Phoenix & Tuscon, Victory Park (Indy), Coveleski Stadium (South Bend), and the following other minor league parks where I can't remember thir names, Fort Wayne (Wizards), Rockford (Cubbies), Battle Creek (Yankees), Grand Rapids (West Michigan), Lansing (Lugnuts), Quad Cities (River Bandits), Peoria (Chiefs), Frisco (Rough Riders).

Man, I just love baseball. Can't wait for it to start up again.

[DODGER DEB]

First of all, this is an awesome board. Glad I found it. Where I've seen games:

Wrigley Field, Comiskey Park (old and new) County Stadium, Met Staduim & Hump Dome, Tiger Stadium (old and new), Fulton County & Turner Field, Riverfront & Great American Ballpark, The Vet, Busch, Rogers (Skydome), Dodger Stadium, Shea, PNC park, & Ballpark in Texas.

Minors, all 9 spring training parks in Phoenix & Tuscon, Victory Park (Indy), Coveleski Stadium (South Bend), and the following other minor league parks where I can't remember thir names, Fort Wayne (Wizards), Rockford (Cubbies), Battle Creek (Yankees), Grand Rapids (West Michigan), Lansing (Lugnuts), Quad Cities (River Bandits), Peoria (Chiefs), Frisco (Rough Riders).

Man, I just love baseball. Can't wait for it to start up again.



Let me be the first to welcome YOU to BBF, mikeike!

It's always nice to add to our ranks, so join in the discussions, and have fun....WE DO!

c.

[Baseball Guru]

Wrigley Field(Cubs)

PNC(Pirates)

Oriole Park(Orioles)

Turner Field(Braves)

Jacobs Field(Indians)

Fenway Park(Red Sox)

Miller Park(Brewers)

Citizens Bank Park(Phillies)

Comerica Park(Tigers)

Yankee Stadium(Yankees)

Great American Ballpark(Reds)

US Cellular(White Sox)

Pro Player Stadium(Marlins)

Shea Stadium(Mets)

Three Rivers(Pirates)

Tropicana(D-Rays)

Cinergy Field(Reds)

I actually ranked them in the order of my preference as to the Major League parks I have gone to... I agree with the member that thinks PNC is a fantastic park.. IMO there is no comparison to PNC and Three Rivers.. Three Rivers was kinda plain IMO but I was impressed on the condition of the park as I went to both Three Rivers and Cinergy in their last year and there was no comparison and Cinergy was a dump!

I have also been to the following minor league/spring training parks:

Joker Marchant Stadium-Lakeland, Fl
Space Coast Stadium-Viera, Fl
Thomas J. White Stadium-St. Lucie, Fl
Cracker Jack Stadium-Kissimmee, Fl
Sam W. Wolfson Baseball Park-Jacksonville, Fl
Chain of Lakes Park-Winter Haven, Fl
Osceola County Stadium-Kissimmee, Fl
Holman Stadium @ Dodgertown-Vero Beach, Fl
Legends Field-Tampa, Fl
Henley Field-Lakeland, Fl
Baseball City-Baseball City, Fl
City of Palms Park -Ft. Myers, Fl

btw, let me be the 2nd to welcome you to the site Mike:waving

[catcher24]

Guru: That would be me who extolls the virtues of PNC. I just love going to that park. And yes, welcome Mike. :waving

[R.P. Giblets]

Yankee Stadium - Original and Refurbished* PNC
Fenway***Astrodome
Camden Yards***Busch
Skydome**Wrigley Field
Tropicana Field** Miller Park
"The Jake"** Dodger Stadium
Kaufman Stadium
Old and new White Sox Parks
Comerica Park
The Ballpark at Arlington
Shea
Veterans (Philly)
Fulton County and Turner Field
Whatever they want to call that one in Miami-i always will call it "Joe Robbie Stadium.
Great American Ballpark
Too many Minor League parks to list!

[Ontarioguy]

MLB:
Just Olympic Stadium, Montreal

Minor League
Lynx Stadium, Ottawa

[55 chmps]

Shea Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Tiger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Fenway Park
Commercia Ballpark
(I forgot where the Brooklyn Cyclones and Toledo Mud Hens play)
EAB Park (Long Island Ducks)

[RuthMayBond]

Commercia BallparkFreudian slip? :laugh :laugh

[E.Banks#14]

I'm 13 and have been a Cubs fan all my life which explains the following:

Chicago: Wrigley Field - I went at least 7 times last year, saw Mad Dog get his first try at 300 wins (in which Dusty took him out one inning before the Cubs rallied to gain the lead), I saw Sammy hit #61 & #62 on Sep. 13, 1998 (still have the ticket stub for that one)----- Many great memories there and hopefully more to come.

And, I hate to admit it, but I went to Comiskey once, only because my friend invited me, and who can turn down a free ticket?

Last year I went to HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ twice (Cubs Spring Training), Maryvale Park in Phoenix, AZ (Saw the Cubs play the Brewers) - It was a great experience, Sandberg (like always at S.T.) was a coach and he signed for at least 30 minutes before the game and Cubs owner, or President I'm not sure which, Andy MacPhail was there and I talked to him. And I also went to Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, AZ to see the Cubs vs. the Angels.


GO CUBS

[west coast orange and black]

And, I hate to admit it, but I went to Comiskey once, only because my friend invited me, and who can turn down a free ticket?
hey, a free get in is a free get in. no shame in that, young man.

[EddieBa26]

Stadiums I've been to:
Veteran's Stadium
Citizens Bank Park
Three Rivers Stadium
PNC Park
Camden Yards
Yankee Stadium
Fenway Park
Candlestick Park
Oakland Collsieum

I am hoping to get in a bunch more of teams in Cali this year and Chi-town as I've had two friends move to those cities this year!

[bennyboy02]

Joe Robbie/Pro Player - Marlins
Atlanta Fulton County - Braves
Turner Field - Braves
Shea Stadium - Mets
Yankee Stadium - Yankees
Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Orioles
Candlestick Park - Giants
Veterans Stadium - Phillies
Citizens Bank Park - Phillies
Fenway Park - Boston
Jacobs Field - Indians
Wrigley Field - Cubs

[canmark]

I've been to:

Exhibition Stadium - Blue Jays
SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) - Blue Jays
Olympic Stadium - Expos
Tiger Stadium - Tigers
Yankee Stadium - Yankees
Shea Stadium - Mets
Citizen Bank Ballpark - Phillies
Wrigley Field - Cubs
New Commiskey (now U.S. Cellular Field) - White Sox
Astrodome - Astros

[west coast orange and black]

I've been to:

Exhibition Stadium - Blue Jays
SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) - Blue Jays
Olympic Stadium - Expos

will you please offer a few pros and cons of each?

[RuthMayBond]

In approximate order:
Cleveland's Municipal Stadium: where my batting-practice catching started (including one at the '81 A-S Game)
Three Rivers: don't remember much
Riverfront: brother-in-law took me to a Monday night televised game but it rained a lot. George Foster blasted one just below us.)
Atlanta Fulton-County: forgot my glove, batter blasted one to me, just wanted to keep it in front of me, ending up catching it on the fly
Tiger Stadium: went the last week before it closed. Mike Jackson tossed a ball to me. A Tiger later tossed a ball, I got it, he said to give it to this lady and he'd get me another one. He ended up throwing the other one in from about 150 ft. & someone else got it. :grouchyHow's this to make me feel old, most of the ML parks I've been to no longer exist :laugh

[tulsacubfan]

Wrigley, Comisky (or whatever they call it now), the Vet, Turner, Pro Player, Ballpark at Arlington, Astrodome, Minute Maid (while it was still Enron), Busch, Miller, Angle Stadium, SBC, Safeco, Fenway, Cinergy, Coors, Kauffman, Doubleday. This summer will add Citizens Bank, RFK, Shea and Yankee Stadium.

The only minor leagues are Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

[ElHalo]

How's this to make me feel old, most of the ML parks I've been to no longer exist :laugh

You got three balls thrown to you in one game? I've never had a ball come to the same section as me. I guess that's a benefit of sitting in the fancy seats.

[ElHalo]

And here's my home away from home. Always sit in the same place.

[catcher24]

ElHalo: Nice shot! How do get the pictures posted? Do you have to upload to a website, then link to the photo, or what?
RMB: Think you feel old? I think as of this point, I am the ONLY one to list Forbes Field! ;)

TO ALL:

It would be nice if everyone who posted listed their favorite, and maybe why. My favorite is PNC, for reasons I have posted previously.

[RuthMayBond]

You got three balls thrown to you in one game? I've never had a ball come to the same section as me. I guess that's a benefit of sitting in the fancy seats.I didn't think I said that I had three thrown to me in one game. The benefit is going to batting practice. My "fancy" seats are usually six bucks :laugh

[RuthMayBond]

TO ALL:

It would be nice if everyone who posted listed their favorite, and maybe why. My favorite is PNC, for reasons I have posted previously.Maybe Cleveland Municipal. Free parking (if you knew where to go), not too much competition in batting practice when they could actually reach the seats (check attendance 1983-85)

[Maaaaatsui #55!]

Olympic Stadium- Expos:
---- It was not as bad as people originally said it was. ASB 2005 even called it one of the worst baseball stadiums ever. Even though the warning tracks were just brown steel plates and the foul poles were actually "foul nets", it was still a unique baseball park. Oh yeah, getting 2 signatures from Eric Gagne and $1(Canadian dollars) hot dogs were not bad either.

Fenway Park- Red Sox (boooo)
------ I was happy to visit this ballpark 2 months before the curse was ended. It was fun to march around Fenway with my Babe Ruth jersey and Yankee cap. This ballpark is a true classic right down to the old wooden seats.

Shea Stadium- Mets(another boooo)
------- Ever wondered what it was like to sit in a blue donut? That is what Shea Stadium is. I was always amased how high the seats went.

Yankee Stadium- Yanks!!!!!
------ My favorite. Just think about all the history there. I sit in the right field bleachers and it is great to realize that Babe Ruth and other legens stood just a few feet away. Don't forget Monument Park either.

[Got Twins?]

My 1st MLB game, 7/22/77 Metropolitan Stadium (Twins old stadium in Bloomington, where Mall of America now sits)

Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome (we need a new stadium here in MN, enough said)

Kingdome (worst I have been to)

Milwaukee County Stadium (tailgating in Milwaukee is a great experience)

Coors Field (love the view of the mountains and the fact Denver has a team)

Busch (great baseball fans and history here)

Safeco (a very nice new stadium, one of my favorites - they should have imploded the Kingdome years before they did!)

Miller Park (tailgating again - wish the roof was open the night I was there)

Wrigley (a classic, finally got there last year, a great place to take in a game)

All in all, it's too tough to pick a favorite.

I have toured Fenway Park & Turner Field (unfortunately the Red Sox & Braves were both out of town when I was there).

Exhibition game in 1988 at Mile High Stadium, Twins vs Blue Jays and a minor league game there as well.

Other minor league stadiums
Midway Stadium (St Paul Saints)
Cobb Field (Billings Mustangs)
Siebert Field (now defunct Minneapolis Loons played at the U of MN baseball stadium for 2 years)

[ElHalo]

ElHalo: Nice shot! How do get the pictures posted? Do you have to upload to a website, then link to the photo, or what?
RMB: Think you feel old? I think as of this point, I am the ONLY one to list Forbes Field! ;)

TO ALL:

It would be nice if everyone who posted listed their favorite, and maybe why. My favorite is PNC, for reasons I have posted previously.

That's a picture I took with my digital camera from my usual seats. I had it on my computer, and just uploaded it with the "manage attachments" button under the "Submit Reply" button.

[catcher24]

OK, I've tried to upload a couple of pictures before but didn't have any luck. I'll try again. Thanks! Oh, WOW, it WORKED!! Can you say PNC on a warm summer night? :clapping

[west coast orange and black]

san francisco giants: candlestick park, pac bell
oakland a’s: oakland coliseum, network / los angeles dodgers: dodger stadium
san diego padres – jack murphy, quallcom / anaheim angels: anaheim stadium, edison field
baltimore orioles: memorial stadium, oriole park / atlanta braves: atlanta-fulton county, turner field
boston red sox: fenway park / colorado rockies: mile high, coors field
chicago cubs: wrigley field / houston astros – astrodome
new york mets – shea stadium / new york yankees – yankee stadium, shea stadium
st. louis cardinals – busch stadium II / cincinnati reds – riverfront stadium

pac bell is by far my favorite.

it is my favorite because it is the current home of the san francisco giants.
oh, there are lots of amenitities for the casual fan: roomy, angled seating, proximity to field, foods of many type, unusual field dimensions, etc. and it is plenty purdy and special enough even for the regular visitor.
but it is my favorite just because that's where i can go see the giants play.

[west coast orange and black]

OK, I've tried to upload a couple of pictures before but didn't have any luck. I'll try again. Thanks! Oh, WOW, it WORKED!! Can you say PNC on a warm summer night? :clapping
pnc on a warm summer night.

looks terrific! thanx for sharing.
(do you perchance have a nighttime pic? the clemente bridge, while watching the tube, is a shining star.)

[Appling]

MLB parks I've seen:
Old Comiskey park; New Comiskey Park (US Cellular); Wrigley Field; Minnesota Met Stadium; Metrodome; Orioles Park at Camden Yards. Oh yes, and I once toured Fenway but not on a game day.

Best of the group was Camden Yards. I was disappointed with the new Comiskey Park (seems cold and sterile). Worst of the bunch is the Metrodome -- but it's a great park when packed with people.

Great AAA park right here in Oklahoma City (Bricktown).

[E.Banks#14]

Pac Bell really looks beautiful in that picture, makes me want to go and see the Cubs whoop them. :dance

[catcher24]

WCO&B: I think I have a couple shots I took at night. Let me see if I can find them.

[Catfish27]

Hey, everyone!

List of ballparks where I've seen a game include:
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland, CA) - both before and after recent renovation
Candlestick Park (San Francisco, CA)
PacBell/SBC Park (San Francisco, CA)
Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim, CA) - before recent renovation
Metrodome (Minneapolis, MN)
Royal Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Bank One Ballpark (Phoenix, AZ)
Yankee Stadium (New York, NY)
Wrigley Field (Chicago, IL)

The only ballpark of these I really disliked was the Metrodome. The fans there are great, but the ballpark is terrible! I saw a game there in 1988, I believe, against the Milwaukee Brewers. It was Dairy Day or some such so throughout the game they had interesting (if you're a farmer) dairy facts posted on the Jumbo Tron or whatever they call it there. We don't get too many Dairy Days on the West Coast.

Difficult to say which is the best, but I'd say the best experience I've ever had was August 13, 1995 at Yankee Stadium for a Sunday matinee between the Yankees and the Indians. My wife and I were staying with a friend in Brooklyn during our visit. We took the subway out to the ballpark to find the flags at half mast. Shortly thereafter we learned that Mickey Mantle had passed away earlier that morning. Naturally we visited the monuments beyond centerfield. They had tributes to Mantle throughout the game, which the Yankees won 3-1. Paul O'Neill slammed a homer into the rightfield seats early in the game. The only blemish on David Cone's pitching performance was a solo homer to Albert Bell. No fans are as rabid as Yankee fans!

The most surprising ballpark was "The BOB" in Phoenix. Nothing much to look at on the outside, but inside it is really fantastic. If you're going to build a ballpark in the middle of the scorching desert, this is how to do it. One of the two games I saw there was a no-hitter.

My experience at Wrigley was really interesting. I was in Chicago for the weekend with the USAF Reserves. A buddy and I decided to go to the game, which was in July sometime in the mid-1980s; it was the Cubs last game before the All-Star break. The Cubbies were playing the Dodgers that afternoon and it was standing room only, so we bought 'em. Before the game a marching band strolls out on the field to play the National Anthem. During the playing of the Anthem I notice the groundskeepers are hovering around the tarps. As soon as the Anthem ends they BOLT across the field dragging the tarps behind them. Sure enough, a deluge insues. Most of the fans in the stands scurry for cover but it comes down so fast and hard that they're soaked before they can hardly move. Fortunately the inclement weather is short-lived and the game gets underway. Well, fortunate for the Dodgers anyway. They pound the Cubs for a 12-1 win.

A few years ago my wife and I were in Chicago for the April wedding of her cousin. I bought tickets to see the Cubs play the Reds. Unfortunately, the game rained out so we gave the tickets to her aunt. We did get to go inside the park and take pictures, and see the recently erected Harry Caray statue outside, though.

Royal Stadium is a very nice small ballpark. They'd replaced the fake stuff with real grass when I was there, which I'm sure made the field much nicer than it had been previously.

The thing that impressed me with Anaheim was how efficiently cars moved in and out of the parking lot. (This was 1992 or 1993, I believe.) Of course I think all of the parking lot attendents must have formerly been with the Nazi SS. (Talk about grumpy old men!) Contrast this with Oakland where you can pretty much park wherever want. It's pretty laissez-faire in the East Bay. ;)

[catcher24]

WCO&B: Sorry, didn't have any pictures of the bridge after dark. However, I have one of a couple players warming up before the game, with the bridge in the background.

[catcher24]

Here is one of the park after the game, from across the Ohio River.

[catcher24]

For those of you who haven't been able to make it yet, here is a pregame picture of Jacobs Field.

[PopTop]

Won't bore anyone with the long list, the count is 17 MLB parks, my favorite was and still is old Tiger Stadium, Candlestick was probably my least favorite, and my lists includes all 5 MLB parks in Texas (from Colt Std to The Astrodome to Arthur Andersen Memorial in Houston to Rangers Std and The Ballpark up in D-FW).

I'm estimating about 10 minor league parks, there might have been a few more. I really liked the old park in Portland, Maine, think it was called just "The Ballpark" when I was there in '88, and I had a blast in Colorado Springs a couple of years ago. The two parks within about an hours drive from where I am now, in Round Rock and San Antonio, are both nice places, prefer the one in SA because it's a shorter drive :) New Orleans is ok, but hotter than anywhere on earth from late June thru August. I'm anxious to go down to Corpus Christi and see the new Hooks play with the shuffling and relocation of teams below the Astros this past offseason.

[wamby]

Maybe Cleveland Municipal. Free parking (if you knew where to go), not too much competition in batting practice when they could actually reach the seats (check attendance 1983-85)

West 9th and St. Clair was my parking spot of choice for Municipal. There was no real Warehouse district then. About 50% of the time I was down there, there wweren't even any attendents at the pay lots down by the Main Avenue bridge.

[diablo7680]

I'm a youngster.. though older than some of today's stars. 24 years old, but the only stadiums I've seen games in person at were the Astrodome in which I saw probably around 2 dozen games, and Minute Maid, which I've seen 2 games, including the playoff-clenching final 2004 regular season game.

[canmark]

will you please offer a few pros and cons of each?

Exhibition Stadium was good if you didn't know any better, and in the Jays's early years we didn't know better. It was pretty much like a minor league facility, one level of seats situated in front of an existing grandstand (that was used for football). It was on the Canadian National Exhibition (equivalent to a "state fair") grounds, so that was always fun in the summer.

I've always liked the SkyDome. It's not a historic place, it's not a retro place, it's not a baseball-only facility. So you can't compare it many other stadiums which are, I suppose, nicer because of those factors. The SkyDome is a Toyota Camry. It's not flashy, it's functional. But it has enough bells and whistles that it's not as bland as some of the Astroturf dome stadiums that were built in the past. This season, the Jays (who purchased the SkyDome and re-named it the Rogers Centre) will unveil some upgrades: new Tropicana Field-like turf (simulated grass), new scoreboard, 'ribbon boards' (signs that go all the way around the stadium, as seen in many basketball/hockey arenas), plus out-of-town scoreboards on the outfield walls.

Olympic Stadium is one of those old bland stadiums as mentioned above. That said, they did have good fans. They may not have been large in number, but the Montreal fans were far more vocal and enthusiastic than Toronto fans. So for that I appreciated the Big O.

[Cubbie&TribeFan]

I just turned 30 last week, so I still have plenty of time. I've been to

1. Cleveland Municipal Stadium (Gone) (Tribe)
2. Jacobs Field (My hometown...of course I've been there) (Tribe)
3. Wrigley Field (Cubs)
4. Comerica Park (Tigers)
5. PNC Park (Pirates)
6. Great American Ballpark (Reds)
7. Comiskey Field (OK so its US Cellular now) (White Sox)
8. Miller Park (Brewers)
9. Camden Yards (Orioles)
10. Veterans Stadium (Gone) (Phillies)
11. Minute Maid Park (Astors Field, Enron...whatever it is this week) (Astros)
12. Ameriquest Field (again The Ballpark in Arlington to everyone) (Rangers)
13. SBC Park (No longer Pac Bell) (Giants)
14. McAfee Coliseum (was Network Col..Was the Oakland Coliseum) (A's)
15. Bank One Ballpark (Diamondbacks)
16. Busch Stadium (Cardinals)
--Best Game I was ever at...Cubs Vs Cardinals Ultimate Rivalry
17. Shea Stadium (Mets)
18. Canal Park (Akron Aeros AA Club)
19. Eastlake Ballpark (Lake County Captains A Club)
20. Cafaro Field (Mahoning Valley Scrappers Short Season A Club)
21. Cooper Stadium (Columbus Clippers Yanks AAA Team)

So I have 16 major league cities down and 14 more to go (until new ballparks are built) Still got to make it back to Philly. I already have tickets to a Red Sox game on May 11 and I'm at least going to Atlant, Toronto and either Colorado or Seattle this year. Just go tto find the cheap flights. Any suggestions?

[RuthMayBond]

I just turned 30 last week, so I still have plenty of time. I've been to

1. Cleveland Municipal Stadium (Gone) (Tribe)
2. Jacobs Field (My hometown...of course I've been there) (Tribe)
18. Canal Park (Akron Aeros AA Club)
19. Eastlake Ballpark (Lake County Captains A Club)
20. Cafaro Field (Mahoning Valley Scrappers Short Season A Club)Woo hoo, you still in NE Ohio? I gotta get to Eastlake

[skeletor]

Has anyone been to either Tiger stadium ( 1912-1999 ) or Comerica
( 2000- ? ) been to em' both..both great..but Tiger stadium, was clearly
the better of the two..any opinions on them ?

also check out two great AAA parks, the Memphis Red Birds -autozone park,
and the Mudhens new digs in Toledo..both are great minor league parks !

[rhd]

I've been to most of the current MLB parks, 22 in all. It's hard to say you've been to them all because they're building new ones faster than you can go to them! I'll list the ones I havent been to: Wrigley, Fenway, Miller, Kaufmann (KC), Metrodome, Tropicana, Comerica, Turner.

I like most of the new 'retro' parks, of which I like Camden the best (the warehouse makes it unique). Runner-up is PNC. Just a gorgeous park. Beautiful view of the Pittsburgh skyline and the bridge. SBC in SF also is gorgeous. But my overall favorite is Dodger Stadium. The park itself is beautiful and where else can you see blossoming flowers on the ramp up to the stadium?

Most of the really bad parks I've been to are no longer being used. These would include the Kingdome and Olympic Stadium. Both were/are monstrosities. I havent been to the Metrodome or Tropicana, which I hear are horrible also, but, actually, I would rate the Skydome as the worst of the current ones I've been to. An engineering marvel for its time but unattractive inside and out. And it doesnt have either of the 2 essential qualities for a good baseball park, IMO, which are natural turf and a completely open park. I've been to all the retractable domes in MLB except for Miller, and the roof was open on each of them. In none of them did I get the feeling I was outside. It felt like I was in a closed building with the roof missing, which is exactly where I was. Baseball is supposed to be played outside, and it should feel like you're outside. Safeco is the best of the domes, IMO, but it probably wouldnt even make my top 15. Minute Maid, actually, was pretty nice, too.

Someone asked for opinions on the Detroit parks. I havent seen Comerica yet, tho I hear it is nice. I saw Tiger Stadium in its last year. It was great to be in the same park that Ty Cobb and Charlie Gehringer played in, but my impression was it was long overdue for replacement.

I also saw some of the other parks no longer being used, like the Vet, Three Rivers, Milwaukee County Stadium, Candlestick, the old Arlington Stadium (like an oversized minor league stadium), Memorial Stadium in Baltimore (beautiful!), Fulton County Stadium, and the Astrodome.

I also saw Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan last year. That was an experience! It's definitely a minor league stadium and not a particularly good one either. It held only about 23,000 or so and it didnt even look half full. They had a bunch of big metal beams laying around right outside the stadium. And the ticket prices were outrageous! $25 was the cheapest ticket, except for the bleachers, which were $10. $75 for behind home plate. The stadium fit right in w the third-world environment, but the prices sure didnt. I saw the Expos (the 'home' team) play the Mets, and most of the fans were cheering for the Mets. At least parking was convenient (in a dirt field right outside the park). Of course parking should be convenient if there are only 10,000 people at the game. The fact that MLB even considered this as a home for a MLB team on even a temporary basis is just more evidence to me that the people running MLB are completely incompetent.

Someone asked about the Phillies' new park. I thought it was very nice, better, IMO, than San Diego's new park. It's not downtown but parking was very accessible.

I've also been to some minor league parks. The best of these was Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend it, but note that it hosts a short-season team so they play games there for only a little over 2 months. The comments about the Long Island Ducks' park makes me want to see it also. I've also been to the Tokyo Dome in Japan (saw 'Big' Matsui when he played for the Yomiuri Giants). They call it the 'big egg', altho it didnt look like an egg to me. Not too attractive, but an interesting experience. I stood in line for hours just to get a ticket and after I got inside, there were no seats and I had to stand up for the entire game. Also, they have the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame right at the park.

[wamby]

[QUOTE=catcher24

It would be nice if everyone who posted listed their favorite, and maybe why. My favorite is PNC, for reasons I have posted previously.[/QUOTE]

The best park I've been to, by far, is Wrigley Field. No frills, just baseball.

Jacobs Field is a nice park, but I don't always like the atmosphere there. This was especially true during its supposed sellout streak.

[RuthMayBond]

Jacobs Field is a nice park, but I don't always like the atmosphere there. This was especially true during its supposed sellout streak.what was wrong with the atmosphere, and why was the streak supposed?

[catcher24]

Speaking of nice minor league parks, if you ever get a chance to see Dunn Tire Park (formerly Pilot Field), home of the Buffalo Bisons, go for it. This is a great minor league park (AAA).

[tulsacubfan]

also check out two great AAA parks, the Memphis Red Birds -autozone park,
and the Mudhens new digs in Toledo..both are great minor league parks !

I have wondered about the AutoZone Park. It looks like a great park, but I always seem to get to Memphis either in the dead of winter, or the Red Birds are on the road. Travelling to Memphis for the last 4 years (business) have never been able to see a game there! Often stay either at the Radisson or Holiday Inn downtown, so see it from the outside and it looks great!

[cong]

The MLB parks I have been to in no particluar order.

Yankee Stadium
Shea Stadium
Toronto Exhibition Stadium
Cincinnati River Front Stadium
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium
Montreal Olympic Stadium
Baltimore Memorial Stadium
Baltimore Camden Yards
Boston Fenway Park
San Francisco Pac Bell
Oakland Coliseum
Anaheim Edison Field
LA Dodger Stadium
Miami Pro Player Stadium
Tampa Bay Tropicana Field
Philadelphia Citizen Bank Park

[trosmok]

I've been to most of the current MLB parks, 22 in all. It's hard to say you've been to them all because they're building new ones faster than you can go to them!
I also saw Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan last year. That was an experience! It's definitely a minor league stadium and not a particularly good one either. It held only about 23,000 or so and it didnt even look half full. They had a bunch of big metal beams laying around right outside the stadium. And the ticket prices were outrageous! $25 was the cheapest ticket, except for the bleachers, which were $10. $75 for behind home plate. The stadium fit right in w the third-world environment, but the prices sure didnt. I saw the Expos (the 'home' team) play the Mets, and most of the fans were cheering for the Mets. At least parking was convenient (in a dirt field right outside the park). Of course parking should be convenient if there are only 10,000 people at the game. The fact that MLB even considered this as a home for a MLB team on even a temporary basis is just more evidence to me that the people running MLB are completely incompetent.



Welcome to the Fever, rhd, and am enjoying your posts already. I'm a little envious of your list, but they do seem to keep building them faster than we can travel to attend them all. I had quite a different experience when I went to Hiram Bithorn in 2003 than yours last season. They had not yet moved the outfield walls back 25', and had an old artificial surface that was replaced for '04. Why they didn't go to natural grass is beyond me, unless the blistering tropical sun turns it to dust without great expense in installing new drainage, sprinkling and soil. The beams you noticed might be for the ongoing expansion that will eventually double the capacity from it's current 22,000 to over 40,000. The Mets had a Puerto Rican born double play combination last season, which might account for the preponderance of NYMets fans when you were there. I wen