MLB – Baseball Travels

Baseball Tickets

A smattering of tickets for games at Shea Stadium, Queens, NY, during an era when all tickets were torn.

Full disclosure: I am a couple of years short of my 60th birthday, and some of the views here are consistent with those of an American man of that age. Considering during my career I made considerable use of computers and other electronics, I would classify myself as tech savvy, and I understand the importance of progress from a technical standpoint. That having been said, I do believe that some things could remain the way they were, at least as an option in a world where technology changes quickly.

As the title stays, the blog entry deals primarily with baseball tickets, and how access to the ballpark has changed during my years as an avid baseball fan. Unfortunately, I was not aware enough in my younger days to keep the ticket stubs from baseball games, as I did not then understand the importance they would play later in my baseball life. My brother and I went to MANY ball games together during the 1980s, but none of the tickets from that time survived. We did collect yearbooks and scorecards from the 1980s, but tickets were an afterthought.

The oldest ticket stub in the collection dates back to 1991, when I saw the Kansas City Royals host the New York Yankees.

During the 1990s, we did have enough forethought to keep some of the tickets from the games we attended. At that time, we were attending only Major League (MLB) games, so that was the whole of our knowledge of baseball. Most of the tickets we had while attending games in New York City or Philadelphia were rather mundane (like the image of tickets above), but the ticket I received in Kansas City was very colorful (for the time), featuring an image of the iconic scoreboard and fountain. As was the case back in the early 1990s, this ticket was torn, as the ushers kept a portion of the ticket to verify the attendance for that game.

This simple transaction piqued my interest regarding tickets as memorabilia, and I became more vigilante keeping my tickets stubs. In the 1980s and 1990s, purchasing tickets at the gate or directly from the team ensured a genuine ticket. Buying tickets from a third party vendor (like Ticketmaster) almost guaranteed a drab, corporate looking thing that was hardly worth keeping once the game was complete. In fact, that is what happened to many tickets during this era, as many tickets were procured tickets from vendors and not the teams themselves.

A ticket purchased through tickets.com, not nearly as pleasing as a ticket from the team. This ticket was for a game on September 16th, 2001. Because of the national emergency following 9/11, this game was not played on that date.

We started traveling a bit more in the mid to late 1990s, when circumstances (and finances) allowed it. Whenever possible, I would buy a ticket at the box office, which was a risky proposition depending on how well the home team drew. Coming back from a work trip, I passed by Boston just before the evening commute, when one of my colleagues indicated that the Red Sox were home. Not yet as popular as they would be in the upcoming years, we diverted to Fenway Park to see the game. It was my first trip to that hallowed ground, and I was able to get a ticket from the box office. That trip to Fenway Park also opened my eyes to the exorbitant amount people were charging for parking, as we paid $30 to park in a Sunoco gas station lot.

My ticket for Fenway Park in 1996, with the Green Monster in the background. Note that the ticket says no smoking, a relic from what seems to be the distance past.

Crossing into the new millennium, technology for ticket taking was undergoing change, and some ballparks were embracing the future by no longer tearing tickets. This change first caught my eye when we were in San Francisco in 2002. Buying the tickets ahead of time, I was concerned that the tickets would be drab documents from a third party provider. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when we received the tickets in advance of our first West Coast trip.

Our tickets had barcodes at both ends, making it unnecessary to deface them. The tickets themselves were beautiful, and it was clear that the Giants organization not only brought their services into the new century, they took some pride in the artistic flare the tickets exhibited. Though these tickets were much longer than typical, my brother and I took great care to keep them intact, as they were as much a souvenir as an admission to a ballgame in the newly minted Pac Bell Park.

Tickets for games at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco during September 2002.

How tickets were handled at MLB ballparks was still widely varied, as we went to Montreal to see the Boston Red Sox take on the Expos. Clearly the Montreal front office was caught in the past (which may not have been their fault, as the team was rumored to be sold and moved for years), sending us tickets that were torn at the gate. Though the game was played in Quebec (where French is the official language, and the locals were unwilling to deal with English speakers), luckily there was enough English to help us get to our seats. The ticket from that game was printed primarily in French, but the vital information was discernible. Those tickets were keepsakes not only because that might have been the last season in Montreal for the franchise (as we thought it might be; the move to DC did not occur until 2005), but because they were our first tickets displaying a foreign language.

A ticket from Montreal in 2001. Note that most of the information is displayed in French.

As the number of MLB parks we needed to visit started dwindling, we added minor league (MiLB) and Atlantic League (ALPB) ballparks to our schedule. Like the MLB, there was a variety of ways to obtain tickets, with some parks still tearing tickets, and others using the barcode approach. Moving to the DC area in 2013, I adopted the Bowie BaySox (the Double A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) as my home team, seeing as many as 30 games a year. In my entire tenure there, the BaySox did little to change they way they handled tickets, tearing at first, and then scanning. All the while, they had turnstiles, even as some ballparks were eliminating from the process.

Other MiLB teams, perhaps taking a page from their MLB team, began to make their tickets more artistic, something that could be treasured as much as any other souvenir. It took some time for that change to occur, but we started noticing the change when we traveled further from home. By this time, printing tickets at home had become a preferred way to obtain tickets when ordering online, I had to make certain I chose a physical ticket, even if it cost more.

Though the online tickets had the same artistic images, it was not the same as holding the ticket in your hand. Almost all print at home tickets we used managed to find their way to the trash, as the ticket itself was much less durable. Barcodes made sure that these tickets were unadorned, and we took great care to keep them that way. These were memorabilia in my opinion, and should be treated as such (perhaps my age is starting to poke through here).

A ticket for an Indianapolis Indians game in 2017. Physical tickets were becoming harder to obtain by this point.

By the late 2010s, getting physical tickets, especially for MLB games, was becoming more and more difficult. Even print at home tickets were being discouraged; teams preferred fans load their tickets on their phones for easy scanning. Bringing a ticket to a game on my phone presents no problems for me, other than the fact that I miss an opportunity for a souvenir from the game. This approach however, is far from infallible, even to this day. There have been times I needed to step out of line to make sure my ticket was displayed on my phone, and even doing this was no guarantee of admittance. In Houston during 2018, my brother had serious issues attempting to enter Minute Maid parking because of persistent scanning problem at the gate.

Last, and not least, the technology can be formidable for aging fans, particularly if they are uncomfortable with the mobile devices. As I mentioned at the start, I consider myself tech savvy, but I understand that not everyone is, especially if connectivity is a problem at the venue. This is why I would like to see getting physical tickets remain a feasible method for seeing a ballgame.

We can still get physical tickets for Jersey Shore BlueClaws (High A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies) games in Lakewood, NJ. The tickets are HUGE, and may be my favorite MiLB ticket.

In the US and Canada, baseball tickets are fairly easy to decipher, even in French, but we experienced something much different in our travels to Japan. Though there is generally enough English to help you navigate the urban areas in Japan, outside of these areas things become a bit more challenging. Visiting the TokyoDome presented no challenges, as there were plenty of English speakers and the tickets were relatively easy to read.

However, our next stop in Nishinomiya (near Osaka), getting to our seats proved more problematic. My brother used a QR code (which was still fairly new to me) to print out our tickets. Unlike our Tokyo tickets, little of the information was printed in English, and it took some time and help from the stadium personnel to finally arrive at our seats. Even with the mild inconvenience, it was worth it, as the ticket we received was a physical ticket, a beautiful souvenir from the event.

One of our tickets for Koshen Stadium, located near Osaka, Japan. The information was barely discernible, unlike the ticket for the TokyoDome . However, the ticket is quite beautiful as a souvenir.

We had roughly the same experience in Hiroshima, where tickets are exceedingly difficult to secure, as the entire season sells out mere hours after going on sale. A disappointing transaction meant that the tickets were ordered were unable for the game, and the general admission tickets we had in hand did NOT guarantee us seats for the game. Like the tickets for Koshen Stadium, the tickets for Hiroshima were also quite beautiful, even if ultimately useless to us at the ballpark.

Our seats for Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium in Hiroshima, Japan were beautiful, if not useful at the stadium.

Encouraged by some of the tickets we received for our Japan trip in 2018, I looked forward to our 2019 baseball trip. We used a highly regarded ticket broker in Japan to secure seats for our trip. While the seats themselves were quite good, they were disappointing visually. In Japan, tickets can be purchased at any 7-11 store, but you need to understand Japan to retrieve them. Our ticket broker used the 7-11 approach for the tickets, which looked much like the vendor tickets we have received in the US (minus the Japanese writing, of course). In addition, the 7-11 tickets can be very difficult to read, so most of the time we relied on the ushers at the ballparks to get us to our seats.

Our ticket to see the Sendai Golden Eagles. The tickets are, in my opinion, visually unappealing and difficult to discern.

This has been a short history of our history with tickets going to baseball games over the past 40 years. While the current prevailing method of distributing and using tickets has proven to be mainly hassle-free, there is something missing. Hopefully, getting and using physical tickets will remain a viable option for as long as I go to see games.

National Baseball Hall of Fame

The National Baseball Hall Of Fame, located in the picturesque village of Cooperstown, NY, represents baseball Mecca to many fans, including my brother and me. Arguably the most famous sports hall of fame, the Hall keeps alive the past, as well as integrating the present, making it a prime target for any passionate fan. For years we talked about going, but transportation issues, and coordinating work schedules proved formidable for planning a trip. At that time, I was living in southern Maine, further complicating the situation. All of these factors resulted in us putting off the trip early 2000. We have made two subsequent trips to the Hall, and each visit occurred in different times of year, lending a unique perspective to the museum and village of Cooperstown.

First visit : Sunday, March 12, 2000

Our first visit occurred on Sunday, March 12th 2000. Though we were only about 10 days from spring, the weather was decidedly winterlike, with cloudy skies and cold temperatures in central NJ, where our trip began. Not unexpectedly, weekend traffic afforded us some relief from the normal commuting issues in NJ, and the drive was rather uneventful. From central NJ to the village of Cooperstown measured about 250 miles, which we covered in a bit less than four and one-half hours. Since our visit was out of season, Cooperstown was quiet, as was the Hall. It was so quiet that we were able to park just across the street from the museum, a pleasure we would not have in subsequent visits.

Google Maps showing our trip from central NJ to Cooperstown NY.

After purchasing tickets in the the Main Lobby, we headed almost immediately to the Plaque Gallery, located on the first floor. The Gallery houses the famous plaques for each member of the Hall of Fame, and the view was better than I had imagined. During much of my life, I had seen pictures of the plaques, but now here we were in their presence. At first, my brother and I walked through the Gallery together, but soon we split up, as each of us gravitated to our favorite players and eras. Time passed incredibly quickly, and since we had only carved out enough time for a brief visit, it seemed all too soon that we had to move on and see the main part of the museum, referred to as the Baseball Timeline., located on the second floor.

A ticket from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Baseball came alive for me in the Baseball Timeline. In this section of the Hall lies the vast majority of the historical items and memorabilia collected over the past 150 years. Being Mets fans, we searched for the Tom Seaver display, as he is the only Mets player to be enshrined in the Hall. We spent most of our time here, as the history of baseball was laid out before us. Because of time constraints, we were limited to visiting only a fraction of the Hall. Unfortunately, we either did not take pictures during our visit, or those photos have been lost. Either way, we did not have much in the way of visuals to display here. Nonetheless, it was a trip all true baseball fans should make at some point, as I do not believe there is a greater collection of baseball history in any one place. We left in the mid afternoon, as I needed to be back in Maine in less than 24 hours. There was so much to see, and we did not give ourselves nearly enough time to see it. We will return again, as the call will be too strong to ignore.

Unfortunately, our trip back to the central NJ shore shaped up to be much trickier than the trip here. Shortly after leaving the Hall, snow began falling, and as we reached the NY Thruway, it became heavier, covering the road. There was not much traffic, which was a blessing, as we needed to reduce speed in order not to end up on the side of the road. Snow ended as we crossed back into NJ, with an uneventful trip ahead of us the remainder of the way.

Second visit: July 23/24, 2014

Apparently, the call of the Hall was not as loud or enticing as I expected, because our second visit occurred more than 14 years after our first. To be fair, we were crisscrossing the US visiting major league ballparks, checking off all but Oakland-Alameda County Stadium in Oakland CA in the process. Though we had begun visiting minor league ballparks, we managed to carve out time to return to Cooperstown, this time in the heat of the summer. We were unaware that the following weekend was Induction Weekend, but in all honesty, I am glad we were not present at that time. Cooperstown is small, and resources (like parking) become stretched when large crowds are present.

Tickets from our Hall visit in 2014. The price of admission had near doubled since the last time we were here.

This time, we devoted two days to the visit, traveling from central NJ to Cooperstown on Wednesday morning, July 23rd. Warm and sunny weather made the trip uneventful, though the GPS we employed chose a peculiar route for us, taking us through what appeared to be a working farm as we approached the Hall. After finding our hotel and dropping off our bags, we went in search of lunch. As might be expected, Cooperstown and environs offer mainly American cuisine in local diners. and we chose one not far from the Hall.

Not surprisingly, the Hall was much busier than our last visit, as Induction Weekend was just days away. Ticket prices had risen considerably since 2000, which should not have been a surprise, but I must admit I was taken aback by the steep increase. Like our last visit, he headed straight for the Plaque Gallery. To my mild surprise, the Gallery was not crowded, which suited us just fine. Unlike our last time here, we had the luxury of time, and we took much more time to appreciate the simple but distinguished tribute the members of the Hall.

Plague Gallery at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, during a relatively quiet moment. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Since our last visit, another New York Met was enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Mike Piazza, traded to the Mets during the 1998 season, arguably had his best seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning the Rookie of the Year award with them in 1993. Though Piazza never topped his best offense seasons with the Dodgers, he led the up and coming Mets to the playoffs in 1999, and the World Series in 2000. However, Piazza’s home run against the Atlanta Braves in the aftermath of 9/11 cemented his place in Mets history. Piazza was just the second Hall of Famer inducted as a New York Met, so seeing his plaque was a must.

The two Mets enshrined in the Hall of Fame: Tom Seaver (left) and Mike Piazza (right). (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Few of the plaques contained names we did not recognize, but the plaques are ordered by the year the dignitary was inducted, so there were a couple surprises when it came to chronology. After tracking down the plaque of Mike Piazza, I looked for the plaque of Willie Mays. Considered by many (including myself) to be the greatest player ever to lace up spikes, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Mays’ career, as a New York Met in 1973. Only a shadow of his former self by that time. Mays still seemed to possess a love for the game, as if time itself had come to a stand still. Despite his subpar play in the 1973 World Series, Mays remains my favorite player, even if his best days occurred before I was born.

The plaque for Wille “Say Hey” Mays at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following our stint in the Gallery, we headed for the Baseball TimeLine. Naturally, there were many new items added, but perhaps the most interesting was the ball from home run number 756 by Barry Bonds. The ball itself was defaced with an asterisk, clearly by someone unhappy with the crowning of a dubious new home run king. Rather than honor Bonds for the feat, the Hall constructed an elaborate display featuring Hank Aaron. Whether you believe Bonds is indeed the home run champ or not, it is clear that the Hall was sending an unambiguous message by celebrating Aaron over Bonds. During our tour we spotted a glove worn by Gary Carter. A member of the Hall, Carter was enshrined as an Expo, which was a personal disappointment. Like Piazza, Carter may have had his best years with the another team, but his impact on the Mets teams in the 1980s cannot be overstated. Carter was generally regarded as the final piece of a team that would win the World Series in 1986.

Uniform worn by Hank Aaron in the early 1970s with the Atlanta Braves. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Perusing the seemingly endless stream of displays, I was drawn to a picture of Jackie Robinson at bat. Having seen many pictures of Robinson, this photo did not appear to offer much about the player that I did not already know. However, it did have something in it that is no longer seen, and in fact has probably not been seen since the 1950s or 1960s. The image that drew my interest in the picture was a photographer in the field of play, barely on the foul side of the third base line. Camera equipment was not nearly as sophisticated as it is today, and to get good action shots, photographers needed to be on the field. That image reminded me that the coverage of the game has changed so much that something this subtle would catch my notice.

Notice the photographer on the field snapping a picture of Jackie Robinson during an at bat, just feet away from the batter’s box. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We called it a day after working our way through the Timeline. Following a local dinner, we headed back to the hotel to rest following a long day.

Sunshine and moderate temperatures for late July greeted us the next morning, tempting us to get outside before heading back to the Hall. Our target that morning was Lake Otsego, the nearest point of interest. Cooperstown lies on the southern end of the lake, which meant is was just minutes away from the hotel. Being a workday, the area was nearly deserted, which meant the dock area was ours alone. We spent nearly an hour exploring the southernmost end of the lake, as well as its environs. The heat and humidity began to increase, signaling to us that it was probably time to get moving and head back to Cooperstown.

The southern end of Otsego Lake, located just minutes from the Hall of Fame, on a warm and increasing humid morning. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Returning shortly after the Hall opened, we scanned the museum for treasures we had missed. Our next stop was Doubleday Field, the baseball field and complex located adjacent to the Hall. Once the home to the Hall of Fame Classic, we saw the field as it was being prepared for the Induction Ceremony just days away. At first glance, Doubleday Field closely resembled many of the low Class A ballparks we had visited in the previous few years. It came as quite a surprise to learn that the capacity of the stadium was approximately 9,700, far more than expected.

On this day, there were no ball games being played, nor were any scheduled. We watched as the playing field was slowly transformed into the shape it would serve for the induction ceremony. Clouds began to thicken, blotting out the sun, and it was clear that thunderstorms would follow shortly thereafter. We took this as a hint to make our escape back to central NJ before the weather became a problem during our four and one-half hour drive home. Our second visit to the Hall was much more satisfying than the first, and allowing ourselves additional time made all of the difference. At the time, we were not sure we would visit again, so I was glad we made the trip.

Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY being transformed into a venue for the upcoming Induction Weekend. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Third visit: October 7th/8th, 2017

My brother and I found ourselves back in Cooperstown in early October 2017, as the MLB baseball playoffs were underway. Expecting the region to be undergoing a transition from summer to fall, we were mildly disappointed, as there was not nearly as much color as expected for the time of year. Much of the Northeast was in the midst of a return to summer with high heat and humidity covering the region. Instead of finding refreshingly cool air with billowy clouds, we were greeted upon our arrival with temperatures near 90 degrees, and thunderstorms in the area!

Having learned from the mistakes of our first visit, we scheduled the weekend around exploration of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, leaving plenty of time to acquaint ourselves with the haven of baseball fans worldwide. Arriving in the early afternoon of Saturday, October 7th, we found that the area was much more active that usual, especially considering football season (both college and the NFL) was well underway. When paying for out tickets to the Hall, a nice woman at the desk convinced it was cheaper to become members of the Hall, particularly because we were visiting twice that weekend. One of the perks of membership was a reduced price of admission, but the best perk was a membership card, which quickly became one of my most prized possessions.

Outside the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As had become our custom, we visited the Plaque Gallery first. Something about this exhibit screams the Hall to me, where the greats of the game have been immortalized. Every time I visit the Gallery I notice something I had previously missed; this time, it was that the initial induction class had been give a section to themselves. In 1936, the Hall of Fame enshrined Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth, though the Hall would not formally open until nearly three years later. Being a history buff as well as a lifelong baseball fan, I appreciated the special treatment these greats were afforded, among the very best baseball had to offer from its first 75 years.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural class, enshrined in 1936. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Viewing the plaques, it is clear that the New York Yankees were well represented. From Ruth and Gehrig through DiMaggio and Mantle, the Hall is replete with examples of the dominance of the Yankees. Being a die hard Mets fan, I confess to a certain amount of envy, but it is difficult to debate the profound impression the storied franchise has left on baseball history. Just as we were exiting the Gallery to head to the Baseball Timeline, I noticed wax figures of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. While it was here during our last visit, it did not receive the proper attention from me at that time. Aside from Ty Cobb, these two are arguably the greatest left handed hitters in the history of the game. Sadly, their careers did not overlap, but they are here together at the Hall.

Babe Ruth and Ted Williams, side by side near the Plaque Gallery in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

While there was not much new in the Baseball Timeline, we did spend a fair amount of time studying jerseys and equipment from various eras of the game. There is a large enough age spread between us so that we have a different perspective of the game (my love for baseball was based in the 1970s; my brother’s love for the game is rooted in the 1980s). We wandered among the relics, enjoying the history of the game with the aid of items from those eras. One of the newer displays was based on The Simpsons and their take on the game. Many players from the 1970s and 1980s did voiceover work in this episode, so there was plenty for the both of us to enjoy in this display.

Almost as iconic in the culture of America as baseball, The Simpson paid tribute to the National Pastime. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following our initial pass through of the Hall, we walked over to Doubleday Field. Unlike the last time we were here, there was some actual baseball being played. A collection of players (seemingly from different teams) were playing, and with umpires being present, I suppose this was a fall league game. Clouds were building ahead of a cold front and its attending showers and thunderstorms, but we did explore the park for a bit. Heat and humidity cut our visit to the field short, as the conditions felt more like mid July than early October.

Fall League baseball at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Showers and thunderstorms during the evening and early overnight changed the season from summer back to fall as we began Day Two of our visit. There were many, many people in the streets of Cooperstown that morning, and the breeze almost felt cool when compared to Saturday. It was almost a festival like setting, with many vendors hawking their wares on the sidewalk on Main Street. Supposedly Pete Rose was signing autographs at a sports shop down the street, but we did not have enough interest in him to battle the crowd to glimpse a view of one of the most controversial players in MLB history.

A view along Main Street in Cooperstown, NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As we prepared to bid adieu to the Hall, we spent some time walking around the museum. We found sculptures outside of the Hall, mainly in the back of the museum. From a distance, it was difficult to discern the identity of the people in the sculpture, but as we got closer, we could identify at least a few. In the center of the courtyard, Johnny Podres was delivering a pitch to Roy Campanella, with Satchel Paige to the right of Podres, as well as an unidentified “Woman at Bat”, a tribute to the All American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Sculptures outside of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Finally, it was time to go, and we left Cooperstown during the mid afternoon, listening to the Jets lose to the Browns on the way home. It is not clear whether we will visit Cooperstown again anytime soon, but considering the 14 year gap between our first and second visits, we could come back again. If you have never been to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, GO! Not only is the Hall worth the trip from anywhere, Cooperstown NY is a charming village, worthy of exploring as well.

Sahlen Field, Buffalo NY, July 16th 2021

Outside the Swan Street gate at Sahlen Field, Buffalo NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Rain threatened to wash away our baseball weekend in weather New York and northwest Pennsylvania, as the forecast was very wet and cool. My brother and I traveled from my home near Harrisburg to Buffalo on Friday, July 26th, with the intent of seeing a game on Saturday at Sahlen Field (to see the “Buffalo” Blue Jays host the Texas Rangers), then taking in a game at UPMC Field in Erie on Sunday. Since the drive to Buffalo took only five hours, we found ourselves with some time Friday afternoon to do some sightseeing. Niagara Falls was only 30 minutes away, so we went there for our first glimpse of the natural beauty from the American side.

An overcast sky yielded occasional light showers and drizzle, which resulted in us cutting our visit to the Falls short. Before leaving, my brother suggested that we visit Sahlen Field that night, since the forecast for Saturday afternoon was bad, almost assuring a rain out. Not wanting to miss our opportunity to see an MLB game in Buffalo, we quickly purchased tickets for the game, which was slated for a 707 pm start. We were 30 minutes from the hotel, so we had to race back to change and prepare for the game, and headed by up Interstate 90 back toward Buffalo in time to make the game.

Welcome to Sahlen Field! (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Though there is no onsite parking at Sahlen Field (the reason for which was obvious once we arrived), we had little trouble finding parking within a couple of blocks of the stadium. Not surprisingly, parking was generally $20 that distance from the park, and as high as $35 right next to the ballpark. It seems as though parking prices for MLB games found there way to Buffalo! Once we reached Sahlen Field, we wandered around the outside of the park taking pictures. The outfield area was largely inaccessible from the outside, due to the proximity of Oak Street in left field, and restricted parking outside centerfield and right field. However, along Washington and Swan Streets, we found what appeared to be a recently refurbished look, complete with Toronto Blue Jays signage along the way. We also discovered that this portion of downtown Buffalo contained some older buildings with some interesting architecture. If the weather was kinder than forecast on Saturday, perhaps we would investigate this area further.

Returning to the home plate entrance, we entered the ballpark. Security was unsurprisingly tighter than minor league ballparks, but the process was much smoother than most MLB parks, as the staff was cheerful and helpful. Walking through the tunnel to the interior concourse, we felt as though we were in an MLB stadium, with a large and enthusiastic crowd milling around. It was clear that the ballpark had received a significant upgrade for the MLB games played there in 2020 and 2021. Sahlen Field was covered in Blue Jay blue, from the padded outfield walls to the trim on both the lower level and the private suites.

Sahlen Field from behind home plate in the lower level. This image is featured in the Wiki page for Sahlen Field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Typically, we explore the interior of a new stadium shortly after arriving, but the bustling crowd inside the inner concourse made that a bit more difficult than usual. Rather than encircle the playing field on the outer concourse (which was more challenging than other ballparks), we ducked into the tunnels between the inner and outer concourses, taking pictures, and repeating the process from the right field line back toward the left field line. Unlike some stadiums, the concourse did NOT extend around the outfield, as Sahlen Field was tucked in between streets in downtown Buffalo, leaving little room for maneuvering beyond those confines.

As we further explored Sahlen Field, we discovered that it consisted of two decks of seating. The lower deck (separated into two sections by a concrete concourse) extends from the left field foul pole behind home plate to the right field foul line, with the upper portion of the lower deck protected from the elements by the deck of red seats and private suites located above. Seats near the foul poles were angled for a better view of home plate, something we have not seen in many minor league parks, and a nice touch for fans in those locations. In total, the ballpark holds about 16,600 fans, which made it the largest minor league park we have yet visited.

A view of Sahlen Field, centered on the home plate area. This view shows the green seated lower deck, red seated upper deck, some of the private suites, the press box, and the tower at the Old Post Office in Buffalo. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Down the right field line we found the Party Zone, a multi tiered collection of picnic table style benches, covered at the top by a canvas roof. Just to the right of the Party Zone are the bullpens. Constructed shortly before we arrived, the dual leveled bullpen houses the home team on the top tier, and the visiting Texas Rangers on the lower level. Because of the alignment of Sahlen Field, there was only a short wall and a large mesh netting strung across left into centerfield, with Oak Street acting as a barrier. We would later discover that, due to the height of the netting, that it would be difficult for a home run ball to actually land on Oak Street (as its trajectory would more likely deposit in on the other side of the road).

The dual layered bullpen at Sahlen Field, Buffalo NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Finished with our exploration of the park, we ducked back into the inner concourse, in search of a baseball dinner. While there were many places to obtain food and drinks, all of the lines were long, as it seemed that many in the large crowd had the same idea. Skipping this option for now, we headed toward our seats. Securing seats only 90 minutes earlier, we opted for section 118, which was down the right field line; a pessimistic forecast precluded us from getting better seats, for fear of a rainout tonight AND Saturday. Though the seats we scored did not offer the best view of home plate, it did give us great sight lines for the rest of the park. As the time of the first pitch arrived, clouds continued to produce intermittent light rain and drizzle, but not enough to delay the game (which was slated for a 707 pm start).

From our seats, we could see some of the larger buildings of Buffalo, most notably the Old Buffalo Post Office. However, the scoreboard in centerfield seems to be the most prominent feature in Sahlen Field. Not quite as sophisticated as scoreboards/videoboards in MLB parks, the scoreboard/videoboard here is an upgrade from what we typically encounter in minor league stadiums (with possibly the exception of Arm&Hammer Park in Trenton, NJ). For the most part, the space was used as a scoreboard, with only a few video replays shown during the game. As mentioned earlier, there were a number of upgrades made to the park to accommodate the Blue Jays in their tenure here, including new LED lights (which are MUCH better than standard lighting), a resurfaced outfield, and the aforementioned bullpens.

The scoreboard in centerfield at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

While not a sellout, Sahlen Field was about two-thirds full shortly after the first pitch was thrown, with intermittent light rain and drizzle falling (as it would for the balance of the game). In the bottom of the first inning, we were treated to a home run by Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. The Blue Jays tacked on four more runs in the third inning, with two more home runs. Rainy and cool weather at night are not normally conducive to balls flying out of the ballpark, but the smaller dimensions of this park may have been a factor in each of the home runs hit. Meanwhile, the Texas bats remained quiet for the first six innings, as the Blue Jays maintained a sizable lead through that time.

The view from our seats at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The Blue Jays put the game away in the bottom of the sixth inning, which featured another home run by Guerrero Jr. This time he blasted the ball well over the net in left field and across Oak Street to the parking lot on the other side of the road. With the Jays taking a 10-0 lead at the end of the frame, some of the fans started to file out of Sahlen Field, if for no other reason that to escape the cool and wet conditions. Like many MLB games, there were loud, intoxicated fans around us, but unlike many MLB, they were not particularly obnoxious. It was clear to me that the fans in Buffalo had accepted the Blue Jays as their own, and I noticed several “Buffalo Blue Jays” shirts and signs in the stadium. These signs had me wondering how the Buffalo fans would react if/when the Blue Jays returned to Toronto.

Vladimir Guerrero hitting a home run at Sahlen Field in Buffalo NY. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

During the morning hours of Saturday, the Blue Jays management issued a press release stating that the Jays would be returning to Toronto, starting with the next home stand on July 30th. Although I am sure the fans were aware of an eventual return to Toronto, I wonder if Buffalo was ready to let them go so soon. Our timing could not have been better to see an MLB game here, as waiting any longer would have meant missing a golden opportunity to see MLB players in such an intimate setting. These were my thoughts as we filed out of Sahlen Field. Leaving the building proved more difficult than I anticipated, as there were logjams at each gate. Eventually, we walked back to the car, headed back to the hotel after a long day on the road.

Sahlen Field at night. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

My brother’s suggestion to see the game at Sahlen Field on Friday night rather than Saturday afternoon loomed large, as heavy rainfall plagued the Buffalo area through mid to late afternoon. After visiting Niagara Falls again in the morning, we encountered flooded roads on our way back to the hotel. Not surprisingly, the game was rained out, even as the heaviest rainfall was exiting the region. Apparently the field was unplayable, and considering how much rain fell into mid afternoon, that was not a shock. Once the heavy rainfall exited, we walked around downtown Buffalo to view the architecture, and we found ourselves face to face with the ballpark. Peering through the chain link in centerfield, we got one last look at the interior of the stadium, with the tarp still firmly in place over the infield.

Puddles on the tarp over the infield at Sahlen Field on Saturday told the story; no baseball today. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Once the Blue Jays leave for Toronto, the main tenants of Sahlen Field, the Bisons, will return from their stay in Arm&Hammer Park in Trenton NJ. Buffalo has attempted to obtain a MLB team in the past, and I wonder, after hosting the Blue Jays, if there will be a clamoring from the faithful for an MLB team of their own. If that happens, and a MLB ready stadium is constructed, perhaps we will return. Otherwise, having seen Sahlen Field hosting MLB games, I am not sure we will be back.

Shea Stadium/Citi Field Queens, New York

Shea Stadium from the subway platform across Roosevelt Boulevard. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Shea Stadium (1982-2008)

First visit: Sunday August 15th 1982
Last visit: Thursday September 25th 2008

For much of my life as a baseball fan, the New York Mets (my favorite squadron) were bad or awful, and 1982 was no exception. Though I was a lifelong Mets fan, I had not been to the venerable Shea Stadium. My MLB baseball experiences to that point had been relegated to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia PA and Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. Since we did not have access to a car in the early days, we took bus trips to see MLB games, and until 1982, we did not find any bus tours to Shea.

My brother and I decided to change that, and arranged to see the Chicago Cubs against the hometown Mets on August 15, 1982. Not having a car, and with no bus tours available for that game, we concocted what I now recognize as a risky plan to get to Shea Stadium. We took a NJ Transit bus from our hometown on the Jersey Shore to Port Authority in Manhattan. From there, we walked around the corner to catch the Number 7 train to Shea Stadium. Though this doesn’t seem particularly risky, I should add that I was 17 years old, and my brother was 10. Neither of us had ever ridden the subway, so we learned as we went. Of course, even at 17 I did not realize the precariousness that I placed both of us in with the trip. It was until many years later that my brother told me that I told our mother that we were taking a bus tour to Shea, so she had NO idea what we were doing. Mom would have NEVER allowed us to do anything so foolhardy, and I assume that’s why I lied to her.

Shea Stadium from the upper deck behind home plate. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Upon arrival, I was stunned by the size of Shea Stadium, as it was MUCH larger in person than on TV. We walked around a bit before looking for our seats. Not having a good idea of how the stadium was laid out, we found the correct seats numbers, but after consulting with an usher, we found that we were on the wrong level. Instead of the Loge, we were in the Mezzanine, one level up. We marveled at the fact that were were actually there, after talking about it for so long. By that time, Shea Stadium was 18 years old, and was beginning to show its age. The Mets were still sharing Shea with the New York Jets, and maintaining cleanliness within the stadium itself was a monumental challenge. Despite that, the playing field was in great shape, and we were set to enjoy the game.

Back in those days, Sunday afternoon games typically started at 130 PM, and we were a bit perplexed as to why this game was starting at 100 PM. We discovered that the Cubs and Mets would play a doubleheader that day, with Banner Day occurring in between games. My brother asked if we could stay for both games; from my perspective, we were doing fine, and I said yes without first checking to make sure we could make the necessary connections to get us back home. Though the Mets were stumbling toward the end of yet another dismal season, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The Shea Stadium scoreboard, complete with the Manhattan skyline on the top. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Shea Stadium was a multipurpose facility that was built as a home for the New York Mets and New York Jets. Opening in 1964, it underwent MANY changes from that time to our first visit some 18 years later. When we first saw Shea in 1982, it was already looking a bit haggard, and at times unkempt. With a seating capacity of over 56,000, Shea was an open air behemoth. Because of its size, it lacked the intimacy and accessibility of the “newer” parks. When the team was bad (which was often), the place seemed empty, only amplifying the hugeness of the venue. However, Shea Stadium housed our favorite team, and when the Mets were playing well, the place would literally SHAKE, making it feel like home.

At times, when Shea looked more drab and lifeless than usual, I would refer to it as a “toilet” (which the smell would occasionally bear out). But it was OUR toilet! While the ushers were helpful and generally polite, the same could NOT be said of the concession staff. Aramark was the vendor at Shea for many years, and seemingly each and every member of that team was surly and uncooperative. That feeling was verified when we began traveling, finding that the behavior of the vendors at Shea was unique to that park. Conversely, the vendors that hawked the food and beverages through the seating areas were typically more helpful. Hearing the calls of the beer vendors at Shea on TV was one of my first baseball memories (BEER HERE!).

A Spirit Airlines flight passing just beyond the upper deck in left field of Shea Stadium. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Located a mere three miles from LaGuardia Airport on the shore of Flushing Bay, players and fans alike were subjected to the seemingly unending air traffic during games. As winds turned to the south across western Long Island, the air traffic was routed directly over the stadium. That switch resulted in the roar of departing aircraft every minute or so (at least during the day). When this occurred, it was not unusual for players (especially visitors) to step out of the batter’s box and step off the pitching rubber to let the cacophony subside before resuming play. After a while, at least as a fan, you could begin to filter out the noise, or at least become accustomed to it; that was just a part of the experience.

We did not often go to big games in Mets history. Early on, just getting the Shea was difficult, and when the Mets were good, tickets were either difficult to come by, or we were priced out of the market. However, a few moments do jump out at me. Perhaps one of my very favorite memories was watching Tom Seaver strike out Pete Rose (then playing with the Philadelphia Phillies) to open the 1983 season. Others include seeing Kevin McReynolds hit not one but two walk off grand slam home runs, as well as the Mets winning the last game for us at Shea in 2008, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. Much of my joy was just seeing the games in a place I grew to love, even though my team was not good very often.

My brother posing next to the spot where Tommie Agee hit what was reputed to be the longest home runs in the history of Shea Stadium. Personally, I believe Dave Kingman hit a few balls further, but most of his titanic blasts landed in the parking lot, and were not measured.

Of course, I could write an endless story when it comes to Shea Stadium. Far from the nicest ballpark we have visited, it grew on us over the years, and by the time it was ready to be replaced, I lamented its loss. Fans were unruly, stadium staff could be unpleasant, early season night games were almost interminably cold, and the team was not very good for much of the time we visited. Even with all of that, it maintains a special place on my heart. It WAS a toilet, but it was OUR toilet. RIP Shea Stadium!

A view of the nearly complete Citi Field behind Shea Stadium. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes

Panorama of Citi Field on Saturday, August 24th 2013. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Citi Field (2009-2015)

First visit: Saturday May 9th 2009
Most recent visit: Sunday August 16th 2015

Our first visit to the newly minted Citi Field (built in the parking lot of Shea Stadium) came on Saturday, May 9th 2009, about a month after the doors opened for the first time. While wandering around the ballpark, we noticed that the Mets denoted the locations of the mound, home plate and each of the bases of the recently departed Shea Stadium with plaques in the Citi Field parking lot. Featuring a much nicer exterior than Shea, it seemed as though New York Mets baseball had finally joined the 21st century. Entering the ballpark through the rotunda (which was a replica of the rotunda that adorned Ebbets Field), the Mets Hall of Fame is located to the right of the spiral staircase. A quick visit revealed various displays and exhibits, including a couple of Tom Seaver’s Cy Young Awards, as well as a nod to the 1969 and 1986 World Champions.

Following our excursion to the Mets Hall, we headed out to explore the new park. Unlike Shea Stadium, the lower concourse of Citi Field encircled the ballpark, allowing us unfettered access to the park. One of the most notable features of the stadium was Shea Bridge, located beyond the center field wall. Named as a tribute to William Shea, the driving force behind the return of National League baseball to New York City, the wrought iron bridge was immediately a fan favorite. Just below the Shea Bridge were the bullpens, with the Mets bullpen covered from the elements. In centerfield there were bleachers, something Shea never had, and above the bleachers was an impressive video board. Obviously designed as a Citi Field centerpiece, the video board was a significant upgrade to the video system located behind the left field wall at Shea Stadium. Completing the circuit along the lower concourse, we crossed behind the left field stands moving toward home plate.

Shea Bridge at Citi Field, located just above the Mets bullpen. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Rather than follow the trend of the “newer” MLB parks, Citi Field was built with four decks extending from foul line to foul line. Accommodating these decks robbed the ballpark of intimacy, though many of the seats were closer to the field than Shea. In addition, only a portion of center field was open, with the remainder of the park enclosed by seats. To be fair, there isn’t much to see outside of the ballpark, but enclosing the stadium made it feel confined, reminiscent of the multi purpose stadiums of the 1960s and 1970s.

After reaching the rotunda once again, we climbed the staircase to the 300 level, where we had seats just to the left of home plate. Not surprisingly, there was a good crowd for the Saturday matinee, and it appeared as though most of the 42,000 seats were occupied before the first pitch. While waiting for the start of the game, I was surprised to see all of the seats across the park were forest green. While I didn’t expect to find the seats colored by level (as Shea was), it might have been better to have Mets blue for the seat color. It then struck me that there was not a clear indication that Citi Field was the home of the Mets. Citi Field’s size and lack of character was disappointing. Clearly, this was our first glimpse of the Mets new home, but I was NOT impressed.

The Big Apple made the trip from Shea Stadium to Citi Field, perched in the batter’s eye in centerfield. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Unbeknownst to me, the first pitch that afternoon was going to be thrown by a member of Howard Stern’s SiriusXM crew. Gary “Baba Booey” Dell’Abate was representing an autism awareness group, and graciously agreed to throw the first pitch before the start of the 110 PM contest. Dell’Abate confidently strode to the mound, toed the pitching rubber, and delivered the pitch. Unfortunately, the toss was VERY wild, hitting the home plate umpire, who was a few feet to the left of the plate. At first, I believed that Gary had intentionally thrown the ball that way, for comedic effect. Based on the reaction of the umpire, as well as the players on the field, it quickly become evident that the pitch was no joke. Dell’Abate appeared to shrug off the bad throw, waving to fans as he departed the playing field.

Thinking that the poor first pitch would be confined to Citi Field, Gary would later be horrified to discover that the pitch would become fodder for mainstream media. Any Howard Stern fan would tell you that Dell’Abate would receive the worst of the teasing from his compatriots, and that pitch is still celebrated on the show, more than a decade later.

Howard Stern producer Gary Dell’Abate delivering the infamous first pitch at Citi Field on May 9th 2009. Note starting pitcher John Maine standing behind the mound. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

While the ballpark was something of a disappointment (at least compared to Nationals Park in DC and Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia), it was a breath of fresh air for Mets fans, and hopefully a harbinger of good things to come. However, almost immediately I found myself missing Shea Stadium, as Citi Field lacked anything with which I could easily connect. The stadium felt almost sterile at times, and we found ourselves less drawn to this place as we were to its predecessor.

At first, we managed to attend a handful of games at Citi Field each year. As time passed, with little in the way of attraction to the ballpark, our visits became less frequent. Getting to Shea Stadium/Citi Field from NJ was never an easy task. Driving was far more trouble than it was worth, and taking the train to Manhattan, then catching the Number 7 subway to the ballpark often required three plus hours to complete (each way). Thus, a visit to Citi Field was a significant investment in time and energy, and eventually we would make the trek once a year (preferring to see the Mets in Philadelphia, which was closer and arguably offered a better baseball experience within the confines of Citizen Bank Park).

The skyline from the scoreboard at Shea Stadium also made the trip to Citi Field, mounted above the Shake Shack. Great food is available at the Shack, but wait times are often prohibitive. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Our most recent visit to Citi Field was Sunday, August 16th 2015, to see the Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates. As can happen during the summer, the game was marred by weather delays, as storms developed over the ballpark itself (providing an alarmingly close look at the lightning!), requiring us to take shelter several times during the game. We DID have tickets to Game 5 of the 2015 National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs, but quite unexpectedly the Mets swept the Cubs, and the game didn’t happen. Since then, we decided that the time and effort to see the Mets at home was not worth it, and have not been back.

Panorama view of Citi Field at twilight. This may be my favorite picture of Citi Field from my brother’s collection. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Cleveland OH/Pittsburgh PA, Saturday May 20, 2000

Our only baseball trip of 2000 took us to western PA and northeast OH in late May. Since the trip by car was in excess of five hours from central NJ, we drove out to northeast OH on Friday, May 19th, staying just outside of Cleveland for the night.

Saturday, May 20th dawned cloudy and chilly, much cooler than one might expect in late May across northeast OH. With a few hours before the 105 PM contest between the visiting New York Yankees and the hometown Indians, we decided to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, located adjacent to the southern shore of Lake Erie. Uncharacteristically, we visited the Hall without a camera, so we don’t have a visual record of our visit.

To my delight, the crowd at the Hall was thin, perhaps due to the weather and the relative early hour (as the doors opened at 1000 AM). As a result, we were treated to nearly unobstructed views of the myriad exhibits. Though we moved fairly quickly through the artifacts, we were able to appreciate the history of rock and roll (as well as pop music). Not surprisingly, the Beatles exhibit was the largest in the Hall, and our favorite band, Led Zeppelin, was well represented.

Not wanting to miss an opportunity to explore Jacobs Field, we left the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after about 90 minutes. Even with the limited time spent there, we were impressed by the museum, and plan to return in the future for a better look. If you are a rock and roll fan, and plan to be in the vicinity of the Hall, leave yourself some time for a visit: you won’t be disappointed.

1. Jacobs Field

Venturing back out in the cool and breezy conditions, we completed the short drive from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Jacobs Field. Had the weather been better, we might have walked the distance, but the cool and damp air ruled that out. We were able to secure parking just across the street from the ballpark in a private lot at a reasonable price.

We performed our typical tour around the outside of the park, but the weather curtailed our walk. Ducking inside the stadium at the home plate entrance, we were greeted by a nearly empty park. Once inside, we had access to the entire seated area, exploring while taking pictures. Unfortunately, the low overcast made the stadium appear drab, but the images capture the conditions on the cool and cloudy early afternoon perfectly.

Jacobs Field from the upper deck behind home plate.

Since both teams were playing well, tickets for the Saturday matinee were scarce, and our seats were located in the last row of the upper deck on the first base side of the field. Just before game time, temperatures hovered in the 40s, and the persistent breeze off the lake made it feel even colder. Despite an announced crowd of 42,000+, the unseasonably cool weather held the actual attendance far below that number.

Starting for the visiting New York Yankees was veteran right hander David Cone. Thus far in 2000, Cone was struggling (with an ERA over 5.50), though he was less than a season from his perfect game in 1999. On the mound for the Indians was left hander Chuck Finley, who was in his first campaign for the Tribe. Each team featured a potent offense, but the combination of good starting pitching and cool weather raised the specter on a low scoring contest.

Indians starter Chuck Finley featured on the cover of the scorecard/magazine.

New York scratched out a single run in the first inning against Finley, then tacked on another run in the fourth inning (with Yankee right fielder Paul O’Neill driving in the run with a single), giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, David Cone kept the Cleveland bats at bay through the first six innings. Each pitcher worked deliberately, slowing their approaches with runners on base. In spite of the lack of scoring, the pace of the game was glacial, punctuated by the cold and damp conditions.

During the slow play, we were able to get a better feel for Jacobs Field. Dreary weather made the six year old stadium seem drab, with little contrast between the field and the slate gray overcast that seemingly encased it. Because of the conditions, Jacobs Field did not shine, and the lack of fans made the ballpark seem larger than it appeared on TV. Clearly we were not seeing the park at its best. Though the crowd was sparse, one of the more memorable parts of our visit was the persistent drumming in the left field stands. With a typical crowd, the drumming may not have been as noticeable, but with little else happening in the largely empty stadium, it echoed almost to the point of distraction.

The view from our seats. Note that the tops of the buildings were obscured by low clouds.

Cleveland broke through against David Cone in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Richie Sexson led off the frame with a solo home run. Scoring another run in the seventh, the Indians tied the game, while simultaneously knocking the Yankees starter out of the game. Each bullpen then kept the game tied heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Yankees Jeff Nelson surrendered four walks during the frame, forcing in the winning run with two outs to give the Indians a 3-2 victory.

Despite the low scoring affair, the nine inning contest took three hours and 38 minutes to complete, which seemed even longer in the cold and wind. We filed out Jacobs Field quickly, as we planned to attend a game at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburg that evening. Disappointed that we didn’t get to experience the ballpark in better weather, we would have to return in the future to get a better feel for the stadium and environs.

2. Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh PA

Google Maps depiction of the route from Cleveland to Pittsburgh.

Spending more time at Jacobs Field than expected, we were left with about two and one-half hours to get to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Though it would be tight, we were optimistic that, with light traffic, we would arrive before the first pitch at 710 PM. However, events would conspire to make arriving on time impossible. A bit more than an hour into the trip, we encountered thunderstorms that hampered our progress. As we got closer to Pittsburgh, traffic slowed to a crawl.

Finally, we reached the parking lot next to the ballpark, located on the north shore of the Allegheny River (north of downtown Pittsburgh). Arriving well after the first pitch, we parked in a dark area under an overpass of Interstate 385. While there were plenty of fans in the area, it seemed fairly remote, and I had an uneasy feeling about leaving the car there.

Because we arrived in the second inning, we had no time to wander and explore as we normally would at a new stadium. Instead, we rushed to our seats to enjoy the game. As we travelled from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, we went from early spring weather to early summer weather, as very warm and humid conditions greeting us at Three Rivers Stadium. While there were storms in the area, they managed to avoid us during the game.

Unfortunately, we did not take pictures at the stadium, as we left the camera in the car in our haste. Three Rivers Stadium was a typical multipurpose stadium, nearly identical to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. This season would be the last for the Pirates at this ballpark, and its condition seemed to reflect that fact. However, it was a pleasant place to see a Saturday night ballgame.

Pittsburgh hosted the St Louis Cardinals, who scored early and often. St Louis scored six runs in the first four innings, the scored 13 runs in the last three frames, on the way to a 19-4 drubbing of the hometown Pirates. With the game out of hand for the Pirates, they sent catcher Keith Osik to the mound to pitch the top of the ninth inning. As might have been expected, Osik fared poorly, surrendering five runs on five hits. This outing marked Osik’s second MLB pitching performance. In 1999, he also pitched an inning during a blow out, and his performance then was only slight better than this night.

Even with the high scoring, the game took less than three hours, a stark contrast to the affair in Cleveland. Fortunately, my car was still there following the game, and because of the late game finish, we stayed at nearby a nearby hotel, driving home Sunday morning.

Montreal Quebec, Sunday July 15th 2001

1. Shea Stadium (Queens NY) to Plattsburgh NY

After seeing a Saturday afternoon game at Shea Stadium (where the Mets beat the Boston Red Sox), we headed toward Montreal, Quebec, where we would see a game between the Expos and the Red Sox at Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Weaving our way through New York City traffic, we eventually arrived at Interstate 87 North (also known as the New York State Thruway). Once out of New York City, the drive was fairly straightforward and uneventful.

During our drive toward Montreal, we noticed an unusually high number of vehicles with Massachusetts license plates traveling northward on the Thruway. At the time, it was a curiosity, but I didn’t give it much thought. Following a four hour drive, we decided to find lodging on the US side of the border with Quebec. My concern was that we would have difficulty communicating with people in Quebec, especially late at night, so we secured accommodations in a hotel in Plattsburgh for the night.

Google Maps depiction of our drive from Shea Stadium to Plattsburgh, NY

2. Plattsburgh NY to Montreal

While checking out of the hotel and moving our bags to the car, we saw many vehicles with Massachusetts plates in the parking lot. It dawned on me that there were Red Sox fans doing exactly what we were doing: going to see a ballgame at Olympic Stadium. Following breakfast, we crossed the Canadian border, stopping to exchange currency for our day in Montreal. As we crossed the border, we saw a very interesting road sign.

A sign much like the one we saw crossing the border from NY to Quebec, reminding Americans that speed limits there are posted in kilometers per hour.

The sign stated 100 = 65, to remind American drivers that speed limits posted in Quebec were in kilometers per hour, NOT miles per hour. Part of me could not help but wonder how many Americans received citations in Quebec before these signs were posted. The trip from the hotel to Montreal took about an hour, meaning we arrived well before game time. Since we did not plan to stay following the game, we spent some time conducting a driving tour of Montreal.

Not having been to France at that time, I couldn’t help but believe the Montreal was modeled after Paris. The “newer” portion of Montreal was clearly modern, not unlike many American cities we had visited. However, during our tour through Old Montreal, I couldn’t help but feel as though we were in a French city. The architecture reminded me of pictures I’d seen of Paris, especially along the Montreal River, with some structures dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

A view of Olympic Stadium from the sidewalk in a residential neighborhood.

3. Olympic Stadium

As fascinating as the tour of Montreal was to me, it was soon time to head toward Olympic Stadium to catch the game. Though we had directions to the park, I was surprised to find that it was located immediately adjacent to a residential neighborhood. Parking was located under the stadium, with several decks offering tight parking spaces. Snaking our way out of the underground lot, we wandered outside the park taking pictures.

The Montreal franchise was in trouble, a victim of the 1994 baseball strike. During that season, the Expos sported the best record in the league before the work stoppage prematurely ended the season. While the rest of MLB slowly recovered from the damaging strike, baseball in Montreal never did. By 2001, with ownership struggling to make payroll, MLB took stewardship of the franchise, actively seeking to move the team. Not surprisingly, attendance at Olympic Stadium steadily declined, with average game attendance bottoming out at about 5,000 fans.

Fans enjoying the carnival on the outfield turf at Olympic Stadium. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

On this Sunday, attendance was MUCH higher than average, due mainly to the influx of Red Sox fans. During the 2001 season, the Red Sox were playing well, and it was exceedingly difficult to get seats for home games at Fenway Park. Apparently, Red Sox fans thought that a road trip to Montreal would afford them better seats than they could get in Boston. As a result, the attendance for the game was 32,500, or about six times normal. The large crowd overwhelmed the staff at Olympic Stadium, who were struggling with not only the crush of visitors, but the language barrier as well.

Arriving early, we discovered that a carnival was in place at the stadium, and fans were welcome to come onto the field to enjoy the festivities. Stepping onto the artificial surface of the domed stadium marked the my first time on a MLB field, which I found exhilarating. Activities for the fans were set up in the outfield (the infield was roped off), and there was a sizable crowd enjoying the opportunity to walk on the playing field. Rather than engage in the activities, we wandered the outfield. It was clear that stadium maintenance was not a priority to the struggling franchise, and we saw many flaws in the turf.

Patches sown together with thread were used to keep the turf at Olympic Stadium in one piece.

Spending so much time on the field, we left ourselves little opportunity to tour the remainder of the stadium. After leaving the field, we headed to the concession stand, seeking a baseball lunch. Despite being in Montreal, we were able to secure standard baseball fare. With snacks and drinks in hand, we headed to the register. Despite the language differences, we were able communicate well enough to complete our transaction, then headed toward our seats. It seems as though our timing to grab concessions was fortuitous; we later heard that it took people an hour to get hot dogs and beer, as the concession staff was completely overwhelmed by the unexpectedly large crowd.

Tower above Olympic Stadium, with attached cables originally designed to lift and close the retractable roof. Due to mechanical issues, the roof was eventually closed permanently. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Getting our tickets as early as we did, we had great seats just a few rows behind home plate. Other than the protective netting in front of us, our seats were amazing, providing an unfettered view of the entire park. Soon after reaching our seats, it was obvious that the lighting in Olympic Stadium was not up to the task. In fact, the ballpark seemed dank, and much of the stadium beyond the playing field seemed dark and distance. Originally designed with a retractable roof, cables suspended from a 175 meter toward were used to open and close the roof as weather dictated. Difficulties with the design of the roof proved insurmountable, and eventually the roof was closed permanently, resulting in a dark fan experience.

The view from our seats, as Montreal RF Vladimir Guerrero strides to the plate. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

For the 135 pm start, the Boston Red Sox sent right hander Hideo Nomo to the mound. Due to a rotator cuff injury to Boston ace Pedro Martinez, Nomo became the de facto ace of the Red Sox staff. Boston was in the midst of a pennant race with the AL East leading Yankees, trailing New York by one-half game in the standings. Starting for the host Montreal Expos was 6 foot 4 inch right hander Mike Thurman, the third starter in a struggling Montreal rotation. In contrast to the Red Sox Sox fortunes, the Expos were deeply mired in a losing season, 13 and one-half games behind the NL East leading Philadelphia Phillies. Given the difference in the trajectory of the teams, we expected a fairly easy Boston victory this afternoon.

Unlike the vast majority of Expos home games, there was a raucous energy within Olympic Stadium this afternoon. Perhaps it was the unexpected energy that allowed Montreal to take a two run lead in the first inning, courtesy of a two run home run by second baseman Jose Vidro. However, the Expos lead was short-lived, as Boston scored runs in the second and third inning to take the lead. A run in the bottom of the fourth brought Montreal back even with the Red Sox. It was clear early that neither starting pitcher was particularly sharp, and that we were in for a more competitive game than originally anticipated.

Vladimir Guerrero gracing the cover of the Expos Souvenir Magazine.

Though the Expos were struggling through a rough 2001 campaign, there were All Stars in the starting lineup. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero was a bona fide superstar, a true five tool player capable hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in any given season. However, he languished in relative obscurity in Montreal. Playing anywhere else in MLB, he would have been hailed as one of the top players in the game. In this contest, Guerrero was fairly quiet, managing a single and a run scored in five plate appearances.

Boston erupted for three runs in the fifth inning, stringing together several hits to retake the lead. The seesaw contest saw the Expos answer with two runs in the sixth inning. By this time, the starting pitchers for both teams had exited the game, putting the outcome of the game in the hands of the respective bullpens. With the number of Red Sox fans far outnumbering the Expos fans in Olympic Stadium, it was almost like being at Boston home game. Given the dankness of the ballpark, I could only imagine how depressing the stadium must be with the typical small Montreal crowds.

The Red Sox tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning (as 3B Chris Stynes homered) to pad their lead, and Red Sox closer Derek Lowe shut the door on the Expos, earning his 17th save. As we filed out of the ballpark into the parking deck below, I realized that the future of baseball in Montreal was in serious jeopardy. After years in limbo, the franchise moved to Washington in 2005, rechristened as the Nationals. While I was glad we visited Montreal to see a game, there was clearly no reason to come back for MLB baseball.

4. Montreal to New Jersey

After working our way through Montreal traffic, we headed back toward New Jersey. Just before US border, we stopped at the duty free store to get something to drink. We were astounded by the number of people loading up on alcohol before heading back into New York State. More than a few vehicles were stuffed nearly full with cases of Molson beer, which has nearly twice the alcohol level of Molson sold in the US. Once through the checkpoint, we stopped in Plattsburgh for lunch before heading home.

Hoping to get a quick fast food meal for the road, we were instead faced with crowded eateries with long lines, as people heading back to Massachusetts had the same thought. In one of the restaurants, servers were crying when confronted with the massive influx of patrons. Eventually, tiring of the wait, we obtained what we could at an Arby’s before heading south on Interstate 87 toward New Jersey.

San Francisco, CA Sunday September 8th 2002

Google Maps image of Pac Bell Park (now known as Oracle Park)

While on vacation in San Francisco, my brother and I took in a Sunday afternoon baseball game at Pac Bell Park (now known as Oracle Park), where the Giants hosted the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. From our hotel near Union Square, we decided to walk to Pac Bell Park, since the weather was crystal clear with temperatures in the 60s. Our walk took about 25 minutes (covering about one and one-quarter miles), mostly on 3rd Street. For those old enough to remember, we walked a path that was part of the famous car chase in the movie Bullitt (1968).

Though we chose to walk, there was plenty of parking available, almost all of which was across Mission Bay on 3rd Street (about one-quarter of a mile from the ballpark). Upon arriving at Pac Bell Park, we explored the area immediately surrounding it. Our first stop was McCovey Cove, located just beyond the right field wall. Famous for home run balls that plunk into the Cove, it was named for Giants great Willie McCovey, a power hitting left hand batter who would have deposited many baseballs into it, had he played in Pac Bell Park. Though there was nobody in the cove when we passed, it is common for people in kayaks to hang out there, awaiting baseballs to retrieve.

Looking along the walkway adjacent to McCovey Cove. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Walking past the centerfield wall, we arrived at the South Beach Yacht Club. Massive in size, there were more than 100 yachts moored at the club, though there did not appear to be many sailing before noon. Continuing our exploration, we wandered along Pier 40 before making our way back toward the stadium. While the Mission Bay area had some points of interest within walking distance of the park, we decided to invest our time wandering the inside of Pac Bell Park before game time.

There was a large mix of sailboats and yachts moored in the South Beach Yacht Club. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Entering the ballpark through the gate behind home plate, we were greeted by a nearly deserted stadium. We arrived about 90 minutes before game time, and while there were a few fans milling around outside the ballpark, there were almost none inside. That left us plenty of time and room to explore. Moving toward centerfield, we encountered something I did not expect. Little Giants Park, a 50 foot by 50 foot replica of Pac Bell Park, was designed for young people to hit whiffle balls and run the bases. Designed for kids 42 inches or shorter, playing in the “ballpark within the ballpark” would have been a dream come true for a much younger me.

Little Giants Park, located beyond the left field wall at Pac Bell Park. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Just to the left of the Little Giants Park was the iconic Coke Bottle, located beyond the left field wall. With a length of 47 feet, the bottle rises up behind the stands in left field, and is home to two slides, which fans 14 and under use to “slide” into home plate at the base of the bottle. Located next to the Coke Bottle is the Glove. Created as a replica of 1927 four fingered glove used by the New York Giants, it is instantly recognizable as soon as you enter the ballpark. Thirty two feet wide and 26 feet tall, the glove lies about 501 feet from home plate, and a prodigious blast would be required to reach it.

The Fan Deck containing both the Coke Bottle and the Glove, two prominent features in Pac Bell Park. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Crossing over the walkway located on the right field fence, we were treated to a great view of Mission Bay, and the Navy vessels moored in the Port of San Francisco. As fans filtered into the ballpark, the walkway became quite popular, which caused us to move along. We headed toward the home plate area to get a picture of the stadium from the upper deck. Sunshine reflecting off Mission Bay gave the water a light blue hue behind the centerfield fence.

Working our way back along the right field line, we ducked into the concourse is search of a baseball lunch. While there was quite a variety of cuisine choices available, we opted for more standard fare. With snacks and drinks in hand, we went in search of our seats.

Pac Bell Park from behind home plate. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Today’s game between the visiting Diamondbacks and the hometown Giants had implications for the playoff race. Arizona was leading the NL West, with the Giants in third place, five and one-half games behind. Even without the added interest in the Sunday matinee, Pac Bell Park routinely sells out, which made obtaining good seats for the game very difficult. We settled for seats down the right field line in the lower level, adjacent to the Diamondbacks bullpen (unlike most new ballparks, the bullpens at Pac Bell were located down the left and field lines).

Though not ideal for a good look at the home plate action, our seats did give us a great view of the remainder of the stadium. Pac Bell Park, with three decks of seats from foul line to foul line, as well as bleachers in left and center field, had a capacity of about 41,000, and a full house was expected this afternoon. Open spaces in the outfield (except for the Coke Bottle, Glove and modestly sized video board) made the stadium feel uncluttered, with great sight lines throughout the park.

The view from our seats, with a great look at the Coke Bottle and the Glove. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Starting for the visiting Diamondbacks was left hander Brian Anderson. Arizona’s fifth starter, Anderson was struggling through the 2002 campaign, which was sandwiched in between good 2001 and 2003 seasons. On the mound for the hometown Giants was right hander Russ Ortiz, the number two starter in a respectable but unspectacular San Francisco rotation. On the surface, this seemed to be a pitching mismatch after favoring the Giants, in what was an important game for both teams.

Arizona scored a run in the top of the first inning, employing “small ball” to take an early lead. The starters traded scoreless frames until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Barry Bonds led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. Fittingly, the home run left Pac Bell Park, splashing down in McCovey Cove. Though we didn’t see it firsthand, a replay of the home run on the video board showed fans in kayaks on the Cove frantically scurrying for the ball. Plating another run in the bottom of the inning, the Giants took a 2-1 lead.

A view of the right field fence, McCovey Cover beyond, and the Port of San Francisco in the distance. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Diamondbacks starter Brian Anderson’s afternoon ended after the Giants scored in the bottom of the fourth inning, and was followed a quartet of relievers that kept the vaunted Giants lineup in check. Meanwhile, Giants starter Russ Ortiz was cruising, allowing only the one run in the first inning. With the action on the field slowing in the middle innings, my attention wandered to the ballpark itself. Opening in 2000, Pac Bell Park was a precursor to the wave of “newer” MLB parks, which were designed to be smaller and more intimate to foster a better fan experience.

Though the ballpark is simpler than the “newer” parks, its simplicity is a large part of its charm. For example, the centerfield scoreboard/video board was unpretentious yet functional, an unobtrusive feature that some stadiums cannot claim. Pace Bell’s asymmetric design, complete with a “see through” section within the right field wall, makes this stadium unique among the MLB offerings. When coupled with the wall to wall sunshine that afternoon, Pac Bell Park grew on me during the game, becoming one of my favorite parks thus far.

Pac Bell Park scoreboard in centerfield. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Sitting along side the Arizona Diamondbacks, we witnessed six pitchers warm up before entering the game. When Diamondbacks left hander Greg Swindell was warming up in the bottom of the sixth inning, we witnessed something I did NOT expect from San Francisco fans. As Swindell tossed his warm up pitches, Giants fans started peppering him with rude comments concerning his weight. While Swindell was a big guy, he didn’t strike me as someone who was significantly overweight. Still, Giants fans assailed him with insults I would expect to hear in New York or Philadelphia, not San Francisco. This was shocking to me, hearing baseball fans in California as obnoxious as any I’d seen back East.

San Francisco tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, and the Giants closer, right hander Robb Nen, shut down the Diamondbacks in the top of the ninth inning to secure a 3-1 victory. Though the game time was a bit more than three hours, the beautiful ballpark and spectacular weather made the time fly by. We were very impressed with Pac Bell Park, to say the least. We would have seen more games during our stay in the area, but the Giants went on the road following the afternoon contest.

Wrigley Field, Chicago Sunday May 4th 2003

Panorama of the outside of Wrigley Field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

During our overnight stay in Chicago, low clouds and fog descended from Lake Michigan onto the North Side. We awoke to a steady easterly wind and drizzle, with temperatures in the 40s. Following breakfast near the hotel, we headed out to Wrigley Field. Arriving just as the gates opened, we once again overpaid for parking at a lot near the stadium. Unlike the day before, we left ourselves plenty of time to explore the neighborhood surrounding the vaunted ballpark.

Our first stop was West Waveland Avenue, located behind the left and centerfield walls of Wrigley Field. Over the years, we saw MANY baseball fly out of the ballpark on TV, landing here or further down the road. For most Cubs games, there are hundreds of fans sauntering on the street, waiting for home run balls. Had we more time in Chicago, it might have been a unique fan experience to see a game from this perspective; perhaps some day I will do just that.

The view of West Waveland Avenue behind field at Wrigley Field. Throngs of fans congregate here during games, waiting for the home run balls. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We continued our journey around Wrigley Field, wandering down North Sheffield Avenue past the right field wall. While there were some fans waiting to gain entrance to the stadium, there was not nearly as many people here as there were on West Waveland Avenue. During our walk, we got a first hand look at the buildings surrounding the ballpark, and the seats in place on the rooftops. It was obvious that the streets ringing Wrigley Field were every bit as much of the park as the stadium itself.

North Sheffield Avenue behind right field of Wrigley Field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Completing our tour of the exterior of Wrigley Field, my brother got the image of iconic red signage above the home plate entrance featured above. Even with the cold early spring weather, the majesty of the stadium and its environs shone through. Though there were fans milling around outside the ballpark, there were few people inside, allowing us unfettered access to nearly the entire stadium. We visited the left field bleachers, where we had seen many opponents’ home runs balls land, only to be tossed back into the field of play.

From left field, we got a very good look at some of the seats on the building rooftops along West Waveland Avenue. From modest beginnings, these rooftop seats became quite organized, with some of the rooftops holding as many as ten rows with four or five seats per row. Despite occasional objections by the Cubs management, it doesn’t seem as though these seats were diverting much revenue from the park, considering that Wrigley Field often sells out during the season.

One of the better organized rooftop seatings outside of Wrigley Field, a mere 460 feet from home plate. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

At the end of our tour of the inside of Wrigley Field, we wound up behind home plate, where my brother got his best picture of Wrigley Field. Lake Michigan, the second largest of the Great Lakes (and the only one completely within the US), is a mere five miles from Wrigley Field, and has a large influence on the weather at the ballpark. On this afternoon, wind off the still cold Great Lake funneled clouds and fog across the field, resulting in a cold and damp visit. The image perfectly captures the environment just before game time.

Panoramic view of Wrigley Field on a cloudy and foggy day. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

On this cloudy and cool afternoon, the visiting Colorado Rockies sent the ace of their starting rotation, right hander Jason Jennings, to the hill. Awarded the NL Rookie of the Year in 2002, Jennings won 16 games that year. On the mound for the hometown Cubs was right hander Kerry Wood. Featured on the Cubs’ scorecard for the month of May, the tall Texan was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1998, during which he tied the nine inning single game record with 20 strikeouts. Wood underwent Tommy John surgery the following year, taking the next couple of campaigns to recapture his best stuff.

Given the strength of the starting pitching and the cool and breezy conditions, we expected a low scoring affair. Unlike the previous afternoon, which featured crystal blue skies, Wrigley Field blended into the background of cloud and fog. This environment was not conducive to picture taking, leaving the park looking washed out and drab. Temperatures near 50 degrees at the first pitch felt even colder, reminding me that it was still early spring in the Midwest.

Today’s Cubs starting pitcher on the cover of the Cubs May Scorecard. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following our tour of the interior of Wrigley Field, we obtained some snacks and hot chocolate before heading for our seats. Though the weather was far from ideal, the afternoon affair was well attended, and our seats were not much better than the day before. Nestled down the left field line between third base and the left field line, our seats once again did not have a good view of the plate, so we spent much of the game with our heads turned to the right, straining to see the action.

It didn’t take long for the scoring to begin, as the Rockies put up three runs on Kerry Wood in the top of the first inning. Chicago scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the first, and it appeared as though offense might carry the game, despite the inhospitable weather conditions. However, both starters settled down after the early outbursts, keeping the opposition scoreless into the middle innings. Though scoring was an a premium after the first innings, hits wand walks resulted in many baserunners, slowing the pace of the game to a crawl at times. Typically, slow paced games are not a problem for me, but given the cool and wet conditions, I found myself becoming impatient.

The view of our seats, complete with Cubs stater Kerry Wood long tossing before the game. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Chicago scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score, followed by the Rockies taking the lead in the top of the seventh. With the game in the hands of the bullpen, the score remained tied going into extra innings. With one out in the bottom of the tenth inning, Chicago SS Alex Gonzales homered off Rockies reliever Steve Reed to give the Cubs a 5-4 victory. Three hours and 15 minutes in the raw conditions seemed even longer, and by the end of the contest, I was ready to find a warmer and drier place.

Even with the adverse weather conditions, I thoroughly enjoyed our time at Wrigley Field. A proud throwback to a bygone era of baseball, the simple layout and lack of large and obtrusive video boards was a refreshing departure from what MLB parks were becoming. Since our visit some 17 years ago, much has changed at Wrigley Field. Incremental additions at the park, including video boards in left and right fields, has detracted from the charm the stadium once had, making it more like more “modern” MLB parks. The changes make me feel fortunate to have visited when the park was closer to the original configuration, and the changes make me believe that I will not visit again anytime soon.

Chicago, Saturday May 3rd 2003

1. New Jersey to Chicago

Our first baseball trip of 2003 took us to Chicago to see the Cubs and the White Sox. Originally we scheduled a trip to see the Cubs in September of 2001, but circumstances made that impossible. Since we decided to make this a weekend trip, we flew from New Jersey to O’Hare Airport in Chicago on Saturday morning, May 3rd. Luckily, Newark-Liberty Airport in Newark, NJ was not busy, allowing us to breeze through security.

For the flight, we chose Midwest Airlines (now defunct). A Milwaukee based airline, they offered flights to many locations in the Midwest, and I was first introduced to the carrier through work in the late 1990s. Each plane had leather seats, and offered fewer seats than most mid sized airlines. In addition, they offered free chocolate chip cookies. Though it sounds trite, these cookies were actually very good. Though the fares were a bit higher than most airlines flying to Chicago, the roomier plane with leather seats was well worth the extra money.

After arriving at O’Hare Airport and picking up our rental car, we headed toward Chicago. Originally, we planned to see the White Sox on Saturday night, and the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday afternoon. However, we arrived in Chicago much earlier than expected, and we realized we could catch the Saturday afternoon game at Wrigley.

2. Wrigley Field

Iconic hand operated scoreboard at Wrigley Field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Making our way to the North Side, we arrived at the park shortly before game time. Parking proved to be a challenge, as it often is with urban ballparks, and we ended up parking in the lot of a local business for an exorbitant amount. Not having tickets for the game, we went in search of scalpers, who were very easy to find. We secured two seats behind first base for more than face value. As is typical when we visit a new ballpark, we quickly toured the outside of the stadium. Arriving just before game time, our tour was truncated, and after we entered the venerable ballpark, we went in search of our seats.

Once we found our seats, it was immediately clear we had been swindled by the scalper. Our seats were terrible, in the lower level down the right field line with a limited view of home plate. Of course, not knowing the ballpark well, we foolishly took the scalper at his word that the seats were good. We laughed it off, being so gullible. Just being at Wrigley Field, a baseball palace, was enough to make us forget our faux pax, and we were determined to enjoy the experience regardless of our view.

The view from our seats. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Not surprisingly, Wrigley Field was filled to capacity. In addition to packed bleachers, we could see what seemed like hundreds of people crammed onto rooftops of neighboring buildings. Seeing the people on the rooftops on TV doesn’t give you a true idea of how many fans actually ring the ballpark. Beyond the left field, we could see the iconic Budweiser roof, located off West Waveland Avenue. But perhaps my favorite part of Wrigley Field was the hand operated scoreboard. A throwback to a bygone era, the scoreboard defined Wrigley Field for me, and I finally got to see it for myself.

We couldn’t have asked for better day weather wise, with crystal clear skies and temperatures in the 50s. Having seen Wrigley Field on TV many, many times, I could scarcely believe we were here. Dubbed the “friendly confines” by Cubs great Ernie Banks, the cozy ballpark teemed with history. Possibly the most famous of the features of Wrigley, the ivy on the outfield wall, was conspicuously absent. Being early May, it was too soon for the ivy to bloom, so instead we were treated to brown walls devoid of flora.

View of buildings adjacent to the right field wall. Note how many people are watching from the rooftops.

For the matinee, the hometown Cubs hosted the Colorado Rockies, with the first pitch slated for 120 pm CDT. Starting for the Rockies was journeyman left hander Darren Oliver, who was in his first season with the team. Taking the mound for Chicago was right hander Carlos Zambrano, the 23 year old who was beginning to show signs of becoming a Cy Young caliber starter for the Cubs. Good starting pitching, paired with a decent breeze coming in from Lake Michigan suggested a low scoring affair.

The Cubs struck first in the bottom of the second inning, stringing together hits and walks to plate three runs. Colorado responded with three runs of their own in the top of the third, and it seemed as though we would see an offensive display in Wrigley this afternoon. Chicago reclaimed the lead into the bottom of the fourth inning, with Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano hitting a solo home run to lead off the inning. While it is rare for pitchers to hit home runs, Zambrano was a good hitting pitcher, blasting 24 home runs over his career.

The famous Budweiser roof across the street from Wrigley. Note that the famed ivy had not yet started growing.

While there was a game at the ballpark that afternoon, Wrigley Field was the star of the show. Wall to wall sunshine and pleasantly cool temperatures made our visit to this baseball palace even more enjoyable, but the environment was indescribable. In between innings, I found myself admiring all that the ballpark had to offer, immediately understanding why Wrigley Park was considered a baseball mecca. Our seats were not ideal for taking pictures of the action, but from our location, we were able to enjoy the scene.

The Rockies scored three more runs in the top of the eight inning, taking a 6-4 lead that the bullpen held for the victory. Despite our seats, we thoroughly enjoyed our surprise visit, and would get a much better look at Wrigley Field the next afternoon. Following the end of the game, we inched out way out of the parking space, and headed toward our hotel. Our stay there was brief, just long enough to check in and drop off our bags, because we were headed toward US Cellular Field for a night game between the visiting Seattle Mariners and the home town White Sox.

A VERY expensive ticket for the afternoon game at Wrigley Field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

3. US Cellular Field

Outside of US Cellular Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We arrived in the South Side of Chicago about an hour before the first pitch of the game scheduled for 605 pm. As we approached US Cellular Field (now known as Guaranteed Rate Field), it was clear that we were in a neighborhood very different than the one in which Wrigley Field is located. Parking around the ballpark was plentiful, with lots surrounding the stadium. Pulling into Lot B (across West 35th Street from the field), we asked the attendant the cost of parking. After telling us, he asked if our car was a rental, to which I said yes. As we pulled away he added “I hope it’s still here when you get back”. Not exactly what a visitor wants to hear, but we did our best not to let it affect our experience.

With little surrounding US Cellular Field but parking lots and I-94, we did not explore the outside of the park like we did for other stadiums we have visited. Entering through the home plate gate, I could not help but notice how much the outside of the ballpark reminded me of the main Yankee Stadium entrance.

A ticket to the game. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

US Cellular Field, which opened in 1991, was a replacement for Comiskey Park , the home of the White Sox from 1910 through 1990. Located across West 35th Street from US Cellular Field, Comiskey Park was razed in order to provide additional parking for the new ballpark. Opening a year before Camden Yards in Baltimore (the stadium that is generally acknowledged as the first of the “new” MLB parks), US Cellular Field had the feeling of a ballpark built in the 1970s or 1980s, generally symmetrical with three decks and bleachers almost completely ringing the outfield.

Following a quick tour of the inside of US Cellular Field, we went in search of a baseball dinner. Armed with drinks and snacks, we headed toward our seats. Surprisingly, despite the cool weather, the game was well attended, and the best seats we could procure were in the upper deck, directly behind home plate. Typically, we seek out seats in the lower level on either the first or third base side. However, when these seats are unavailable (as they were this night), we prefer to be closer to home plate when relegated to the upper deck. A long climb was rewarded with a great view of the ballpark as game time approached.

Though the sun was shining at the start of the game, a chill descended upon US Cellular Field, and it was evident that we were in for a cool early May evening in the South Side. Starting for the visiting Seattle Mariners was right hander Freddy Garcia. The talented 26 year old was already an emerging star, yet listed as the fourth starter on a loaded Mariners rotation. On the mound for the hometown Sox was left hander Josh Stewart, who was in the first season of a brief two year MLB career. A seeming pitching mismatch favored the Mariners, who were just two season removed from a single season record of 116 wins in 2001.

The video board in centerfield at US Cellular Field. Below the scoreboard is the Fan Deck, constructed to allow fans to congregate during the game. Other teams would adapt this approach as the way fans watched the game changed. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We didn’t need to wait long for the fireworks to begin, as the Mariners pummeled Sox starter Josh Stewart for six runs in the first two innings, punctuated by two home runs in top of the first inning. Seattle tacked on four more runs in the top of the fourth inning, chasing Stewart from the game. Meanwhile, Freddy Garcia was cruising for the Mariners, putting the game out of reach fairly early.

With my attention straying from the game, I began to feel the chill more intently, as temperatures dropped into the 40s with the advent of night. Not surprisingly, the White Sox fans began to abandon what appeared to be a losing cause, steadily exiting as the home town fell further behind. As the announced crowd of 25,00+ thinned out, we noticed just how large US Cellular Field was. Unlike MLB that would follow, the stadium seemed to lack a sense of charm or intimacy, feeling more like a monument to the past. Having said that, US Cellular Field was a comfortable place to see a game, and an upgrade to where the White Sox used to call home.

US Cellular Field at night. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The Mariners tacked on two runs late in the game, as Freddy Garcia and a cadre of Seattle relievers held the Sox in check for 12-2 victory. Cold temperatures made the three hour 15 minute game seem even longer, and by the time the last out was recorded, I was ready to leave. Overall, US Cellular Field was a good place to see a ballgame, but generic enough not to be too memorable. While I was glad we took in a game here while in Chicago, there wasn’t enough of an attraction to being me back anytime soon.

Arlington, Texas Sunday September 14th 2003

Checking out of our motel Sunday morning, we still had a two hour plus drive to Arlington. We were not in a particular hurry, since the game between the hometown Texas Rangers and the visiting Oakland A’s had been “flexed” from early afternoon to early evening to accommodate ESPN’s Sunday Night game. Instead of a 215 pm CDT start, the first pitch would be thrown at 710 pm.

1. Heading to Arlington

With time to spare, we took our time getting into the Dallas metro area, finding lunch before deciding how we wanted to proceed. Since we were staying in the area overnight (flying out of Dallas the next morning), we checked into our hotel before heading out in the direction of the stadium. We arrived well ahead of the first pitch, and secured parking just outside of the Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers.

A demonstration was underway just outside the ballpark as we arrived. Based on the signage carried by the demonstrators, it appeared to be tied to gay rights. Being from the Northeast, I assumed that the demonstration was a pro gay rights rally. Almost immediately, I was proven wrong, as it was clear this was an anti gay rights assembly. This should not have surprised me, given the section of the country. To my great surprise, the demonstration was far from peaceful, as homophobic slurs were flying at what I considered an alarming rate.

Being from New Jersey, it took all of my restraint NOT to respond to the vitriol present at that rally, and there were several verbal altercations between demonstrators and passersby. Wanting to avoid a possibly ugly interaction, we left the area in search of a quieter location to wait for the gates to open at the stadium.

The Ballpark in Arlington. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We stumbled upon the Legends of the Game Baseball Museum, located at the ballpark. Inside the museum, we found displays complete with bats, jerseys, and trophies belonging to baseball greats. There are exhibits on Texas Rangers history, the Negro Leagues and the Texas League, and the museum has facilities for students of the game to conduct research. While not as inclusive as the National Baseball Hall of Fame (nestled in Cooperstown, NY) or the Negro League Baseball Museum (located in Kansas City, MO), the museum was an enjoyable way to pass some time and is recommended if you attend a Rangers home game.

2. The Ballpark in Arlington

Composite image of the Ballpark in Arlington. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Fortunately for me, high clouds filtered the still strong mid September sun in Arlington, mercifully keeping temperatures in the 80s leading up to game time. The Ballpark in Arlington is an open air stadium, which was a controversial decision when the plans for the ballpark were announced. It is not unusual for temperatures to hover near 100 degrees F during summer afternoons and evenings, potentially putting the health of players and fans alike at stake. Because of the heat, most Rangers home games were played in the evening to avoid the worst of the conditions.

Cooler temperatures made exploring the park more enjoyable, at least for me. The Ballpark in Arlington was bigger than I expected, complete with three decks encompassing almost all of the entire playing field. With a capacity of greater than 48,000, it was one of the biggest “new” MLB ballparks. From our first look inside the ballpark, it was clear that a fair amount of planning was done to create the stadium’s atmosphere.

In a nod to the past, home plate, the foul poles and the bleachers were transplanted from Arlington Stadium, the home of the Texas Rangers from 1972 through 1993. The roof over the right field porch was reminiscent of Tiger Stadium, the former home of the Tigers. Finally, the white steel facade in the outfield was based on the facade of the old Yankee Stadium. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the park was the office suites in centerfield, beyond the grassy noll that served as the batter’s eye. All of the above resulted in a large ballpark, much larger than I had expected.

A view of left and center field from near home plate. Note the location of the visitors bullpen, just to the right of the Southwest Airlines sign in left field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

While touring the ballpark, we happened upon the visitor’s bullpen in left field, which was enclosed under the lower level concourse. A’s pitcher Barry Zito was warming up in the bullpen before the game, getting in his between start throwing. Because of the closed nature of the bullpen, Zito, a left hander who’s game was predicated on control and pitch placement (rather than velocity), was seemingly throwing very hard during his warmup (due to the echo).

As we were watching Zito throw, a young fan walked up and said “Hey Barry, you are throwing really hard”. Normally, players ignore fan comments, even during warmups, as they are concentrating on getting ready for competition. However, Zito stopped throwing, looked up at the young fan and said “Ah, don’t let the sound fool you”. With that one sentence, Zito showed me that he was respectful of fans, and that he was fully aware that he was indeed not a hard thrower.

Following our tour, we headed for the concession stands to get a baseball dinner. With hots dogs, pretzels and drinks in hand, we headed toward our seats. Despite a strong starting lineup, the Rangers were mired in last place in the AL West. With the home team limping toward the end of a disappointing season, there were plenty of good seats available for the game. We were fortunate enough to score seats in the lower level, just to the third base side of home plate.

Starting for the visiting Oakland A’s was right hander Justin Duchscherer. Not one of the five man Oakland rotation, Duchscherer was making a spot start, just his third of the season. On the mound for the Rangers was left hander Tony Mounce, the fifth starter in the Texas rotation. Given the relative weakness of the starting pitching, we expected the strong lineups for both teams put on a hitting display. We didn’t have to wait long for the offensive fireworks to begin, as the teams combined for seven runs in the first two innings.

A ticket from the game. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

After this outburst however, both offense were quieted into the middle innings. While Tony Mounce lasted six innings for the Rangers, the A’s starter (Duchscherer) didn’t make it out of the fourth inning, leaving the game in the hands of the A’s bullpen. As evening faded into night at the Ballpark in Arlington, conditions became a bit cooler. Scoring slowed the pace of the game, leaving us some time to get a sense of the environment within the ballpark.

Nighttime view of the Ballpark in Arlington. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Not surprisingly, a disappointing season for the Rangers resulted in a sparse crowd, which seemed even smaller than the announced attendance 17,000. So few people in the park made the ballpark appear even larger, robbing the place of any charm or intimacy. A collage of pieces from other parks gave the Ballpark at Arlington an almost forced feel, further diluting any sense of identity. To be fair, the ballpark DID provide a pleasant environment in which to watch a game, but I didn’t get the same feel I did at other ballparks in our travels.

Following Alex Rodriquez’s 43th home run in the bottom of the fifth, the hometown Rangers took a 5-3 lead. In the top of the seventh, the A’s broke the game open with three runs, and a trio of A’s reliever closed the door on the potent Texas office to seal a 6-5 win for the A’s. We filed out of the park with the rest of the remaining crowd, taking what would be our last look at the Ballpark in Arlington. Even though we had a good time seeing a ballgame here, there was not enough to bring us back any time soon.