<p>Well, I want Utley, Howard and Burrell to keep swatting 'em out, so I don’t complain about Citizen Bank’s size (those guys do hit one once in a while in a road game, too). </p>
<p>Actually, I’ve been going to Shea irregularly since its post-World’s Fair beginnings and I like the Mets well enough. I’m looking forward to the new park, too, since DW will be dragging me down there soon enough.</p>
<p>We don’t live near either park anymore, so our visits are infrequent but are more of an occasion.</p>
<p>Hard to imagine a Phillies/Mets marriage! You guys must have quite some time of it these days–congrats on working things through and sticking together despite those fundamental differences! :)</p>
<p>Well the easy answer is the best kind of baseball is the game you are at… but given a choice, and taking the cost into account, would the fans on this site prefer to go to:</p>
<p>A Major League game</p>
<p>B Minor League game</p>
<p>C College game - including summer leagues (ala Cape Cod)</p>
<p>D High School game - including summer travel ball</p>
<p>I have to say that up until about 5 years ago, it was no question for me - a major league game (A). </p>
<p>In the last few years, I find myself drawn more and more to the high school and college games (C + D). I was lucky enough to have a son who is a fine baseball player - and as a result I have travelled with his team all over the country, playing and watching some of the best high schoolers in the country. Given a choice of tickets to watch the Giants play the Mets the next 3 nights at Shea - or tickets to watch the 17U WWBA event in Atlanta - I think I would go to Atlanta. </p>
<p>What about the others on this site? What would you prefer?</p>
<p>hey all you basebal fanatics
here’s a lifestyle choice for you all to be jealous of…
S,majoring in Sports Management down in South Carolina, already has gone on a 2 week bus trip (for credit!) visiting major and minor league parks along the eastern seaboard for a course called “Professional Baseball Stadium Management”.
This summer, for a credit bearing internship, he is working sometimes more than 80 hrs a week at a minor league Independent League stadium here on Long Island NY for the Long Island Ducks.Team is coached by Buddy Harrelson,League is owned/managed by Frank Bolton. He does everything from pulling tarp to selling tickets to ushering/security to playing the mascot to making cold calls for group ticket sales to preparing the luxury suites for groups, to exit greeting (say goodnight,move them along,hand stuff out).He’s getting quite an education in operations along the way.
Cost to attend a game?$10 a head.Sometimes theres fireworks afterwards, theres giveaways, entertainment between innings involving the audience, shoutouts to birthdays/anniversarys, colorguards of cubscouts, contests to sing the Anthem,a contest to be moved to sit on a “big comfy couch” each game (oh yes, another one of son’s job duties, carry the couch in and out each game!).
They routinely sell out the stadium (about 6500 seats) and this season have set attendance records many times, probably b/c people are looking for nearby things to do using less gas and costing less.
And…another perk…he’s getting 3 credits and a stipend, which he says if he works out the number of hours comes to about 2.50 an hour!!</p>
<p>Hey cathymee, my sister did a similar internship out here with the Gateway Grizzlies a couple years ago. They’re in the Frontier League which is an Independent league in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and a few more states. She had a similar job it sounds like, but she didn’t get college credit and her stipend was lot less! I think she said they worked it out to be around $.03/hr!</p>
<p>Comin’ from Carolina, we have our choice of several minor league venues. Great games, great prices, and the players are actually approachable and not arrogant. Had seats by the bullpen one time, shared a hot dog with some young rookie reliever. </p>
<p>Lived in Alaska before; the summer league up there is fantastic. Talk about “night” games! The second game of a double header would start AFTER 10 PM because the sun didn’t set to 2AM. Great way to spend a Friday night!</p>
<p>And binx / garland: as long as you’re talking baseball, you’re always invited into the Man Cave. (start talking fruity drinks and the latest Jane Austin movie and you’ll be shown the door, however)</p>
<p>Oh, this is exactly what I hoped for – I love all these stories! </p>
<p>Donna, I too can’t imagine how I traveled alone as a child to baseball games and would not have let my daughters do so.</p>
<p>Garland – I was watching Boston and Minnesota on ESPN on Monday (no White Sox game that night and the Twins are breathing down our necks!) We kept getting updates on that Mets-Phillies game - it was crazy. White Sox were giving me heartburn last night, not being able to put away KC after coming from behind. As Ozzie said this morning, the only good thing about that game was that we won. </p>
<p>Wow – lots of Cards fans here. </p>
<p>Emerald – what was up with Seattle putting in a catcher to pitch?? We can’t be giving wins away to Detroit!</p>
<p>Bullet – I didn’t know the secret password to the Cave, and I was really scared trying to imagine the facilities (if you get my drift – do you provide ladies’ rooms or is it all urinals??)</p>
<p>Vulture – so much to do in Chicago in the summer. Millenium Park, especially if there’s a free concert at the bandshell. The Art Institute (free day is Tues or Thurs, forget which, not on the weekend though). There’s probably a music or art fest somewhere. Lincoln Park Zoo is free. Beaches. Go to the HotTix booth and see what’s playing at Steppenwolf or one of the other Chicago theatre groups. (Lookingglass is good, too, right at Water Tower.) Personally, I think Navy Pier is very expensive and touristy, though the restaurant Reba’s (if it’s still there) is very nice. Also would skip the Sears Tower. But that’s me. Eat Greek, Mexican, or Chicago pizza. Enjoy!
(And if you’re going to Wrigley, take the El. Don’t even think about driving.)</p>
<p>Also forgot to add –
IllinoisMom, wasn’t it a perfect night to be at the Cell? Funny you were there, too.
Keymom – Really looking forward to Miller Park. The end of the season should be very exciting in the NL Central.</p>
<p>To his credit, the M’s back up catcher Burke had pitched a little relief in the minors. I caught his performance on television - after 15 innings with a skinny bullpen and a couple of pitchers who weren’t “up” to pitching (???), there you go. He got the ball over the plate, most of the time.</p>
<p>Thanks for the Chicago tips - looking forward to the trip and the time at Wrigley. I fully plan to take advantage of the El and am doing my homework. This will drive my H crazy since he prefers the “safety” of a cabbie who should know the way; gotta love a little vacation tension!!</p>
<p>Big baseball fan here. I, along with different friends, have been to a number of stadiums. My home base is Cincinnati so Riverfront and now Great American are the most frequented. Not a bad place to catch a game.</p>
<p>Here is a list of parks I have visited (no particular order):
Tiger Stadium (Detroit)
Skydome (Toronto)
Jacobs Field (Cleveland) Many times but first time was '97 All-Star Game…sweet!
Turner Field (Atlanta)
Tropicana (Tampa Bay)
PNC (Pittsburgh)
Comerica (Detroit)
Citizens Bank (Philly)
Camden Yards (Baltimore)
Fenway (Boston)
Wrigley (Chicago)
New Busch Stadium (St. Louis)
Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City)</p>
<p>Best old-time park: Tiger, hands down!
Best new park: PNC, lousy fans but excellent park
Most over-rated park: Camden Yards
Worst park: Tropicana
Best Food: Citizens Bank
Best Food Item: Philly Cheeses Steak, Kansas City, yes, I’m serious
Best Fans: Boston
Worst Fans: Pittsburgh</p>
<p>Could go on forever. Thanks for listening!
Disappointing Food: Great American (maybe because nothing seems unique)</p>
<p>I recently went to a wedding reception for two young people, one born here and one abroad, from different ethnic backgrounds. The reception featured some performances from each of their cultures. And then, in the middle of dancing, came “Sweet Caroline” and everybody joined except for the non-English speaking older people. Lots of Red Sox fans among this immigrant crowd!</p>
<p>vulture – One or two other things I thought of. The Architectural Association does some nice walking tours for nominal fees (based downtown in the Monadnock building, or used to be). The boat tours that go up the river, through the locks and out to the lake are actually nice and could be worth doing (Wendella boats, at the Michigan Ave. bridge near the Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building.)
The Planetarium, Aquarium, and Field Museum are all grouped together in a parklike setting called the Museum campus. A beautiful place to walk, even if one of the museums doesn’t catch your fancy (I like the aquarium and the Field.) Nice little beach right there.
The shopping on Michigan Ave. is fun, not that different anymore from most malls, but some fun big stores – a huge Crate and Barrel, a huge Nike, etc.
South of Wrigley Field and into Lakeview and Lincoln Park – fun walking and people watching, places to eat outdoors, a big Powell’s used bookstore on Lincoln.
Drive Lake Shore Drive and Sheridan Rd. all the way up out of the city and into the North Shore to gape at the houses in Winnetka, Lake Forest, et al. The Bahai Temple is on that route, in Wilmette. Gillson Park in Wilmette has a nice beach, as well, though not free like city beaches.
Where are you staying?
Some nicer places to eat that I would recommend are Rick Bayless’ restaurants in River North (Frontera Grill, Topobolampo (sp?), and Catch 23, an Asian-infused seafood place right in the Loop. There are so many places, though, and I don’t eat out downtown as much as I used to.
PM me with any questions – I know there are lots of other Chicago area CCers as well.</p>
<p>Sweet Caroline was a highlight when we saw the Red Sox play. Our whole family thought it was a much better atmosphere at Fenway than Yankee stadium.
We like to take the stadium tours, especially when the kids were younger. My oldest son has a collection of dirt from major league stadiums.</p>
<p>Last night I was at Miller Park to see CC Sabathia pitch his first game for the Brewers. Sold out on a Tuesday night…what a great atmosphere! We all stood when he came out to the mount, and stood through his first at-bat: strike out! Kind of muggy at the beginning of the evening, then the cool breeze came along halfway through. Full park, lots of promise, chants of “Let’s go, CC!” and it was magic.</p>
<p>Here’s the kicker: I was born in Chicago and am still a great fan of the Cubbies. Spent my senior ditch day in high school there at Opening Day 1978 and was there on 8-8-88 for the first night game. Saw Ferguson Jenkins pitch in the late 60s…straddling the Cubs-Brewers fence can be done. I win no matter which of my teams wins the North.</p>
<p>I will admit, though, that whichever team I’m watching, if they do poorly I find myself saying, “C’mon Cubs!” Old habits die hard.</p>
<p>Gotta love Doc Halladay. His SEVENTH complete game of the season was a 5-0, 2-hitter, against the Yankees tonight. </p>
<p>MOWC, my dad used to take me to games at Connie Mack Stadium. I was a big Bobby Wine fan (probably the only one!). </p>
<p>One of the best baseball memories for me was the year that the Jays beat the Phillies (my two teams) to win the World Series. I was at that game. :)</p>
<p>My very first foray into Yankee Stadium will be on Sunday for the XM Futures All Star Game. I’m going to try to attend Mass earlier in the day but figure that God will understand if my worshiping this Sunday takes place at the sacred grounds in the Bronx.</p>