Sports Venue visits

July 4, 2009 (Denver)

2009-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

A 4th of July weekend trip to Colorado. I was planning to attend games in Colorado Springs and Denver. But the Colorado Springs plans did not pan out, so it would be just games in Denver.

After spending the previous couple days in the Springs, I drove up to Denver, mainly for a ballpark at Coors Field. After riding the shuttle bus on the 16th Street Mall to the end of the line, it had rained really hard. After dealing with a postponed game in St. Louis, I worried about the same thing happening here.

After waiting under cover, I decided to walk to the ballpark, getting soaked in the process. The rain did stop, which was great news for me. When I entered the ballpark, I noticed the tarp on the field. I get to see it removed, and the game would be delayed by 30 minutes.

I sat in the upper deck, which was still wet. A fan next to me, offered me his towel, to wipe the seat. And I had to go up to the Purple Row, which are seats a mile high above sea level. The only seats that are purple, while the others are all green. From there, I could see the mountains, but were not really easy to see.

The Colorado Rockies took on the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the Rockies having been on a roll. They would start things off with a Clint Barmes home run, giving the Rox 1-0 lead. The Rockies would go up 4-0, until the Diamondbacks slowly chipped away, making it 4-3. But in the 8th inning, the D-Backs explode for 6 runs, taking a 9-4 lead. The Rockies scored 3 more in the bottom half. The D-Backs answered back by scoring 2 more, putting the game away. The Diamondbacks defeat the Rockies, 11-7. A high scoring game that I expected at Coors Field.

After the game were 4th of July fireworks, which are always great to watch in a ballpark.

June 20, 2009 (Philadelphia)

2009-08-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

An interleague matchup between the Phillies and the Baltimore Orioles. The Phils have to win at least one more in this homestead. I mean, they can’t be this bad at home, to a point where they could get swept by one of the worst teams in baseball.

Well, it turns out, the Phillies took a 1-0 lead on a Greg Dobbs home run. But that is all they could muster. The Orioles scored 2 runs, and that is all they needed, as they beat the Phils 2-1. Cole Hamels pitched a great game, but he was the hard-luck loser in the game.

I got to see a manager ejection and get a free bucket hat. But still, the Phils did indeed, get swept by the O’s. Maybe the upcoming road trip will be their remedy.

June 12, 2009 (Allentown)

2009-07-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

I drive up to Allentown to attend the Lehigh Valley IronPigs game, the AAA affiliate of the Phillies. They are playing the Charlotte Knights at Coco-Cola Park.

Now I'll admit, I don't really know anything about minor league baseball, other than that they may have up and coming players who could be in the major leagues one day. But I often hear positive things about it, like more intimate setting and a lot of promotions of things, since this caters more to families.

I arrive early, and do notice a lot of ads on the left field side. For only $10, I was able to sit behind home plate, and sat near some people who have season tickets, as we talked between innings. Fireworks normally go off, coming out of the huge Coco-Cola bottle at the scoreboard, whenever the home team hits a home run. But I would witness it puffing out just smoke, which was kind of funny to see.

The Knights and IronPigs each traded a couple runs, making it 2-2, and that would make the game go extra innings. The IronPigs scored in the bottom of the 10th, and they win the game, 3-2. The postgame fireworks were okay, but definitely were not at the major league level.

The worst part of the experience, is the parking lot after the game. It took me what seemed like forever, to get out of the lot. A long line of cars, bearly making an inch each hour. I did manage to catch the end of the Phillies game on the radio, to help bypass the time, but the reception was not good.

Overall, it was a good experience, to see firsthand a minor league game. Hopefully, this will be the first of many to go to, in the years to come.

May 25, 2009 (Philadelphia)

2009-07-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hot dogs and baseball, 2 things go well together! At least to me, anyway. Which is one of the main reasons why I went to Dollar Dog Night on Memorial Day.

The Phillies took on the Florida Marlins, and the result was not good, even with Jamie Moyer starting, who has had great numbers against the Fish. Ryan Howard starts things off with a 2-run homer in the 1st, giving the Phils a 2-0 lead. But Wes Helms, who was a bust while in Philly, would hit a 3-run homer, giving the Marlins a 3-2 lead. The Phils couldn't really get anything going, and part of the reason is due to base-running blunders. Howard would hit another home run, but it was not enough.

The Phils lose the game 5-3.

May 17, 2009 (St. Louis)

2009-07-15T11:09:00.001-07:00

At the last minute, I decided to take another game. And prematurely bought a ticket over the phone. Premature, because I still have ticket for the makeup game.

When going to the box office, I thought I could get a refund, but told that there are no refunds throughout MLB. Their reason, is that they don't control the weather. I know that screwed the Brewers fans visiting, as one of them was arguing with the ticket person. And I just threw away $52. So I was upgraded to the Redbird Club, which is on the 2nd level, and had an indoor concession stand and lounge.

It was a good seat, as I saw the Brewers quickly take a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning, with all the runs scored on a bases-loaded hit by JJ Hardy and Jason Kendall. It stayed that until the Cardinals finally got something going in the bottom of the 6th, scoring 2 runs to cut the deficit in half.

But the next inning, Prince Fielder hits a 3-run homer to put the Brewers up 7-2, and they score 1 more run to put icing on the cake, as the Brewers beat the Cardinals, 8-2.

I've been told there are fireworks after every Cardinal victory. I would not know for sure, because they lost the 2 games I was there. This would be the first place where I would not see the home team win.

May 16, 2009 (St. Louis)

2009-06-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

This time, it was a gorgeous day, so no worries about a rainout. I stood in line for First Pitch, which was already long by the time I got there. I got a voucher, then when paying at the ticket window, got another voucher. But I would definitely be at the game. First Pitch is a random drawing of 2 tickets, anywhere in the stadium.

When I returned shortly before the game, I got my tickets and ended up with standing room. Not good, since I've been standing for the most of the day so far. My feet are hurting so much. I first went to the 3rd base side, then to the 1st base side, so I can stand in the shade. But my feet were in too much pain, so I sat in an empty seat by the 3rd inning. I did notice a bunch of seats being empty throughout the game. No one seemed to notice or care.

The Cardinals faced the Brewers, and it turned out to be a pitchers' duel. The Brewers managed only 2 hits in the entire game, but one of them was a Corey Hart solo home run, which turned out to be just enough. Meanwhile, the Cardinals couldn't get anything going against their former teammate, Jeff Suppan, and ended up being shut out 1-0.

First time I have witnessed a shutout.

May 15, 2009 (St. Louis)

2009-06-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

I would spend this weekend in St. Louis, as my quest to visit all MLB stadium resumes in 2009. This season would be more focused on the National League this time.

Earlier in the day, I did get to visit the Missouri History Museum. There were sections that focused on the World Fair in 1904 and the history of St. Louis, from the beginning to the present day. But the part that really caught my interest, is the baseball stuff. There were old footage of past World Series that the Cardinals were in, including the 1944 World Series, which was the only one held in one stadium only. The St. Louis Browns and Cardinals shared a home for some time, before the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles. Plus some old seats, turnstile, and other things from the old Busch Stadium (or Busch II).

I arrived at (new) Busch Stadium, for the start of a 3-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers. This would be a battle for the NL Central. Yeah, I know it's too early to bring division races, but nobody wants to fall behind too quickly. The arrival from the MetroLink train takes me to the Stan Musial statue, standing in front of the entrance.

And at the corner, in front of the gift shop, are statues of great Cardinal players, like Bob Gibson and Ozzie Smith. I went inside the stadium, and it was t-shirt giveaway night. I could always use another t-shirt. :)

The view is great, seeing the Arch and downtown St. Louis. There are the retired numbers on the left field wall, as well as on the scoreboard. And 2 sets of manual out-of-town scores, one for each league, in the concourse. Although I did notice it was games from the week before. There is a computerized out-of-town scoreboard, next to the main one.

I walked around the concourse, and don't like the fact that I can't see the game from it. I would sit along the 3rd base side, underneath the level. The sky did not look too good, but I hoped they could get a game in.

The Cardinals got off to a good start, taking a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning, as Colby Ramsum hit a 2-run homer. Fireworks go off everytime a Cardinal hits a home run. Unfortunately, that would be the last I would see, because the rain came down hard, and at the lightning, there was a rain delay. After waiting about 90 minutes, it was postponed.

Being an out-of-towner, I was not sure of the rainout policy, and wondered if there was any other alternative to using it for the makeup game. An usher told me that I could get a refund, but that would end up being wrong. And I mean wrong, big time! More on that on another day.

Not happy the game was rained out, I hoped for better luck the next day. And I hoped for better seats with First Pitch.

April 27, 2009 (Philadelphia)

2009-05-12T11:31:00.001-07:00

First game of the 2009 season for me, and it was a great one. A dollar dog night, and high scoring game, that included 2 grand slams, including one by Raul Ibanez, who has replaced Pat Burrell in left field. The Phillies had to play from behind for most of the game, and they ended up beating the Washington Nationals, 13-11.

RIP, Harry Kalas

2009-04-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

I've been very lazy updating this. But have to, with the passing of Hall-of-Fame broadcaster, Harry Kalas.

I always remember first listening to him, when I became a sports fan, starting with baseball, back in 1989. I used to love to imitate him, when playing baseball with some friends, and at times, when playing kickball.

And he did make it memorable, the Terry Mulholland no-hitter in 1990, as I listened to it unfold on the radio, creating a lot of excitement, even though I could not see what was happening.

And the countless home run calls, making "outta here" a catchphrase in Philadelphia. When a Phillies player hits a home run, it is something like "swing and a long drive to deep right field, and this ball is... OUTTA HERE". His last one was the Matt Stairs homer this past Sunday, against the Rockies.

Phillies baseball will never be the same without Harry. I'm glad that he got to see 1 more Phillies championship.

Rest in Peace, Harry Kalas. You will be missed!

January 16, 2009 (Philadelphia)

2009-02-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

Since this was the final season of the Spectrum, I planned to go to 3 Phantoms games this year. After this hockey season, the place will be torn down. I've only been to this building twice, and both times go back to the early 90's.

The first was against the Lowell Devils (which I can assume is the affiliate of the New Jersey Devils). The Phantoms took a 4-1 lead, before the Devils came back to tie. But the Phantoms scored the game-winner with 12 minutes left in regulation, and won 5-4.

Because of car problems, I was not able to go to the second game, which was a couple days later. Plus I did not want to miss the Eagles being in the NFC Championship game, which turned out to be frustrating (to say the least). But I have a ticket for April 1st, which will definitely be my final visit to the Spectrum. More thoughts on the place after that game.

September 22, 2008 (Philadelphia)

2008-10-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

I decided to take in another Phillies game, as they were inching closer to their second straight playoff appearance, and sitting in 1st place. This would probably be as close as it gets for me to be in a playoff-like setting.

The Phillies took on the Atlanta Braves, with the season series dominated by the Phils. They took 2-0 lead, before the Braves came back to tie the score in the 6th. The highlight was in the top of the 8th, when the Braves tried to score the go-ahead run, but Kelly Johnson got gunned down at the plate. In the bottom 8th, the Phillies exploded for 4 runs, which included a Pat Burrell 3-run homer, and they would win the game 6-2. Even better news, the Mets lost to the Cubs.

I thought about going to another game, but declined and later regret it, as that game turned out to be the division-clinching game. I also considered going to a playoff game, but it was way too much money, and I wanted to save money for future travel, baseball-related and more.

September 9, 2008 (Philadelphia)

2008-10-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Dollar dog night between the Phillies and Marlins. By then, the Marlins are pretty much out of the race, the division was between the Phils and Mets.

I got there early, and was only able to eat 5 hot dogs, since I was "forced" to drink the rest of my water bottle, which was not allowed in the ballpark if already opened.

It would not be a good night for Kyle Kendrick and the Phillies, as the Fish would pound him for 7 runs, and would lead 9-1 after 4. The Phillies would slowly chip away, but would fall short, as the Marlins would win 10-8.

During the game, a lot of scoreboard watching, as the Mets game was also high scoring. The Mets would end up winning the game, so the Phils' chances is not looking good.

I thought this would be the last game of the season for me, and it has been a fun season overall. I visited 7 different ballparks outside of Philly, and would go to multiple Phillies games for the first time since 1996. My love for baseball is back, and it really helps that the local team is winning.

August 30, 2008 (Miami)

2008-10-20T10:11:00.001-07:00

I decided to take in a second game, since I had nothing else planned that day, and there were postgame fireworks. So I would drive up from South Beach, and would eat dinner outside the stadium, since it's cheaper.

I bought a ticket to the game, which was surprisiliy overpriced, considering the Marlins have a difficult time attracting fans to the games. I would sit around the same area, near the Marlins bullpen, and yes... near those annoying and rude Mets fans.

I did get very annoyed when some guys stood in the aisle and would watch the game there, blocking my view. That was when both benches cleared, but no fight, so not really a brawl. I actually prefer seeing this over a hockey fight, for some strange reason.

I forgot to mention before, there is some nice entertainment with the cheerleaders, known as the Marlin Mermaids, and these fat guys known as the Manatees, which I thought are really funny.

The Marlins and Mets faced off in the second of a 3-game series. The Mets started things off with a David Wright home run in the 1st inning, and jumped to a 3-0 lead after 3. The Fish slowly chipped away, on a bases loaded hit by Dan Uggla, and tied with a Mike Jacobs solo shot. Going into the bottom of the 9th with the game tied 3-3, the Marlins loaded up the bases with walks (2 of them intentional), but that backfired, because the next hitter knocked in the winning run by... yep you guessed it... a walk. The Marlins win 4-3.

After the game, there were fireworks, set to Latin music, which was interesting. Then a concert featuring a pop artist that I was not familiar with. And earlier, the Phillies won, so this turned out to be a good day after all.

And the only time I won't be annoyed with "Let's Go Mets" is at Shea Stadium (and in the future, Citi Field), since it is the Mets' place.

As for Dolphin Stadium, the constant reminders of this being a football stadium, makes this one of the worst.

August 29, 2008 (Miami)

2008-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I take a Labor Day weekend trip to South Florida, mainly to visit Dolphin Stadium, which is a football stadium only, for so many reasons. For starters, the name itself, after the football team.

Some issues with this place. It was quite a drive to the stadium, as this would be the first time that I would drive to a baseball game. It is located in a residential neighborhood, and there just doesn't seem to be any public tranportation to the stadium. Also, the humidity is very oppressive, as I came here during the Florida summer. The breeze does not provide much relief, but at least it's not too hot.

I arrive at the stadium, and the first thing I see is some people tailgating, an activity that I associate with football. Once inside the stadium, there are names of great Miami Dolphins around the place, and the place is so orange. Plus the football field was not covered up very well, as I could still see the yard lines and numbers of it. And a lot of empty seats.

I would see the Florida Marlins take on the New York Mets, in a key NL East battle. I decided to root for the Marlins, since I see the Mets as more of a threat in the division. Even more so, since the Phillies lost earlier. I would get to see Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat throw the first pitch.

A lot of Mets fans at the game, probably almost as much as Marlins fans. I guess most of them are transplants, but there are always those who travel with the team. As it turned out, these Mets fans are not exactly friendly, and just gave me the cold shoulder. I would have to endure "Let's Go Mets" chant, but the Marlins fans countered with "Go Home Mets".

I did sit next to some female Marlins fans, who were very friendly. They are big sports fans, rooting for all the local teams. We talked for a bit, before the game started.

The Marlins would have a 2-1 lead going into the 9th inning, until Carlos Beltran hit a grand slam off Kevin Gregg, giving the Mets a 5-2 lead. The Fish would score 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th, but fall short, as the Mets win 5-4. First time I would see the home team lose outside of Philly.

Not a good day, with the Mets winning, and the Phils losing. The Mets would increase their lead in the division. And here's hoping the Marlins get a new stadium.

August 7, 2008 (New York)

2008-10-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Taking the day off work, I took a trip to New York to see Shea Stadium, also in its final season.

Shea Stadium was the place where I would watch my first baseball game on TV in 1989, and being from a NL city, I often associated New York with the Mets more than the Yankees, until interleague play came around.

I arrive at Shea Stadium, deciding to ride LIRR instead of the 7 train, hoping to get enough time to tour around the stadium before game time. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere, as there just doesn't seem to be much around the place.

This place is pretty colorful, for a cookie-cutter stadium, one of the last in the majors. The Mets new home, Citi Field, can be seen. The Home Run Apple pops up whenever the Mets hit a home run, and I would see it happen 1 time. There are banners of great Mets players throughout the concourse, but this place reminded me very much of Veterans Stadium.

It was Sesame Street Day at Shea Stadium, and a lot of kids were at the game. I sat the upper deck among them, and at times, they would obstruct my view, as it's obivous they were not interested in the game. There was Ernie, but no Bert, waving to the kids, as he came out of the Mets dugout.

In the middle of the game, I would move to the mezzanine section, to meet up with a travel buddy, Jeremy, who was also on a baseball quest to see all 30. Unfortunately, he sat in a horrible section, where the overhang would obstruct our view of the field. It would be hard for us to see where the ball was hit, and any to the left field would be impossible to see. It was actually better in the upper deck. But it was great to meet with another person, who also has the same goal, so not a total loss.

The New York Mets played the San Diego Padres, and Johan Santana was the Mets starter. He pitched a great game, getting 7 strikeouts before running into trouble in the 8th inning. The Mets were leading 3-1 at the time. Santana was taken out, and the bullpen could not hold the lead, as the Padres came back to tie the game in the 9th inning.

I never sat through an extra inning game, and it wasn't about to start on this day, as David Wright hit a walkoff 2-run homer, and the Mets win the game, 5-3. The Phillies played also played a day game against the Marlins, and the Phils lost. Not a good day for this Phillies fan.

After the game, I took the 7 train back to Penn Station, then returned to Philly.

August 5, 2008 (Philadelphia)

2008-10-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

A key battle for the NL East, between the Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins. And the New York Mets are not far behind. I would be watching all 3 of those NL East teams this week.

Jaime Moyer was previously unbeaten against the Fish, that would change quickly, as the Phils had a hard time mustering any offense against Josh Johnson. The only runs they would get, is on a controversial 2-run homer by Shane Victorino, but it would not matter. The Marlins came away with a 8-2 win, and inched closer to first place.

Not much to cheer about in this game.

July 4, 2008 (Minneapolis)

2008-09-29T17:13:00.001-07:00

I spend the early part of the day, first at the construction site, where the new ballpark for the Minnesota Twins is being built. Then to the Mall of America, which was built on the site of the defunct Metropolitan Stadium, the old home of the Twins and Vikings. There is a plaque that marks the spot of home plate, and the stadium chair which marked the spot of Harmon Killebrew's 520-foot home run.

Later, I went to the Metrodome, which would be my first baseball game in a dome. It felt a bit weird watching a game indoors, but still had that feel of the cookie-cutter stadiums, reminding me of the old Veterans Stadium in Philly. This was the 3rd and final stop of my Midwest road trip. It turns out that I would visit 3 ballparks within the same division, AL Central.

Some things to look out for, like the Twins Hall of Fame around the stadium, and the pictures of players whose numbers have been retired by the team. And the countdown has already started for games left in the Metrodome, although it's still 2 years away.

The Minnesota Twins played the Cleveland Indians. The Twins have been a major surprise, winning despite losing 2 key players, while the Tribe a major disappointment in the AL Central. The Twins just completely dominated the game, and would cruise to a 12-3 win over the Indians. A foul ball was hit one row behind me, which was the closest it has ever been to me.

After the game, I went to the river, and watched the fireworks. A great way to close out the road trip. But I plan to visit at least 1 more ballpark this season.

June 30, 2008 (Chicago)

2008-09-26T14:17:00.001-07:00

I was in Chicago, to see my sister, and visit a couple ballparks.

First, I would tour Wrigley Field, getting a chance to see both dressing rooms and sit in the Cubs dugout and press boxes. And get some background history on the ballpark, and how it used to be home of the Chicago Bears. Overall, I thought it was an interesting tour. But I feel like I would get a better feel if I could go to an actual game, but the Cubs are on the road, so I'll make a return visit in the future.

Note: I only count it as a ballpark visit, if I attended the actual game. So when asked which ballparks I've been to, Wrigley Field is not included on that list. Yes, I am that picky!

Later, I would go to Comiskey Park (I know it's called US Cellular Field, but I hate that name). Outside, there is the Champion Plaza, celebrating the memory of the 2005 Championship, which was the White Sox first since the Black Sox scandal.

I went inside, and see that each level requires separate admission. I was on the lower level, and got a very good seat. I walked around the stadium, and see the statues of White Sox in the concourse in the outfield. And the scoreboard has fireworks that go off everytime a White Sox player hits a home run, and if they win the game. Yes, even in the daytime, which I never saw before.

The Chicago White Sox took on the Cleveland Indians. The White Sox got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 8-1 lead after 3 innings. I get to see 2 former Phillies play, in Jim Thome and Gavin Floyd. And it seems like a change of scenery has helped Gavin Floyd, who is have a great year. The Tribe slowly chipped away, and had a rally going in the 9th inning, but fell short, as the White Sox won 9-7. Jim Thome hit a home run, and Nick Swisher hit 2 (including a grand slam), which means I get to see the fireworks 4 times. :)

Overall, I had fun at this place, and not nearly as bad as I thought. People usually think of Wrigley Field when coming to Chicago, but I think Comiskey is worth the visit. And a cheaper alternative, since Cubs tickets are a little hard to come by. The huge flipside is that there is nothing to do after the game, except hop on the El train and go somewhere else.

June 28, 2008 (Detroit)

2008-09-25T12:58:00.001-07:00

During the day, I would tour around Detroit, which was not easy, because it was raining hard. I could not visit Dearborn, since I was relying on public transportation in the Motor City. I know, that doesn't sound right, but I'm just very cheap.

I would visit the Detroit Historical Museum, which was a city history museum. One of the things on display are some Tiger Stadium artifacts, which included the sign, seats, and turnstile.

I would also get to see Tiger Stadium itself, and it looked horribly neglected. I wish I could go inside, but it was fenced off, but there are people still coming to see the place, and taking pictures of it. There were bulldozers just outside the stadium, so they are ready to tear the place down. Just looking at the old ticket windows and concession stands - very depressing to see.

From the old ballpark to the current one, the second game between the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies. The Tigers would be up 5-2, going into the 9th inning. That was when the Rockies came back and took a 6-5 lead, with closer Todd Jones coughing up the lead. Needless to say, he was booed after taken out of the game. But the Tigers prevailed, scoring 2 runs in the bottom half, on a Miguel Cabrera walk-off double, winning 7-6. After the game, was fireworks, which is always great to see.

I would see the statues of Tiger players whose numbers have been retired, on my way out. Overall, I enjoyed my time at Comerica Park. I think it is a nice ballpark, with a museum on the team's history, and some attractions that will surely entertain the families. Hopefully, I will make a return visit.

Next day, I leave for Chicago, and get to see my sister.

June 27, 2008 (Detroit)

2008-09-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

The start of the Midwest Road Trip, taking me to 3 different stadiums. The first stop is Comerica Park in Detroit.

I got there late, because of a late arrival flight, and the long bus ride from the airport to downtown. After checking in at a hotel only a block away, I got to the ballpark, but the game was already in the 2nd inning.

Tigers everywhere. This ballpark has a lot of tiger statues, including one guarding one of the gates. And a merry-go-round of tigers instead of horses, and showcasing a different decade of team history throughout the concourse.

A interleague matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies. When Tigers starter Eddie Bonine did not allow a hit going into the 5th inning, I started to think no-hitter. But he gave up in that inning, but the Tigers won the game 7-1. A tiger roar can be heard everytime athe Tigers scored. We were treated with fireworks after the game, which I enjoyed.

I decided to take in another game in its entirety, and hope to see more of the ballpark then.

June 7, 2008 (New York)

2008-09-21T14:26:00.001-07:00

My first and only visit to "The House that Ruth Built", on a hot and humid day during the heat wave that has hit the Northeast US. Yes, I finally got to visit Yankee Stadium. And this after considering going many times before that, but never happened until its final season. Better late than never.

I did not like the fact that I had to pay money to check my backpack in a bowling alley, since bags were not allowed in the stadium. Plus I would not get a chance to see Monument Park, which closed 45 minutes before game time.

But the game itself was very entertaining. A high scoring affair, that went back and forth between the Yankees and Royals. Johnny Damon went 6-for-6 in the game, including the game winning hit in the bottom of the 9th, as the Yankees came back to win the game, 12-11.

May 26, 2008 (Philadelphia)

2008-09-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

My 1st visit to Citizens Bank Park in 3 years, and 2nd overall. I figure, since I'm planning to visit all these stadiums in other places, why not the home stadium. Well, I am in for a treat this Memorial Day, as the Philadelphia Phillies took on the Colorado Rockies, and it's Dollar Dog Night.

The Rockies jumped out in front first, but it was all Phillies, hitting home runs and scoring all these runs, it got ridiculous. I left the game in the 8th inning, and the Phils destroy the Rockies, 20-5.

I'll try to keep these entries as short as possible. I have a bad habit of being too detailed.

May 16, 2008 (Baltimore)

2008-09-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

I took a day trip from DC to Baltimore, to visit Oriole Park in Camden Yards. As it's the one that started the retro ballparks in MLB, it would also start off my baseball quest to visit every ballpark.

This was my first ever visit to Baltimore, and the only reason for me to visit this city, is for baseball. Nearby is the Babe Ruth Birthplace, which I did get to visit. I also would visit the Sports Legend Museum, but had to skim through it, not realizing how much stuff is actually in it. I will definitely have to make a return visit.

I went to a stand, where I bought 3 hot dogs for $5, which was not a bad deal in itself, and I'm sure better than inside the ballpark. And the great thing is that I could bring the food and drink inside the stadium.

It was a chilly night, and probably the first time I went to a baseball game in this type of weather. I walked along Eutaw Street and looked around until the starting lineups were announced. I did not give myself enough time, as I did not want to miss any part of the game. It kind of stinks that I could not see the game from the concourse.

I sat behind home plate underneath the deck. I would end talking with someone next to me, who was also from Philly.

The Baltimore Orioles were playing the Washington Nationals in the opener of the Beltway Series. Seeing a lot of empty seats, just shows that this isn't much of a rivalry, and never will be. It's no Yankees-Mets or Cubs-White Sox. The Nationals jumped to a 2-0 lead, but the Orioles came back, and eventually won the game 5-3. Ironic that I would be watching the Nats in a road game, considering that I was in DC for a weekend trip.

There was fireworks afterwards, but I would miss it, because of the last bus would leave 20 minutes after the last out. Or I thought. Turns out the bus driver just stood outside, talking. So I missed the fireworks for no reason, and was really upset. So was another girl, who went outside to complain to the driver, but to no avail. The bus would eventually leave, but that was almost 45 minutes after the game, and the fireworks had already ended.

So for those that come from DC to catch a game at Camden Yards and the fireworks after that, have a Plan B to get back to DC, in case the last bus does leave 20 minutes after the last out. I think fireworks and baseball go well together.

I would not get to visit Nationals Park, and will have to make a return trip to DC, to see a game there, and possibly the DC United soccer team to see RFK Stadium.

But overall, it was a great experience, and a nice way to start summer for me.

How it started

2008-09-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

For starters, I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and currently live there. And you guessed it, I grew up rooting for the Phillies, as well as the Eagles, Flyers and 76ers.

It all started when talking with a friend on a road trip in 2007, when we talked about all the baseball stadiums we have seen or visited. At the time, I would be content just seeing the exterior and/or touring the place, and only went to a game at Fenway Park. When learning that Yankee Stadium would close its doors after the 2008 season, I wanted to make one visit there. Then it hit me, and I decided to try to visit all 30 ballparks within my lifetime, starting in 2008.

Since the regular season is almost over, and I just started this blog, I will be recapping all the games that I've attended. It won't necessarily be reviews (I'm lousy at that), but just my experience and the actual game recap itself.

First entry - intro

2008-09-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Walter. I will be using this blog for my visits to various ballparks in Major League Baseball, and maybe a few other things along the way. I got the idea of blogging my visits from Sean's MLB Road Trip, which you can find some useful information on www.mlbroadtrip.com, if you decide to go on a quest to visit every baseball stadium. Also, it's fun to read as well.

I'll be figuring out the kinks on this site along the way.