Favorite Baseball Stadium

Rudy · May 24, 2009

Of all of the baseball shrines you have been to, what is your favorite?

I love Fenway because of the history. When you walk into the stadium, you can feel all of the history that has happened there.

The Ballpark in Arlington is a great place to watch a game.

Minute Maid Park is a fantastic stadium all around. Cant say a negative thing about it, but the best one is...

The Great American Ballpark in Cincy is amazing. Open, clean, beautiful, right on the Ohio River. You can see the river and Kyentucky from inside. Just a beautiful ballpark. Ill try to post some pics.

oldguystudent · May 24, 2009

Man, that's a tough question, because different parks are near and dear to my heart for different reasons:

Fenway -- Because it's Fenway man! No swimming pools in the outfield, no sushi at the concessions. The most attentive and knowledgeable fans in baseball bar none. Great atmosphere on Yawkee way, and I love how it becomes part of the stadium on game day. Downside -- Really cramped, and I mean really cramped seats. I put my palm on the front of my seat, and my fingers touched the seat in front of me.

Candlestick -- Here I would put the Oakland Coliseum as it was my primary childhood stadium, but Al Davis ruined it. Candlestick was a miserable place to watch baseball. It was so cold there that if you endured an extra innings night game, they would give you a pin with the SF logo on covered in icicles. As opposed to whatever shiny corporate joint the Giants play in today, Candlestick was full of blue collar baseball fans who hated the Dodgers hard and drank their smuggled in flask contents even harder. Opposing players absolutely hated playing there. Hometown fans embraced the misery and made it a point of pride.

Alex Box Stadium (Part I) -- Best college baseball place in the country, and the best food inside and out of the stadium. A rabid fan base that created a home field advantage like you wouldn't believe. 10,000 seats crammed in erector set style to accommodate ever increasing demand over the years.

Cohen Stadium, El Paso -- Home of the independent El Paso Diablos and evidence that there truly is nothing else to do in El Paso. You put out a team with no affiliation, sell a few $1 beers, and the whole damn town shows up. I was at a game when they clinched a playoff birth, and you'd have thought El Paso was hosting the world series. If there were any money in that town, it would be a fantastic place to have a professional team of any sport. One of these days I really want to get to a Fort Worth Cats game because I hear it's a similar experience.

I'm not a big fan of any of the newer stadium because the game of baseball becomes a tertiary part of the experience. I don't want to drink micro brews, eat filet in an air conditioner leather tent while my kids ride the water slide. I want to watch a baseball game...outdoors...and not in evening wear.

Censored by Laurie · May 25, 2009

I was at Safeco last night...really my first of this new generation ballpark (I consider Camden Yards, The Ballpark and Jacobs as the previous generation)...and I really dug it. OGS, I alternated between micro-brews and PBR cans so hopefully if we ever catch a game together you won't be too embarrassed to be around me. Also...garlic, and I mean GARLIC fries...awesome. And again...maybe this should be added to the legendary hot dog thread, but sauteed onions, spicy mustard and cream cheese...not bad on a dog.

All time favorite is Fenway, not just because I'm a Sox fan, but that place just oozes baseball history.

I went to old Yankee stadium last year and was under-whelmed...but that may've been my bias...I'll be at new Yankee stadium in 2 weeks.

Wrigley is cool...but I never felt the same historic vibe I get from Fenway. We had bleacher seats which are supposed to be the best for baseball atmosphere...they're OK, but no awe factor (in fairness, it was a drizzling day and mayve sucked out some crowd life). If I go back I'd probably buy tix on the houses across the street...looked like a fun party.

Camden Yards is awesome.

The Ballpark can be awesome...when the Rangers are winning. The Johnny Oates years were a blast...but since you get the typical Dallas sport fan apathy. If they're still in the race the next time I get home, I'll probably head out for a game.

Ranking the parks I've been to:

1. Fenway

2. Camden Yards

3. Penant contending Rangers at the Ballpark

4. Wrigley

5. Safeco

6. Old Yankee

7. Skydome

8. Old Shea

oldguystudent · May 25, 2009

Censored by Laurie said:
OGS, I alternated between micro-brews and PBR cans so hopefully if we ever catch a game together you won't be too embarrassed to be around me.

I've got nothing against good beer. Of course, I've also got a strong affinity for cheap beer. I just don't think a baseball game is the time or place to get all hoity toity about your hooch. It's all in the upbringing I suppose. I remember $2 parking and $8 box seats in Candlestick when you could BYOB if you so chose. It was a time and place to watch sports, not to see and be seen. I was about 8 or 9 years old in the period of which I speak, so it was hot dogs, coke and chocolate malteds for your's truly.

I don't know what it is with the food and drink with me. I have no problem with the cajun food at the Box, but I can't stomach the sushi in Anaheim (or SLC for that matter!). I love the Anchor Steam in Oakland and don't mean the Shiner in Arlington, but I don't dig the Asahi in Dodger Stadium. I think my line in the sand is if it distracts from the fact that one is at a game.

PBR cans at a Major League game? The words you speak intrigue me and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Censored by Laurie · May 25, 2009

The way the Safeco outfield is set up is a beer stand every 2 sections...these have you traditional domestics, your 16oz frosty cold PBR cans, and I think 2 taps of various (of which their are many) local micros...then a beer garden-esque stand in dead center with 12 or 15 micros and usual suspects on tap and another 20 or so in bottles and cans.

As for food, sushi seems very unstable...but it is LA and I support the idea of local fare at a game. I think the newer stadiums can get away with it...I also had a salmon sandwich with a surprisingly nice slaw last night and enjoyed it thoroughly. If I saw that available at Fenway I'd flip out and kill a Yankee fan for fun.

Speaking of...new Yankee Stadium supposedly has guest chefs, a butcher, sushi...hell basically a gourmet market and its own steak house (sans view of the game). This seems atrocious...though I'm sure I will eat plenty of the fancy fare while I'm there

CMJ · May 25, 2009

I haven't been to that many pro parks really.

1. Angels Stadium of Anaheim -- Apparently it used to suck big time back in the day, but I've only been there since they renovated it in the early 00's and am pretty impressed. The locals are way more rabid about the squad than the Dodger fans in LA(tho way more annoying). Nice sightlines(since I typically sit in the upperdeck this matters), decent food, cool place

2. Dodger Stadium -- Really historic which I liked, but I was a tad underwhelmed. Fans are late arriving and early leavers like the stereotype. Seriously, the place isn't usually full until about the 4th inning and starts emptying out in the 7th. I just hope the folks that come late aren't the same that leave early, otherwise they're only there for about an hour. Really well preserved tho, and it's obvious they pour money into it to try and keep it up to snuff with all the new places opening up.

3. The Ballpark -- Beautiful stadium, love it. On pure aesthetics I can't imagine to many places in all of baseball better. But sorta misses out on atmosphere in comparison to the other two.

oldguystudent · May 25, 2009

CMJ said:
1. Angels Stadium of Anaheim -- Apparently it used to suck big time back in the day,

Oh man, you have no idea. It was horrific. Think Fouts with more concrete and even farther away from the action.

Rudy · May 25, 2009

I would love to visit alot of those stadiums. I have to say, if anyone gets the the chance to visit Cincy, The Great American Ballpark is a MUST.

CMJ · May 25, 2009

Rudy said:
I would love to visit alot of those stadiums. I have to say, if anyone gets the the chance to visit Cincy, The Great American Ballpark is a MUST.

If I am ever out that way during baseball season I'll definitely go. But there are a bunch of stadiums I can say that about.

Mean Green 93-98 · May 25, 2009

Been to Fenway, Astrodome, Wrigley Field, Old Comiskey Park, New Comiskey Park (I think it's Cellular Field or something like that now). Each of them has its own character and experience, but out of the ones I have been to the Ballpark in Arlington stands head and shoulders above the rest. Beautiful, built with a classic look that will never go out of style, and doesn't have too many bad seats for that type of design.

bstnsportsfan3 · May 25, 2009

i have been to Fenway, Ballpark in Arlingtion and Minute Maid Field.

Fenway was the best ( not just because im a sox's fan) the history of the park and sitting in a seat where someone sat in 1912 is extreamly cool, though for a big guy like me, not all that enjoyable. first time i went to fenway i was 9 years old and just seening all the green, ( the grass, the green monster, ect...) it was easily the best moment of my life.

Minute maid field was nice, but the fans seem to care less about the game. beautiful stadium but the roof was closed and i think that took away from the feeling.

Ballpark in arlingtion is the best "newer" stadium i have been to. thier is not a bad seat in the house and usually about 10,000 sox's fans thier when boston comes to town!

UNTLifer · May 26, 2009

Of the four I've visited:

The Ballpark: Just a great, timeless venue.

Wrigley: Saw an afternoon game against the Giants when Will Clark was with them. 1st baseline seats about halfway between the dugout and the outfield wall. Great atmosphere, Old Style beer, etc...

Minute Maid: Only been with the roof open. Seems very cozy and not as big as The Ballpark. A great downtown stadium.

The Astrodome was cool as an eight year old, but I really dislike domed stadiums.

Never been to Fenway. My one time to Boston the Red Sox were on the road, but it is one stadium I've always wanted to visit along with some stadiums that are no longer with us, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, etc...

bstnsportsfan3 · May 26, 2009

UNTLifer said:
Of the four I've visited:
The Ballpark: Just a great, timeless venue.
Wrigley: Saw an afternoon game against the Giants when Will Clark was with them. 1st baseline seats about halfway between the dugout and the outfield wall. Great atmosphere, Old Style beer, etc...
Minute Maid: Only been with the roof open. Seems very cozy and not as big as The Ballpark. A great downtown stadium.
The Astrodome was cool as an eight year old, but I really dislike domed stadiums.

Never been to Fenway. My one time to Boston the Red Sox were on the road, but it is one stadium I've always wanted to visit along with some stadiums that are no longer with us, Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park, etc...

Well, you will have time to visit fenway, the new sox's ownership has revitalized fenway to the point where it can be used for another 50+ years...and to me that is great! i never want to see another ballpark in boston.